I would like for each of you to translate the following lines. Some of you may recognize them. If you do, don't let on as to the source. All will be revealed in time.
Twas brillig, and the slithy toves
Did gyre and gimble in the wabe:
All mimsy were the borogoves,
And the mome raths outgrabe.
Did gyre and gimble in the wabe:
All mimsy were the borogoves,
And the mome raths outgrabe.
I must insist that you not use any reference material (dictionaries, Google, Wiki-anything, etc.). Rather, simply substitute words you know for those you do not understand. Use your imagination to give the selection meaning where there might otherwise appear to be none.
Again ... Absolutely No Search Engines (like Google) ... Search Engines Bad ... Search Engines Very Bad ... Search Engines Make Brains Small ... Search Engines Make Mongo Angry!
Remember to respond to the initial post, and later reply to at least one of your classmates' submissions. Everyone submits a minimum of two comments.
*** STRING IS CLOSED ***
34 comments:
Okay. I have no idea what is going on in those lines. So I tried what Mr. D suggested, to replace the words I don’t understand with words I think they may mean:
Twas- It was
Briling- bright? Full of something
Slithy- slimy? slithering
Toves- toes? Wings? Tail? claws
Gyre- gouge
Gimble- move in a gross way
Wabe- swamp, forest
Mimsy- nimble
Borogoves- warriors/ wings
Mome- monster
Raths- enraged
Outgrabe- reached out and grabs
And when I substitute them in the lines:
It was full of something, and the slithering claws
Did gouge and move in a gross way in the forest:
All nimble were the wings,
And the monster enraged reaches out and grabs.
Well, that’s what I think it may mean.
I will try to substitute the new words with ones I am more familiar with.
Brillig reminds me of big, or misshapen.
Slithy, I think of slippery or slimy.
When I say toves I hear toes.
Gyre I think of cry or to yell out.
Gimble may be to mumble something.
Wable could mean a commotion.
Mimsy makes me think of rambunctious little people, which mean that borogoves could be small strange creatures.
When I hear mome I think thaat may be referring to a mother, so mabye the mommy monster?
And when it says "raths outgrabe" maybe it's yelling because it's stressed out.
Therefore these four lines could be talking about little monsters running around causing alot of trouble and the mom monster is having trouble controlling them.
Well this blog completly confused me, but I think I can sort of see where it is going. Also, Mr. D, thanks for the picture, it really helped.I am going to set up my blog like Mariana's, and I actually agree with her on some words.
Twas- it was ( like in the Night Before Christmas!)
Briling- getting dark
Slithy- slimy
Toves- some sort of monster
Gyre- hunt
Gimble- crawling, slithering
Wabe - thick forest, or wet lands
Mimsy- watchful
Borogoves- a knight of sorts
Mome- conflicting
Raths- angers or rage
Outgrabe- faught
When added together...
It was nearing dark, and the slimy monsters
Did hunt and slither in the thick forest
All watchful were the knights,
And the conflicting angers faught.
That was my best shot. It sounds like a nightmare.
Sophie
Your story is awesome! Your story sounds really cute, as apposed to mine, which is scary. How did you put such a fun spin on that?
Mariana
I think you and I were thinking the same things. When you say full of something, what do you think it is full of? Full of light?, because you also said bright? I am just wondering.
Ange
Thanks! I just got creative and when I read it over that's just what I thought of :) Yours does sound more thoughtful and actually make sense when relating it to the picture.
As I never ask my students to do anything I wouldn't myself do, here is my submission. Can you guess my inspiration?
Twas midnight and the vomiting child
Did whine and wail in the bed
All soothing were mother's words mild
And father took pills for his head
Ange,
I’m not really sure to tell you the truth. I mean, briling sounds like bright to me, so that’s why I wrote it. But I think I remember reading something like, “it was briling over the rim” somewhere. So that’s why I wrote full of something for briling. It doesn’t make any sense when you combine them though. Yours makes much more sense though and it matches the picture. By the way, I so agree with you, Sophie’s sounds so cute!
Mr. D
I have a feeling that might be a true story :) So my guess is your inspiration came from a real life experience.
There was a warrior, and a nasty monster.
Who who fought and battled in the cave.
All the creatures stayed hidden.
And the battle continued.
Yah this is what I came up with. I feel my translation is a little elemetary but this is where my mind wondered to. My translation may have been affected greatly by the picture shown above all the mumbo jumbo.
Well this is what I got...
It was brillant. And in the sneaky trials of Gary and Jim in the woods, that dragon was blind, and the secret men got away.
I kind of made it into a story. I translated it as it appeared to me. It kind of relates to the picture.
