JAN 30, singable satire: "BABEL-TALKY", multilingual Jabberwocky

 

PASTICHE with SONG-LYRICS

ORIGINAL POEM: "Jabberwocky" was included in Lewis Carroll's  children's novel "Through the Looking Glass" in 1871, although he had published a short variation of it much earlier as "Stanza of Anglo-Saxon Poetry"
SETTING TO MUSIC: Donovan, 1971.

TRANSLATION INTO OTHER LANGUAGES: Renditions of the classic nonsense poem in various languages can be found in a collection of translations into 29 other languages on the web, although the site appears to have been inactive recently.
COLLATION: Giorgio Coniglio 2014, updated 2016.

To find ukulele and guitar chord-charts to help you accompany "BABEL-TALKY" on your favorite instrument, click HERE.

A major tip of the hat to Mike Simmons and John Colosetti for helping find usable ukelele chords.

BABEL-TALKY

 (to the the tune of "Jabberwocky" - Donovan)

(ANGLO-SAXON - Lewis Carroll, 1855)

'Twas bryllyg, and ye slythy toves

Did gyre and gymble in ye wabe.

All mimsy were ye borogoves,

And ye mome raths outgrabe.

(GERMAN - Robert Scott)

"Bewahre doch vor Jammerwoch!

Die Zähne knirschen, Krallen kratzen!

Bewahr' vor JubJub-Vogel, vor

Frumiösen Banderschnatchen.   

(ITALIAN - Adriana Crespi)

Afferò quello la sua vorpi da lama

A lungo il manson nemico cercò

Cosí sostò presso l'albero Touton

E riflettendo alquanto dimorò.  

(FRENCH - Frank Warrin)

Pendant qu'il pense, tout uffusé,

Le Jaseroque, à l'oeil flambant,

Vient sifflant par le bois tullegeais,

Et burbule en venant.    

(JAPANESE - Tim Matheson)

Ichi, ni! Ichi, ni! mattaku kanzen ni 

Sakisakiken wa kusukusu waratta  

Shanoshi nokoshi kubi wo mochi

Ikiyouyou to koke kaetta 

(HEBREW - Ahaton Amir)

"Af ketalto, et hapiton?

Achabkecha, yaldi hatzach!

Ho yom-tzilha! Yabah! yabah!"

B'chedvato  patzach. 

(PORTUGUESE - Augusto de Campos)

Era briluz. as lesmolisas touvas

roldavam e reviam nos gramilvos:

Estavam mimsicais as pintalouvas,

E os mommiratos davam grilvos.

(RUSSIAN - E. Orlova and O. Demurova)

Varkalos'. Khivikie shor'ki
Pyryalis' po nave,

I khryukotali zelyuki
Kak myumziki v move.

(SPANISH  - E. Alvarez-Buylla)

Era el briño, y los logrosos

Giraban y mangaban en al panal:

Tan debrable los bogrosos,

Y aún los rantopos salgabran.

(ARABIC - W. Al-Mahdi)

Jarâdhilu l-wâbi dhuhâ

Tadarbahat tadarbuhâ

Mufarfirun tanahnaha
Wa tâ'iru  l-burburi fahâ.

(CLASSIC - Lewis Carroll, 1871)

'Twas brillig, and the slithy toves

Did gyre and gimble in the wabe.

All mimsy were the borogoves,

And the mome raths outgrabe.

JAN 29, old world palindromes #9 and #10

JAN 28, etymology: 'horse'

For fans of etymology, we have two blogposts on our topic-based blog "Edifying Nonsense" that summarize our poems about the origin of some English words. You can start to review some of this intriguing material by clicking HERE, and then following the links!

JAN 27, wordplay maps; American Scramble-towns, 13

 

LINKS to other nonsense in this series: 

Forward to the first Canadian map.

Forward to the next American map (14).

Back up to the first American map.

JAN 26, anagram swarm: 'ELECTION FRAUD' contest: other submissions, #2

Continuing from the posts of January 16, January 18, January 20, 

January 22, and January 24.

As we wrap up this topic, we note here a few submissions in the National Contest that were quite clever from a wordplay perspective, but not relevant to the topic at hand. These include ...

