Grammelot (or gromalot or galimatias) /ˈɡræməlɒt/[1] is an imitation of language used in satirical theatre, an ad hoc gibberish that uses prosody along with macaronic and onomatopoeic elements to convey emotional and other meaning, and used in association with mime and mimicry. The satirical use of such a format may date back to the 16th-century commedia dell'arte; the group of cognate terms[clarification needed] appears to belong to the 20th century.