To Marianna, Ange, and Sophie,
I like the way you three, layed everything out and made it easy to see your comparisons. I can really see where each of you was coming from in your translations.
Mr. D
I like your version, one that you can relate to :)
Mariana
Thank you! I figured I would try to get creative and see what happens!
Abby
Your story is different, where did the names come from?
Okay here it goes. What I think the poem could mean is this.
It was big, and the sharp claws
Did destroy and move in the woods
All fragel were the wings
And the beasts anger broke out
The words I substituted are;
Twas-it was
brillig-big
Slithy-sharp
Toves-claws
Grye-destroy
Gimble-move
Wabe-woods
Mimsy-fragel
Borogoues-wings
Mome-beasts
Rath-anger
Outgrabe-broke out
Sophie I love your interpretation of the poem. How it's a mom creature who can't contol her baby creatures, is so funny (in a good way) to me.
I honestly have no idea what is going on in the lines we were given. I am thoroughly confused.
Katie,
You're not supposed to know just what is happening. The words are gibberish. The point is for you to exercise your creativity. Make meaning out of the meaningless.
Mariana and Sophie, I really like both of yours! Marianas makes sense, and Sophie yours was great, I laughed a little bit when I read it, but in a good way.
I just substituted words I know for the ones I didn't:
It was midnight, and the shining stars,
did glitter and gleam up in the sky:
all over were the battles,
and the nations slept at ease.
To Sophie,
Well they just came to me when I read it. Sometimes when I read things I am not sure how to pronounce the name so I make it up in my head.
I am loving everyones interpretations. There is not one I specifically like the most. I can see how some of the translations relfect on your life or mood.
Oh yeah, Sophie.... I think your translations is cute and halarious.
To Abby, Sarah, Marissa, Mariana, and Hollis,
Thank you! I tried to put some light into the conversation :) Mr. D does say to get creative ha
And Abby I completely understand where you're coming from, it's a good way to get a different look on the poem.
Twas [bright and big], and the [slimy] [toe-hooves],
Did [gyrate] and [?] in the [wind],
All [flimsy] were the [groves],
And the [moaning] wrath [reaches out and grabs].
I couldn't figure out what gimble could imply, but I think I understand everything a lot more than the first time I read it; it almost makes a bit of sense.
Since learning the meaning of portmanteau words I think I better understand this poem, even though I like my first interpretation.
It was Big and Brilliant, and the Slimy Toe-Hooves
Did ... and ... in the Waters or Bath
All ... were the ...
And the Monster rather Outrage.
So I still had trouble, but its progress? :)
Abby, Sophie and Sarah- Thank you, I really appreciate all of your comments. =)
Sarah, yours is really descriptive and I can definitely see the picture you paint with your words. I really like the stars in the sky part.
Mariana, Ange, and Sofie, I was having some trouble determining what gimble could be a portmanteau of, and you all have very different ideas for this word, so I would be interested to see how you came up with your answer.
It was bright and the slithering (flowing) lands
Did they fight and battle in the water
All shaky were the groves of trees
And the moment's rage outreached
This is total crap that I just made up because I'm falling asleep right now in bed because it's so late. I have no idea what this is saying and I don't even think it has a real meaning. Unless its some type of weird freaky treky language or something.
It was dark and the slithering creatures crawled and screeched in the forest. All alert and cautious were the warriors. And the angered creatures fought.
The picture is obviously a monster and a man in battle, so I think this is what the post means.
Firstly I don't like this at all. Second my translation would have to be "It was brilliant and shining, and the slimy and slithering things were doing some creepy things in a swampy place: The plants were waving in the wind and the monster was lashed out in rage." Thirdly I don't like translating.
To everyone who decided that this paragraph has to do with a monster, how many of you really believe you would've came to the same conclusion without the picture above?
Excellent question Brandon.
Brandon,
I’m honestly not sure. Maybe I would have after looking at it for a while, and knowing about portmanteaus would have definitely helped too. How about you, would you have been able to figure it out?
My translation:
It was bright and light, and the slimy toes gleamed and glistened in the water; Miserable and flimsy was the belly, and the mother rats outside.
This is probably, the worst translation, but I read it and typed what it sounded like to me. And I already know what mimsy means.
To Brandon, about your question, I think I still could have realized the poem was about a monster without the picture; slithy toves, and raths presents a certain mood that doesn't necessarily remind me of happy bunny rabbit. Although, it may have taken a little longer to come to that conclusion.
To answer Brandon's question. I honestly didn't even look atthe picture because it won't even load on my phone. Haha so I got my translation without seeing the picture of the monster just by reading the words
Brandon, I definitely would not have thought of monsters without the picture.
Mariana, I think your interpretation makes a lot of sense and Katie, I'm confused too.
Post a Comment