FLUORINE CADET; INTRODUCE FLEA; CAROTENE FLUID;

TUNDRA ICE-FLOE; FURNACE TOILED; FINE-CUT ORDEAL;

INCUR FLEET ADO; FERAL DOE TUNIC; FINE CORAL DUET;

ERUDITE FALCON; ADIEU TORN CLEF; FLORA INDUCTEE;

FEED LATINO CUR; COULDN'T FAERIE? FAINTER OLD CUE;

ELFIN EDUCATOR; ARTFUL CODEINE; DECENT FOUL AIR;

UNDO AFTER LICE; CIAO, TENDER FLU; FLORENCE AUDIT;

TRUE FAN, "LIE, DOC." ECO-LAIDEN TURF;

DO INFLATE CURE; TRIFLE ACNE DUO; RED ELF AUCTION;

CAT: DOUR FELINE; URL://DEFECATION; CAN'T FIELD EURO;

FIE, RUNTED COLA! RODENT-FLEA I.C.U.; FAUCI, DO RELENT.

(for entries themed more in keeping with the topic, see the post of January 20.)

JAN 25, submitted palindromes: RANDOM PILES 6

 

You have reached the "Submitted Palindromes" thread on the blog "Daily Edifying Nonsense", a light literary entity that emanates through the blogosphere daily (almost), i.e. 30 times per month.

  On the 25th of each month you will find a slide-filling group of palindromic phrases submitted to the editors by a panel of 7 palindromists. These folks have all been working on this project since January 2020. The personal profiles for each of these contributors are displayed in panels published here at the start of things, and then, we have asked them to provide (palindromically, of course) their views on one of the iconic items in the classic literature, starting with "A man, a plan, a canal -- Panama", continuing with other well-known phrases, such as "Dennis sinned". Otherwise, their contribution will be grouped in monthly random piles (a phrase that you might recognize as an anagram of the word p-a-l-i-n-d-r-o-m-e-s).

You can access this delightful entertainment right here by entering submitted palindromes in one of the two search bars at the top of this post and scrolling downwards through the wordplay posts that you will discover, OR, just follow the links indicated above. 

Devotees of palindromic wordplay can further explore limericks and other short verses about the classic palindromes (and quite a few recent concoctions) that are randomly scattered on this blog after September 2000, or collected into grouped postings on our more encyclopedic blog "Edifying Nonsense" -- start HERE.

JAN 24, American satire: freedom-from-Trump day

Authors' Note:  Here's a reprise from a post published in November, now illustrated with Barry Blitt's cartoon-cover for this week's New Yorker, (A Weight Lifted) ...

We hope that you enjoyed this verse. You can find dozens more on this topic in 7 collections on our full-service blog 'Edifying Nonsense'. Click HERE to start! 

  

JAN 23, handbook of micro-nutrients: zinc deficiency and anosmia

Authors' Note:  Patients who have suffered a loss of sense of smell (anosmia) are known as anosmics. Rarely, this sensory disorder along with manifestations in other body functions can be attributed to a marked deficiency of dietary zinc. Whether zinc supplements can help with recovery in well-fed anosmics remains unresolved. The metallic element osmium, which has no known biologic role, is named for the stench emitted by its poisonous tetroxide derivative.

You can find our incipient collection of verse related to micro-nutrients, i.e. trace minerals and vitamins on our topic-based blog "Edifying Nonsense" by clicking HERE. 

JAN 22, anagram swarm: 'ELECTION FRAUD' contest: other submissions, #1

 Continuing from previous posts

Here are a few other imaginative entries for the National Anagram Contest ...

FORNICATE DUEL;     ADORE FIT UNCLE;     RECITAL DONE - FU! 

ONE LURID FACET;    COULD IRAN FÊTE?    TOUCAN FIELDER;

FONDUE ARTICLE;     EDUCATE FOR NIL;     IN 'ACUTE' FOLDER;

A FECUND TOILER;    I.O.U. FACT LENDER;  DOCENT FAILURE;

ULTRA-FINE COED;   DETOUR IF CLEAN;      ENTICE FUR-LOAD; 

DO INFLATE CURE;   RE CUE, "DON'T FAIL!" OFTEN LURED C.I.A. 

