What is a Gambole Explained by a Brummie
Many years ago while I was on holiday in Miami, Florida, I was asked ‘What is a Gambole’.
More on the Miami story later, but for now here’s the detailed explanation.
A gambole is a local vernacular or term, used predominantly by people born in Birmingham, West Midlands, England to describe a forward roll. Because gambol is a verb, it is usually preceded by the words such as do, did, done.
In a sentence this would be said like this ‘Go on then, do a gambole so we can see’.
Gambole Origins and Meaning
Now we understand what a gambole is, and also how to use the word gambole correctly, let us look at the history of the word.
The earliest recording of the word gambol, not gambole, was in the early 1500s.
The word gambol originally stemmed from the French word gambader derived from the French word gambade.
Gambader was in turn was derived from the Latin word gamba which means ‘horse’s leg or hock’.
The French verb gambader also translates into ‘to gambole’ or ‘to trip along’, (move jauntily).
The verb form was later translated as: to caper, to caper about, to frolic about or to scamper about.
Nearly a century later, in the 1580s the word gambader was used as term which evoked: ‘to skip about in sport’.
From the 1590s, gambol began to be used widely to describe ‘frolic or merrymaking’.
It is unsure how the word gambol crossed the English Channel, turned into gambole, and found it’s spiritual home in the West Midlands.
But, one thing for sure. When you do one, you realise that doing a gambole is indeed the closest thing to legally, frolicking or merrymaking.
To see more of the panda: www.sianallen.co.uk/panda-roll/
An Interesting Fact about Gambole
Did you know there is only one road called Gambole Road in the whole country.
This uniquely named road is in Tooting, London and you can read more here.
Wait, Don’t Gambole Outta Here – Keep Reading
Hold up… wait a minute. (I’m showing my age now with that musical riff).
A Brummie is the colloquial term for someone born in the city of Birmingham in the West Midlands, England.
Birmingham?
Yes, the spiritual home of Peaky Blinders. Home of the shopping mecca known as the Bull Ring including Selfridges & Co.
Birmingham is also the place where brothers George and Richard Cadbury set up their chocolate empire in 1824.
Sixty years later John Dunlop invented the pneumatic tyre in 1888 and the rest, as they say, is history.
As I said previously. I was born in Brum, shortened variation of the word Birmingham, in the late 1960s.
And it wasn’t until the summer of 1999 whilst on holiday in Miami, Florida that I realised that not everyone knew what a gambole was. Up until that point I had taken it for granted that gambole was a universal term or word.
Back to the Miami Florida Story
I was in a nightclub just off South Beach Miami, Florida, USA.
The event was to celebrate the film premier of the Oscar winning movie American Beauty starring Kevin Spacey and Annette Bening.
The evening was fabulous, and the drinks were flowing as you would expect.
During the course of the night, I ended up having a conversation with some Miamians about ‘life’… as you do when you’re partying on a big night out.
One conversation led to another, and I casually mentioned how I had loved to gambole as a child and how it still felt liberating to do them from time to time as I had become older.
I was met by a blank expression.
“What is a gambole?” they said.
And, I then had to explain what one was. Albeit, an alcohol inspired explanation of a gambole, I hasten to add!
“Oh, is that a forward roll?”
“Yes.” I said.
“So why not just call it a forward roll?” one person asked.
“Because it’s a gambole!” I said…
That got me thinking. So when I returned to England I asked numerous people who lived outside of Birmingham if they knew what a gambole was.
And yes. You guessed it; most people didn’t have a clue what a gambole was.
Also, moreover the conversation took on a familiar pattern:
“Oh, a g-a-m-b-o-l-e … is it a forward roll?”
“Yes.” I would reply.
“So why not just call it a forward roll?” the person would invariably ask.
“Because it’s a g-a-m-b-o-l-e!” Obvs! Lol!
Well, thanks for reading this. I hope you enjoyed it.
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Thanks.
Barry Chiverton began his entrepreneur career in 1987 when he opened his first record shop, dj agency and music promotions business.
His experiences since then include business marketing, childcare facilities, SEO, mentoring and NLP personal development.
Barry is passionate about helping individuals and businesses achieve their goals.
