An Etymological Dictionary of the German Language/pappeln

by Friedrich Kluge

pappeln, vb., ‘to babble, prate,’ ModHG. only, an onomatopoetic term (comp. Fr. babiller), but linked perhaps to the equiv. LG. babbeln, Du. babbelen (MidE. babelen, E. to babble), whence the ModHG. form may be derived by permutation.