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Wednesday Word April 2026: Jangle

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I cannot promise how, where or when these words were used, if ever. I simply find them delightful, and want to share.

JANGLE

To chat or gossip.

https://www.atlasobscura.com/articles/shame-masks-schandmaske

Jangle, jangle, jangle.

I typically associate this word with keys or bells. He jangled his keys as he walked.

There were huge masks people had to wear in some municipalities in the medieval era if they were deemed to gossip too much.

Some of those masks even had bells on them.

I wonder if that’s where jangle came from. I like that better than the dictionary.com source which is a 1250’s word. Middle English janglen, Old French jangler, Germanic and Middle Dutch janglen, meaning to haggle or whine.

One response to “Wednesday Word April 2026: Jangle”

  1. Esther O'Neill Avatar
    Esther O’Neill

    Jangle I found this wonderful word in a solicitor’s letter to his client, who was disputing a local will, and cause celebre, 1660’s, after the English civil war,

    A Captain in the Royalist army in exile was so close to the restored Charles II, he was given the job of delivering the reward, in gold, of course, to the loyal Scots who had supported the exiled prince/king. ( Charlexs II dated his reign from his father’s execution)

    The old Captain’s will divided his entire estate between his two granddaughters, one of them described as ‘ a baseborn child’ – ( Royalist father now identified, child cared for like a little princess – no, doesn’t seem to be one of Charles’s

    Later, the captains’ daughter married a former Roundhead, extremely angry about this will.

    Solicitor – You may jangle all you like ( paraphrased) but this is a sound will

    Went to the high court, which found in favour of the illegitimate girl.

    Estate divided between the Royalist captain’s two granddaughters.

    Are civil wars ever really over ?

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