Jabberwocky

Isn't language a funny thing? It helps us communicate a whole range of emotions to one another. Albeit, not our only means of communication, nonetheless a vital one. Scholars have remarked on how languages change and adapt. Recently, these scholars bemoan the shrinking of the average person's vocabulary. While I would argue that the average person in modern society is far more educated and therefore truly has a much greater vocabulary than the counterpart of a century or so ago, I must admit that this brings me to another query.

Does language define our thoughts or do our thoughts define our language? Sadly, this is not my own brilliant question, but one that was raised in a particularly amazing history class that I can no longer remember it's real title and refer to it merely as "the meaning of life class." Anyway, I would tend to side with the former version of the question, having spent many instances writing a paper and trying to pull the word out of thin air. And yet, I am drawn back to my favorite poem ever since I had to memorize it for my 8th grade English class. It may be mostly nonsense, but you sure do know what it means.

`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.

--Lewis Carroll