Jabberwocky lit analysis questions

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ELTer

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In Lewis Carroll's poem, "Jabberwocky," I have a few questions about literary terms.

1. In line 13, what kind of word is, 'uffish'? Is it an adjective or adverb or...?
"And, as in uffish thought he stood..."

2. In line 20, "He went galumphing back," is the nonsense word 'galumphing' an adverb or participial adjective?

Thanks!
 

shroob

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In Lewis Carroll's poem, "Jabberwocky," I have a few questions about literary terms.

1. In line 13, what kind of word is, 'uffish'? Is it an adjective or adverb or...?
"And, as in uffish thought he stood..."

According to wikipeida, Lewis Caroll said the following about the word, 'uffish':
"It seemed to suggest a state of mind when the voice is gruffish, the manner roughish, and the temper huffish".
Given this, I would say that the word is a [STRIKE]verb[/STRIKE] adjective.

2. In line 20, "He went galumphing back," is the nonsense word 'galumphing' an adverb or participial adjective?

'Galumphing', is according to wikipeida, an old English word that is in the Oxford Dictionary. The word means galloping in a triumphant manner. Webster's dictionary says that Galumphing means, 'to move with a clumsy and heavy tread'.


Thanks!

Not a teacher only a native.

Edited due to a schoolboy error.
 
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5jj

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According to wikipeida, Lewis Caroll said the following about the word, 'uffish':
"It seemed to suggest a state of mind when the voice is gruffish, the manner roughish, and the temper huffish".
Given this, I would say that the word is a verb.
It's an adjective, qualifying the noun thought. -ish is a common suffix for adjectives, but not for verbs.
 

shroob

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It's an adjective, qualifying the noun thought. -ish is a common suffix for adjectives, but not for verbs.

Argh, I realised this when I was out. I posted the answer then got called outside. By the time I had got in you had spotted my mistake before I could edit. Well done sir, fast eyes and faster hands!
 

5jj

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Argh, I realised this when I was out. I posted the answer then got called outside. By the time I had got in you had spotted my mistake before I could edit. Well done sir, fast eyes and faster hands!
'Twas my beamish eyes of flame and frumious fist-- or the fact that you whiffled back too tulgeily.
 

shroob

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'Twas my beamish eyes of flame and frumious fist-- or the fact that you whiffled back too tulgeily.

Yeah... I actually googled those words :lol:.
 

ELTer

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You both are great! Thanks!

I understand that "uffish" is an adjective.

However, I'm still confused about "galumphing."

I understand that 'to galumph' is a verb.

However, specifically in the sentence, "He went galumphing back," is 'galumphing' an adverb and 'went' is the main verb?

What tense would the complete verb phrase 'went galumphing back' be considered to be in- past continuous?

 

5jj

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I understand that 'to galumph' is a verb.

However, specifically in the sentence, "He went galumphing back," is 'galumphing' an adverb
It is the present participle of the verb used adverbially
and 'went' is the main verb? Yes

What tense would the complete verb phrase 'went galumphing back' be considered to be in- past continuous?
The main verb is went, (not was going or was galumphing)so it is past simple.
 

birdeen's call

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'Galumphing', is according to wikipeida, an old English word that is in the Oxford Dictionary..
According to every source I can find, the word was coined by Caroll.
 

suprunp

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NOT A TEACHER

Oxford English Dictionary

galumph, v.
(gəˈlʌmf)

[Invented by ‘L. Carroll’ (perh. with some reminiscence of gallop, triumphant). The sense in current use may vary according to different notions of what the sound expresses. Cf. chortle v.]

intr. Orig., to march on exultingly with irregular bounding movements. Now usu., to gallop heavily; to bound or move clumsily or noisily. Hence gaˈlumphing ppl. a. and vbl. n., lit. and fig.

(I hope this could be of any help)
 
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