technobabble

English

WOTD – 26 October 2006

Etymology

techno- +‎ babble

Pronunciation

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /ˈtɛknəʊbæbəl/
• (US) IPA^(key): /ˈtɛknoʊbæbəl/

• Audio (US)

  (file)

• Rhymes: -æbəl

Noun

technobabble (uncountable)

1. Technical or scientific language used in fiction to convey a false impression of meaningful technical or scientific content.
   • 1997, Lawrence Miles, chapter 4, in Alien Bodies, page 84:

     'Dimensional incursion? What kind of ludicrous technobabble is that supposed to—' ¶ Unexpectedly, he fell silent.

   • 1998, Peter Anghelides, chapter 1, in Kursaal, page 6:

     'We are self-sufficient...We don't rely on clear skies and satellite access and not being deep underground, because of your wonderful technobabble devices.'

   • 2006 November, Michael Pritchard, Doctor Who Magazine, number 376, page 45:

     "And despite all the weird events the dialogue is naturalistic and light on technobabble", says Peter. "Such a relief after recent stories."

   • 2019 March 29, Sopan Deb, “‘Star Trek: Discovery’ Season 2, Episode 11: Struggle Is Pointless”, in The New York Times‎^[1], →ISSN:

     Destroying the sphere doesn’t work, so the Discovery crew hatches a plan, with some incoherent technobabble: They’re going to launch the time traveling suit and the sphere so far into the future that, somehow, this will save sentient life in the universe.

2. From the point of view of the layperson, technical and scientific literature not understood.

Derived terms

• treknobabble

Translations

fake technical language used in fiction

• Czech: technoblábol m
• French: technobabillage m
• German: Technobabbel, Technobrabbel
• Icelandic: tæknibull n
• Italian: tecno bla-bla
• Norwegian: teknobabbel

See also

• cryptobabble
• jargon