glossolalia
Speaking in tongues
Glossolalia is speaking in an unknown language, especially during religious ecstasy.
In Pentecostal and charismatic Christian worship, believers may speak in tongues—uttering syllables that sound like language but follow no known grammar: The congregation witnessed glossolalia during the revival.
The phenomenon appears across many religious traditions.
Whether it represents divine communication or psychological release remains debated.
Oral muscles for speech
- PentecostalTongues-speaking Christian denomination
- charismaticCompellingly attractive to others
- Holy SpiritThird divine person
- anointingCeremonial oil application
prophecy · revelation · worship · prayer · divine · prophetic · intercession · edification
Overwhelmed with joy
- raptureOverwhelming ecstatic feeling
- euphoriaIntense emotional high
- altered stateModified consciousness experience
- possessionState of owning
dissociation · reverie · hypnosis · meditation · mesmerism · transport · fervor · entrancement
Incoherent speech
- gibberishUnintelligible speech or writing
- nonsenseMeaningless words or actions
- incoherentLacking logical connection
- garbledConfused and unintelligible
jargon · inarticulate · blather · rambling · muddled · disjointed · incomprehensible · unintelligible
Producing sounds with voice
- utteranceSpoken expression aloud
- syllableUnit of pronunciation
- phonemeMinimal distinctive sound unit
- articulationClear vocal expression
intonation · phonation · prosody · pitch · modulation · guttural · rhythm · cadence
Compulsive excessive wordiness
- aphasiaNeurological language impairment
- word saladMeaningless verbal confusion
- neologismNewly created expression
tongues
Oral muscles for speech
- PentecostalTongues-speaking Christian denomination
- charismaticCompellingly attractive to others
- Holy SpiritThird divine person
anointing · prophecy · revelation · worship · prayer · divine · prophetic · intercession · edification · gifts
ecstatic
Overwhelmed with joy
- raptureOverwhelming ecstatic feeling
- euphoriaIntense emotional high
- altered stateModified consciousness experience
possession · dissociation · reverie · hypnosis · meditation · mesmerism · transport · fervor · entrancement · automatism
babble
Incoherent speech
- gibberishUnintelligible speech or writing
- nonsenseMeaningless words or actions
- incoherentLacking logical connection
garbled · jargon · inarticulate · blather · rambling · muddled · disjointed · incomprehensible · unintelligible · scrambled
vocalization
Producing sounds with voice
articulation · intonation · phonation · prosody · pitch · modulation · guttural · rhythm · cadence · paralanguage
logorrhea
Compulsive excessive wordiness
- aphasiaNeurological language impairment
- word saladMeaningless verbal confusion
- neologismNewly created expression
glossolaliaplain speech
Unembellished verbal expression
clear communication · standard language · natural language · vernacular · prose