Re: JABBERWOCKY (was: Universal Translation Language)

"Raymond A. Brown" wrote:

> Oh?
>
> The only obvious portmanteau words I can see is "slithy" (<- lithe +
> slimey) and "mimsy" (<- miserable + flimsy); and those are also the only
> two words that Humpty Dumpty says are portmanteau words.
>
> HD relates "brillig" with 'boiling' and "gimble" with 'gimlet' but doesn't
> give any portmanteau explanation.  I suppose "gimble" _might_ be 'gimlet' +
> 'gambol', but what is "brillig"?
Well, it's been a long time since I read about it, but I remember the first
element of "brillig' was "bright".

> No, sorry, I do not see all the words as portmanteaux. To me, at any rate,
> it remains ambiguous.  I agree whole-heartedly with Gary on this: 'since
> the whole piece is _meant_ to be ambiguous, and would lose all its
> "meaning" if it were disambiguated.'
Well, I read just that at some point, IIRC.  I had always interpreted it as
simple playfulness with language, which the author was wont to do.

> Now, for those who like translation exercises for their conlangs, how about
> the Jabberwocky?   :)
I think it'd be more interesting, if we can find the portmanteau-meanings,
if we could recreate the same effect in our contranslations.

===========================================
Tom Wier <artabanos@...>
AIM: Deuterotom ICQ: 4315704
<http://www.angelfire.com/tx/eclectorium/>
"Cogito ergo sum, sed credo ergo ero."
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