JAN 21, classic palindrome: 'drawn onward'

Authors' Note: 

patsy: slang for 'sucker' or 'gullible person'

Dem: American short-form for 'Democrats', referring either generally to adherents of the political party, or to elected officials

Don: short-form for 'Donald'; a respectful term of address for a Spanish or Italian nobleman; a leader of the Italian Cosa Nostra

D.C.: District of Columbia, often used in casual references to the American capital city, Washington

   This poem was written just after the publically broadcast hearings of the Intelligence Committee of the U.S. House of Representatives in the first impeachment of Donald Trump in November, 2019.

   Are we not drawn onward to new era? also represents a classic palindrome.

You can review these illustrated verses in a wider context by proceeding to 'Reversing Verse: Limericks About Classic Palindromes' on the full-service blog 'Edifying Nonsense'. 

JAN 20, singable satire: Tom Lehrer sings "REDUPLICATIONS L to Z"

 

PARODY SONG-LYRICS

ORIGINAL SONG: "The Elements", Tom Lehrer, 1959.

PARODY COMPOSED: Dr. G.H. and Giorgio Coniglio, 2015. This song is the eighth of nine in the series on Word Pairs. You can find the links to the lyrics of the previous songs at the bottom of the post. 

EXPLANATION:

 For a discussion of reduplications on an earlier post on this blogsite, click HERE. The current post also honours our previous venture of Feb 15, 2017 entitled 'Abracadabra' to 'Zoom-zoom': possibly the world's largest compendium of reduplications'.  

UKULELE and GUITAR-FRIENDLY LINK: Our whole series of songs can be found in a friendly format for ukulele (and guitar)-players on our sister blog  "SILLY SONGS and SATIRE". Click HERE to proceed to this site. 

Many of these words and phrases have fascinating stories of their origin and subsequent use; the hotlinks highlight those with instructive or amusing information available on the web.

There’s lazy Daisy, loosey-goosey, Ling Ling, and lickety-split

And lovey-dovey, legal eagle, mellow yellow, and nitwit

And muck-a-muck, and Mau Mau, mumbo-jumbo, Bony Moronie

And Mai Tai, mole hole, nitty-gritty, and phony-balo-oney.

There’s namby-pamby, no-no, ooey-gooey, okey-doke, ping pong

And pom-pom, palsy-walsy, pasty-faced, slap-happy, singalong
And pow-wow, pitter-patter, pooper-scooper, plain Jane, and pell-mell
And poo-poo (scat), pooh-pooh (reject), and pupu (snack);  how can you tell?

There's quick fix, quack-quack, razzle-dazzle, rail trail, ragtag, ring-aling

A mini-lesson found on the Internet

And  razzmattaz, and rumble-tumble, Roger dodger, and Sing Sing.

And ready Freddy, rollick-frolic, “fuddle-duddle” (P. Trudeau)

And roly-poly, rinky-dink and super-duper, or so-so.

There's shock jock, sure cure, snip-snap, sci-fi, smartcart, shipshape, and stun gun,

And silly billy, speed read, shilly-shally, squish-squash, stumblebum

And shady lady, seesaw, space race, Star Wars, snail mail, PigglyWig'

And tutti-frutti,  tittle-tattle, tiki, tip-top, thing'majig.

There's teeter-totter, tootsie-wootsie, teentsie-weentsie, and tee-tee

And tom-toms drumming, tartar, tum-tum, tattle-tale, uh-huh, TV
And tubby-wubby, willy-nilly, wishy-washy, woman’s womb

And walkie-talkie, wingding, yo-yo, yoo-hoo! zig-zag and zoom-zoom.

Ta-Dah !!!

And, for those interested, here's how you find the lyrics-only-version

of the nine songs that make up this cycle. If you would like to  accompany yourself on ukulele or guitar, find relevant chord charts by following the links that will take you to the versions in our blog "Silly Songs and Satire". 

