# Dr. Seuss' lazy rhymes **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [May 21, 2011, 7:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dr-seuss-lazy-rhymes/582663 "2011-05-21T07:44:29Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![straight\_man](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/straight_man/32/3027_2.png) [@straight\_man](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/straight_man)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2011, 4:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dr-seuss-lazy-rhymes/582663/21 "2011-05-22T04:27:32Z")
> [@Ogre](#): > > Yeah, and what the fuck is a jabberwock anyway? :mad: [NITPICK]Carroll never actually rhymes “jabberwock” with anything else — it’s always mid-line. [/NITPICK] ---
**Author:** ![digs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/digs/32/14889_2.png) [@digs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/digs)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2011, 4:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dr-seuss-lazy-rhymes/582663/22 "2011-05-22T04:59:35Z")
I always tell my kids that Dr. Seuss was the first rapper. Try it – _Green Eggs and Ham_ works great as hardcore hip-hop, and’ll make your kids laugh. But the doc _was_ lazy. I’m sorry, it’s so obvious that he often got to the end of a line and said “I’ll just make up an animal”. ---
**Author:** ![Sam\_A.Robrin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sam_a.robrin/32/14497_2.png) [@Sam\_A.Robrin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sam_A.Robrin)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2011, 7:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dr-seuss-lazy-rhymes/582663/23 "2011-05-23T07:32:18Z")
> [@BigT](#): > > Shakespeare made up words, too, but no one complains about him…[/mock whine] In fact, he even spoke of “…Zans teeth, Zans eyes, Zans taste, Zans everything…” ---
**Author:** ![AppallingGael](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b9bd4f/32.png) [@AppallingGael](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AppallingGael)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2011, 8:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dr-seuss-lazy-rhymes/582663/24 "2011-05-23T08:45:19Z")
> [@Sam\_A.Robrin](#): > > In fact, he even spoke of “…Zans teeth, Zans eyes, Zans taste, Zans everything…” Bravo! Anyway, it’s not abstruse why Dr. Seuss coined words to rhyme. It saved him time. ---
**Author:** ![Novelty\_Bobble](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/a3d4f5/32.png) [@Novelty\_Bobble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Novelty_Bobble)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2011, 9:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dr-seuss-lazy-rhymes/582663/25 "2011-05-23T09:03:36Z")
I think you miss the point. It is easy to guess a word if it is a familiar one, When it is totally made-up it forces the child to use their knowledge of phonetics to build the word themselves. I think it is a sensible learning tool as well as being pleasantly nonsensical. (and lets face it, those books are aimed at teaching children to read after all) ---
**Author:** ![Max\_Torque](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e9bcb4/32.png) [@Max\_Torque](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Max_Torque)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2011, 3:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dr-seuss-lazy-rhymes/582663/26 "2011-05-23T15:13:40Z")
Man, if you have a problem with the Zans, don’t ever read **There’s A Wocket In My Pocket**. “I like the Zable on the table, and the Ghair under the chair, But that Bofa on the sofa, Well, I wish he wasn’t there!” And if your issue is with people thinking “Zans” is a real word, steer clear of **On Beyond Zebra**. Woe to the child who spells with Thnad and Wum! ---
**Author:** ![Voyager](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/voyager/32/133_2.png) [@Voyager](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Voyager)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2011, 4:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dr-seuss-lazy-rhymes/582663/27 "2011-05-23T16:41:54Z")
Dr. Seuss would always draw Animals you never saw Beasts that really don’t exist So enjoy it and don’t get pist. ---
**Author:** ![furryman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/furryman/32/99_2.png) [@furryman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/furryman)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2011, 12:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dr-seuss-lazy-rhymes/582663/28 "2011-05-24T00:23:07Z")
What do you mean there’s no such thing as Zans. I use my Zans to open cans I use my Zans when I open at Cannes. I use my Zans to delete my spam. I would never, ever be sans my Zans. ---
**Author:** ![Lily\_Milliner](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/8edcca/32.png) [@Lily\_Milliner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lily_Milliner)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2011, 2:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dr-seuss-lazy-rhymes/582663/29 "2011-05-24T02:48:52Z")
> [@3\_20\_59\_or\_bust](#): > > Good thing Dr. Seuss is part of the test to separate aliens from humans. > > Have a nice flight back to your home planet. You might like going in a Zumble-Zay. ---
**Author:** ![Suil\_Dubh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/85f322/32.png) [@Suil\_Dubh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Suil_Dubh)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2011, 3:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dr-seuss-lazy-rhymes/582663/30 "2011-05-24T03:12:51Z")
> [@Novelty\_Bobble](#): > > I think it is a sensible learning tool as well as being pleasantly nonsensical. (and lets face it, those books are aimed at teaching children to read after all) The Zans is not just for aesthetics, It helps the children with phonetics. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dr-seuss-lazy-rhymes/582663.md?page=1)