Well, at least if we use what most people, today, look at the wording. You may look differently.
Ecstatic usually refers to something over welling and emotional. Paul's description of tongues does indicate this though I have had many instances where the Holy Spirit has come upon me and I began to praise God in the Spirit and that was very emotional.
My experience with tongues was not emotional according to the witness. It was soft and subdued. The words spoken were quite clear and were not gibberish.
Unintelligible refers to not capable of being understood. Paul understood the tongues which he spoke but did not allow tongues to be used, in meetings, unless someone was there who could understand what was being said.
I would use ecstatic the way it is used in koine
ek-out of
stasis-normal standing
meaning ecstatic means something apart from normal. It is used of visions and other supernatural things. The connotation of emotionalistic frothing at the mouth and swinging on chandliers is misplaced. That is A connotation, not THE connotation.
As for emotional, the studies of tongues have shown that the frontal lobe, the speech and logic centers are not active . . . which is what Paul says, praying in the spirit is NOT praying with the understanding. What regions ARE active, however, are the emotive regions . . . the same places that are active when we SING. Making tongues INTENSELY emotional . . . but not meaning FEELING . . . meaning the connection of the person in their deepest parts . . . deep crying out to deep, in essence.
My experience with tongues was not emotional according to the witness. It was soft and subdued. The words spoken were quite clear and were not gibberish.
Agreed that they are NOT gibberish . . . but to most people they will sound like gibberish. And to most who denounce the practice, they will call it gibberish because it doesnt bear the qualities of known languages. It is a language of your spirit to God . . . soft and subdued can be INTENSELY emotional.
I speak in tongues rather articulately . . . very clear. But to the person who looks on, who doesnt know about tongues, to them it seems like gibberish . . . tho it is not.
Unintelligible refers to not capable of being understood
Correct. This is why a distinct gift of the Spirit, called interpretation of tongues, is needed . . . REQUIRED . . . to understand it.
Paul understood the tongues which he spoke
That is not what he says.
1 Cor 14:2
2 For one who speaks in a tongue does not speak to men but to God; for no one understands, but in his spirit he speaks mysteries.
NASU
here he gives the overall reason for the passage about order in understanding. The governing principle for tongues is that NO ONE UNDERSTANDS . . . including the speaker, ergo . . .
1 Cor 14:13-15
13 Therefore let one who speaks in a tongue
pray that he may interpret. 14 For if I pray in a tongue, my spirit prays, but my mind is unfruitful. 15 What is the outcome then? I will pray with the spirit and I will pray with the mind also; I will sing with the spirit and I will sing with the mind also.
NASU
Where Paul says quite clearly that the speaker needs to PRAY, petition God, for an interpretation, something he would not need to do if he understood it; AND that speech in tongues is dichotomised with speech of the mind . . . meaning IT IS NOT UNDERSTOOD . . . Paul's usage of nous (mind) and the INABILITY of the mind to UNDERSTAND IT (why he puts prayer with the understanding/mind as OPPOSITE prayer with the spirit/tongues) requires that tongue speak cannot be understood apart from an interpretation given BY THE SPIRIT ALONE in response to a prayer from the speaker TO INTERPRET.