monkeyese
nounEtymology From monkey + -ese.
1
The language supposedly used by monkeys.
- His [Richard Lynch Garner’s] account of the astonishment of the monkeys when he spoke to them in their own tongue is very amusing. The first word which he translated was “milk,” but as it applied equally to water, he came to the conclusion that it was the monkeyese for “drink.”1891 June, “[Leading Articles in the Reviews.] How I Learned the Language of Monkeys.”, in The Review of Reviews, volume III, number 18, page 574, column 1:
- It fell plop on my chest and I heard Ivan shriek just like a girl does when you hold a wiggling snake before her. And that baby monk made a little cry that I swear was “Mama” in Monkeyese, and Mother distinctly said, “Come, my precious.” The next I knew the mother and my baby monkey, that I had rescued, were trailing off down the beach, and the little monk had a strangle hold of its maternal parent’s neck.1922, Neil Boyton, “I Celebrate My Fourteenth Birthday”, in Cobra Island: A Catholic Scout’s Adventures, New York, N.Y.; Cincinnati, Oh.; Chicago, Ill.: Benziger Brothers, page 103:
4 more examples
- “The monkey is hanging from the crosspiece by one paw. Now he’s dropping down the pole. Here he comes! He is running across the avenue. Luckily there is no bus nor auto nearer than a block. Here he is. I can’t make out the conversation, but Fitzie is talking monkeyese like a native and the little thing is eating a banana and listening to him!”1950, Neil Boyton, “Bananas and the Beast”, in Ex-Cub Fitzie, Milwaukee, Wis.: The Bruce Publishing Company, page 25:
- Sherlock had taken Kohoutek’s pocket watch! The monkey held it out toward the audience, who laughed and clapped. Kohoutek was so startled he couldn’t speak. Imitating the master magician, and after chattering in monkeyese, Sherlock held his right hand to his mouth and mimed blowing into it, as if inflating a balloon.1986, B[arbara] B[ryant] Hiller, Neil W. Hiller, “A Touch of Magic”, in On the Far Side of the Mirror, New York, N.Y.: Scholastic Inc., →ISBN, page 25:
- NOW RECRUITING FOR MISSION ADVENTURERS... Divehi Raaje / Golden opportunity / BYOG-Bring your own gold / Excellent retirement / After death / Friendly native population / Learn Tigerese, monkeyese, and pythonese1994, Gary Glover, Clip Art: Image Enhancement & Integration, New York, N.Y.: Windcrest/McGraw-Hill, →ISBN, page 17:
- The chimpanzee before me betrays the clay feet of the entire human race. […] “All right. Settle down, Chiquita-chomper. I suppose I should know if you are a dude or a dudette. Well?” / The thing chitters at me in monkeyese. I scratch my nose in puzzlement. It repeats the gesture.1999, Carole Nelson Douglas, “Ya-kitty-yak”, in Cat in a Jeweled Jumpsuit (Midnight Louie Mysteries), New York, N.Y.: Forge, Tom Doherty Associates, →ISBN, page 140: