babel: [14] According to Genesis 11: 1–9, the tower of Babel was built in Shinar by the descendants of Noah in an attempt to reach heaven. Angered at their presumption, God punished the builders by making them unable to understand each other’s speech: hence, according to legend, the various languages of the world. Hence, too, the metaphorical application of babel to a ‘confused medley of sounds’, which began in English in the 16th century.
The word has no etymological connection with ‘language’ or ‘noise’, however. The original Assyrian bāb-ilu meant ‘gate of god’, and this was borrowed into Hebrew as bābel (from which English acquired the word). The later Greek version is Babylon. => babylon
Babel
capital of Babylon, late 14c., from Hebrew Babhel (Gen. xi), from Akkadian bab-ilu "Gate of God" (from bab "gate" + ilu "god"). The name is a translation of Sumerian Ka-dingir. Meaning "confused medley of sounds" (1520s) is from the biblical story of the Tower of Babel.
例文
1. The result was a mishmash a Babel -like mix.
の結果、Babel( Babel )式の言語チャンポンが生成された。
2.Amid the babel of voices，Hurstwood heard one close beside him.
混乱した声の中で、ヘスオアは彼のそばで声を聞いた。
3.At this the babel of voices broke loose again.
以降は雑多な4人が同時に話す声になっている。
4.A babel of voices could be heard from the schoolroom.
教室のざわめきが聞こえます。
5.A babel of voices could be heard from the street.