Origin and history of prattle

"chatter inconsequentially, talk foolishly or idly," early 15c., praten, from or related to Middle Dutch praten "to chatter" (c. 1400), from a Proto-Germanic imitative root (compare East Frisian proten, Middle Low German praten, Middle High German braten, Swedish prata "to talk, chatter"). Transitive sense of "say or tell in a prating manner" is from late 15c. (Caxton). Related: Prated; prating. As a noun, idle, childish talk," from 1570s.

"trivial, idle, or worthless talk," 1550s, a varied reduplication of prattle. Also from 1550s as a verb.

diminutive suffix (though in Modern English not always perceived as such), from Old French -el (fem. -elle, Modern French -el, -eau), from Latin -ellus, -ella, -ellum, diminutive suffix, from PIE *-olo-lo-, itself a double diminutive, from *-lo- (see -ule).