Oh what a farrago this has become...

Posted by Lotg on September 19, 2004

In Reply to: Jabberwocky posted by Lotg on September 19, 2004

: : : : : : In the latest book I'm reading (American author this time), upon finally arriving at a destination she'd been longing for, she joyously exclaimed 'O frabjous day!'.

: : : : : : Clearly that's an exclamation of joy at her achievement, but I hadn't remember ever hearing it before. Furthermore, 'frabjous' appeared to me to be a strange conglomeration.

: : : : : : But when I surfed about I found the following:

: : : : : : frabjous (FRAB-juhs) adjective

: : : : : : Wonderful, elegant, superb, or delicious.

: : : : : : [Coined by Lewis Carroll in "Through the Looking-Glass"; perhaps meant to
: : : : : : suggest fabulous or joyous.]

: : : : : : "Ah, my friends, rejoice. These are frabjous days."
: : : : : : Ivins, Molly, Needed: one strong stomach, The Progressive, 1 Mar 1995.

: : : : : :
: : : : : : It must be over 35 years since I read Alice through the Looking Glass - so I don't feel too bad about forgetting this one.

: : : : : : Still, it's as though it's a nice new phrase I can now use.
: : : : : : O frabjous day!!!!!!!

: : : : : Here is a word I discovered recently: farraginous. Having to do with farrago, a confused mixture.

: : : : One of the great poems of the English language,
: : : : Jabberwocky, by Lewis Carroll:

: : : : `Twas brillig, and the slithy toves
: : : : Did gyre and gimble in the wabe:
: : : : All mimsy were the borogoves,
: : : : And the mome raths outgrabe.

: : : :
: : : : "Beware the Jabberwock, my son!
: : : : The jaws that bite, the claws that catch!
: : : : Beware the Jubjub bird, and shun
: : : : The frumious Bandersnatch!"

: : : : He took his vorpal sword in hand:
: : : : Long time the manxome foe he sought --
: : : : So rested he by the Tumtum tree,
: : : : And stood awhile in thought.

: : : : And, as in uffish thought he stood,
: : : : The Jabberwock, with eyes of flame,
: : : : Came whiffling through the tulgey wood,
: : : : And burbled as it came!

: : : : One, two! One, two! And through and through
: : : : The vorpal blade went snicker-snack!
: : : : He left it dead, and with its head
: : : : He went galumphing back.

: : : : "And, has thou slain the Jabberwock?
: : : : Come to my arms, my beamish boy!
: : : : O frabjous day! Callooh! Callay!'
: : : : He chortled in his joy.

: : : : `Twas brillig, and the slithy toves
: : : : Did gyre and gimble in the wabe;
: : : : All mimsy were the borogoves,
: : : : And the mome raths outgrabe.

: : : And I would be, indeed, a frumious bandersnatch if I did not point out that few people have ever invented a better word than "galumphing." Maybe Gelette Burgess, who invented a whole book of new words, including "blurb," comes close ... but the mother lode is in Jabberwocky.

: : I'm probably wrong, but I'm thinking "manxsome" and Gelett. Trivial, I know. Of course, I don't wish to accusnmje Lewis Carroll of misspelling his own words. SS

: Oh Bob, what a wonderful poem. Whenever I make up words for my convenience I use the excuse that "I'm a technical writer so I can make up any words I want". It is of course a stupid excuse, but it is just as valid as the words I devise. But now - you've introduced me to my new hero. I've only ever read Alice in Wonderland and Through the Looking Glass (and like I said before, that was several light years ago), but now you've inspired to look more deeply into Carroll's work.

: But SS, the 'dare to be so bold' award must go to you - for correcting the spelling of words that don't exist - haha!!!

My apologies ESC if I used 'farrago' the wrong way...

There are a couple of sites (no doubt millions, but only a few that I know) that specialise in dopey and questionable words, such as 'Worthless Word for the Day - home.mn.rr.com/ wwftd/" - today's worthless word being: frugivorous

[from L. frux, fruit + -vorous] /fru JIV o rous/
feeding on fruit, as birds or other animals;
fruit-eating

"Philippics against frugivorous children after
dinner, are too common."
- Sydney Smith, The Edinburgh review

"Choughs are frugivorous and insectivorous. They make
mud-walled nests and live on sea cliffs and mountains
from Europe to East Asia, but are now rare."

...and another one I quite like is Luciferous Logolepsy - www.kokogiak.com/ logolepsy, which also is a font of useless knowledge.

OK, well that's my pointless contribution for the day.

• Oh what a farrago this has become... Bob 19/September/04
  • Manxome foe. Smokey Stover 20/September/04