Etymology Dictionary

BABBLE,  to gossip, prate.  (E.)   M. E. babelen, to prate; Ancren Riwle, p. 100; to mumble, say repeatedly, P. Plowman, B. v. 8.   Though not recorded in A. S. MSS., it may be considered as an English word, being found in O. Low German. + Du. babbelen, to chatter. + Dan. bable, to babble. + Icel. babbla. + G. bappeln, bappern, to babble; Grimm's Dict.   β. The suffix -le is frequentative, and the verb means 'to keep on saying ba ba,' syllables imitative of the efforts of a child to speak.   Cf. F. babiller, to chatter.   Der. babble, sb., babble-ment, babbl-ing, babbl-er, A. V. Acts, xvii. 18. [†]

ADDENDA

Otherwise, babble may be taken as the frequentative of blab; see under Bubble.   Since bab, blab, are of imitative origin, it makes little difference.  Cf. G. pappeln.