1. PAIRS, to the tune of "Words" in the style of the Beegees

...  the following songs in the style of "The Elements" by Tom Lehrer

2. ALLITERATIVE BINOMIALS, part#1

3. ALLITERATIVE BINOMIALS, part#2

4. RHYMING BINOMIALS, part#1

5. RHYMING BINOMIALS, part#2

6. A LESSON ABOUT REDUPLICATIONS

7. REDUPLICATIONS, part#1

8. REDUPLICATIONS, part#2

9. LEGALISTIC DOUBLETS, in the style of "Supercalifragilistic..." from  the musical "Mary Poppins"

JAN 19, commercial product: web-purchased firearms (Elmer Fudd)

Authors' Note: Shotgun-wielding hunter Elmer Fudd was the cartoon-world nemesis of the beloved character Bugs Bunny. Elmer was notable for his lisping speech, for his hatred of 'wascally wabbits', for his oversized weaponry, and fortunately for Bugs, for his rather poor eyesight and aim.

   Currently (2017), weapons can be legally web-purchased by residents of the US, without  prior background checks of the purchasers.  

Our range of domestic and commercial products is somewhat limited, but you might want to review our unusual prospective gifts on our full-service blog "Edifying Nonsense". Click HERE.

JAN 18, anagram swarm: 'ELECTION FRAUD' contest: honorable mention

Continuing from the posts of January 16 and January 18 ...

As you know, in the National Contest the Best Anagram was 

                                               FAILED RECOUNT

and the Runner-up was...     OUTLINED FARCE

Here are some other national entries worthy of attention...

                                                LO, INCUR DEFEAT

                                                OR FEED LUNATIC 

                                                NOTICED EARFUL

                                                LIAR OUTFENCED

                                                REINFECT ALOUD

                                                FUEL RIOT-DANCE

                                                UNALTERED FOCI

                                                ELUDE FRACTION

                                                LEFTIE CANDOUR

                                                ULCERATED INFO

                                                ROTUND LIE-FACE

                                                DUE LATIN FORCE

                                                RUINED FACT: Olé !  

                                                LUCIFER ATONED

                                                UNDO RELIEF ACT

                                                I.O.U. FACT-LENDER

                                                FIE ON A RED CULT!

                                                URAL DEFECTION                                                                                            UNCLAD RIOT-FEE 

                                                U.F.O. CREDENTIAL

                                                CURT FOE DENIAL

                                                ONCE-FED RITUAL

                                                FEAR NOT IL DUCE

                                                TO CRUDE FINALE

At the state level, there are quite a few additional  submissions worthy of honorable mention, attributed to the participating state, as shown on the accompanying map.

JAN 17, palinku (poetic novelty): partying, part #3

 

  In this post, we will continue with our novel form of poetic wordplay, inspired by Japanese haiku poetry. This new form, in its English-language version, is used for a terse verse with a total of 17 syllables displayed on three lines. Unlike its classic Japanese analogue, this concoction does not mandate the precise distribution of the syllables among the three lines, but does stipulate that each word in the poem be included in a palindromic phrase or sentence in English (i.e. one that can be read either forwards or backwards). 

  To help the reader discern the origin of the lyrics, each palindrome (generally occupying one of the three lines of the poem) has been color-coded. And, as you likely surmised, the first verse in this collection has already been published here. Parts #1 and #2 of this foursome were exhibited in November and December, 2020. And astute readers might well have noticed that, as a memory-jog, we have used the 17th of the month for the publication of this material. 

  And, just in case you have forgotten what palindromes in English are about, your blogsite hosts have arranged a serial set of brief lessons on the topic ('Political Palindromes') which you can review by clicking HERE. 

 You can view all our "palinku" verses of this type if you proceed with a single click to our more encyclopedic blog "Edifying Nonsense". Click HERE. (Or if you prefer, you can stay on this particular blogsite and look for the offerings for the 17th day of each month -- there are now more than 60 of these.)

JAN 16, anagram swarm: 'ELECTION FRAUD' anagram contest: runners-up

Continuing from the post of January 16  ...

The national runner-up for best anagram is...

OUTLINED FARCE

Now to the runners-up for each participating state...

Read carefully. These concoctions are all different from the state 'Winners', which were posted 2 days ago!

And, have a safe week -- two-day countdown to Freedom-from-Trump Day.

JAN 15, culinary verse: Cretan salad

 

Find the collection of illustrated poems dealing with these issues on the post 'Culinary Verse' on our full-service blog 'Edifying Nonsense'. Click HERE!