# Jellicle Cat and Boojum Snark on a Frabjous Day **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [January 5, 2022, 1:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jellicle-cat-and-boojum-snark-on-a-frabjous-day/957264 "2022-01-05T13:40:53Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 13\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2022, 1:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jellicle-cat-and-boojum-snark-on-a-frabjous-day/957264/1 "2022-01-05T13:40:53Z")
Some nonsense adjectives (and nouns) are so well-known that people start using them outside of references to the original work. I’ve seen “jellicle cat” used without reference to T. S. Eliot’s poems 9and long before the musical _Cats_ showed up) . I’ve seen “Boojum” used occasionally, and “snark” many times\* in cases that have nothing to do with Lewis Carroll. And Paul Brickhill used “frabjous” in his book _The Great Escape_ (upon which both the movie and a TV miniseries were based. Carroll is a great source of nonsense words, many of which (like “galumphing” ) have entered everyday language. Any other such cromulent words out there? \*“Snark” is thought to have been a sort of portmanteau of “snail” and “shark”. The word seems to have nothing to do with “snark” indicating sarcasm. In the original pre-production sketches the landing craft from the _Nostromo_ in the movie _Alien_ was called the _Snark_. (Both Joseph Conrad’s _Nostromo_ and Carroll’s _The Hunting of the Snark_ involve an unseen entity picking off members of a ship’s cew one by one ---
**Author:** ![Telemark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/telemark/32/372_2.png) [@Telemark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telemark)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2022, 3:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jellicle-cat-and-boojum-snark-on-a-frabjous-day/957264/2 "2022-01-05T15:12:33Z")
This is a perfectly cromulent thread. It embiggens us all. ---
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2022, 3:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jellicle-cat-and-boojum-snark-on-a-frabjous-day/957264/3 "2022-01-05T15:22:16Z")
“Runcible Spoon” comes from Edward Lear’s poem “The Owl and the Pussycat.” I’ve seen it used in reference to a piece of cutlery that’s more commonly known as a “spork” (i.e., a spoon with fork-like pointy tines at the tip), particularly if one edge of the spoon is sharpened. And, in fact, [The Perfect Master has addressed this term in a column](https://www.straightdope.com/21342365/what-s-a-runcible-spoon). ---
**Author:** ![mbh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a6a055/32.png) [@mbh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mbh)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2022, 3:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jellicle-cat-and-boojum-snark-on-a-frabjous-day/957264/4 "2022-01-05T15:30:22Z")
Paleontologists have adopted the word [“thagomizer”](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thagomizer) from _The Far Side_. ---
**Author:** ![AHunter3](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ahunter3/32/368_2.png) [@AHunter3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AHunter3)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2022, 3:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jellicle-cat-and-boojum-snark-on-a-frabjous-day/957264/5 "2022-01-05T15:42:06Z")
I couldn’t remember where “quark” (the subatomic piece) came from, had to Google it: Murray Gell-Man by way of James Joyce. ---
**Author:** ![Darren\_Garrison](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/darren_garrison/32/92_2.png) [@Darren\_Garrison](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darren_Garrison)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2022, 4:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jellicle-cat-and-boojum-snark-on-a-frabjous-day/957264/6 "2022-01-05T16:16:47Z")
“Grok” maybe hasn’t completely disappeared. [![](https://80steess3.imgix.net/Social/Multi/i-grok-spock-shirt.multi.jpeg) ](https://80steess3.imgix.net/Social/Multi/i-grok-spock-shirt.multi.jpeg) ---
**Author:** ![SuntanLotion](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/suntanlotion/32/16165_2.png) [@SuntanLotion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SuntanLotion)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2022, 6:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jellicle-cat-and-boojum-snark-on-a-frabjous-day/957264/7 "2022-01-05T18:02:50Z")
Some cats in shelters have been called Professor Jiggly ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2022, 6:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jellicle-cat-and-boojum-snark-on-a-frabjous-day/957264/8 "2022-01-05T18:15:04Z")
> [@CalMeacham](#): > > Carroll is a great source of nonsense words, many of which (like “galumphing” ) have entered everyday language. Caroll invented the word chortle, which has entered general usage. ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2022, 7:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jellicle-cat-and-boojum-snark-on-a-frabjous-day/957264/9 "2022-01-05T19:06:22Z")
> [@Little\_Nemo](#): > > Caroll invented the word chortle, which has entered general usage. Like “galumphing”, this is in “Jabberwocky”, a wonderful source of nonsense words that have escaped into common usage (including also “whiffle” and “beamish”) ---
**Author:** ![74westy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/74westy/32/3950_2.png) [@74westy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/74westy)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2022, 7:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jellicle-cat-and-boojum-snark-on-a-frabjous-day/957264/10 "2022-01-05T19:22:39Z")
> [@Little\_Nemo](#): > > Caroll invented the word chortle, which has entered general usage. So I was taught 50 years ago but the only use of the work I’ve ever heard was as an example of an invented word that entered general usage. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2022, 7:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jellicle-cat-and-boojum-snark-on-a-frabjous-day/957264/11 "2022-01-05T19:47:58Z")
> [@74westy](#): > > So I was taught 50 years ago but the only use of the work I’ve ever heard was as an example of an invented word that entered general usage. “Yeah, he’s off to the Chamber of Secrets for a cup of tea with his fanged servant,” said George, chortling . _Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets_ - J.K. Rowling Connor chortled, “Good luck with that.” _Music of Souls_ - Joanne J. Kendrick Miss Mamie chortled while my son and his wife reddened. _Queen Bee Goes Home Again_ - Haywood Smith He almost chortled at the ridiculous thought, wishing someone was there with him to tell. _Damian’s Assassin_ - Lizzy Ford Bengal hopped up and down and chortled with anticipatory glee. _The Camp Fire Girls at Camp Keewaydin, Or, Down Paddles_ - Hildegard G. Frey Steve said he guessed the engine needed a good overhauling, and Perry chortled and offered his services to Joe to help take it apart _The Adventure Club Afloat_ - Ralph Henry Barbour “Your face!” he chortled. _Essence of the Archers_ - Caitlin-Rose Owens She chortled and said, “There’s no comparison.” “What to Do if You’re Terrified of Getting Older” - column by Dan Harris in the February 2019 issue of _Men’s Health_ ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2022, 7:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jellicle-cat-and-boojum-snark-on-a-frabjous-day/957264/12 "2022-01-05T19:48:19Z")
> [@74westy](#): > > So I was taught 50 years ago but the only use of the work I’ve ever heard was as an example of an invented word that entered general usage. Not sure what you mean, but I’ve read “chortle” several time in written works. I may have heard it spoken, as well, but I can’t recall a case. ---
**Author:** ![Senegoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/senegoid/32/6606_2.png) [@Senegoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Senegoid)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2022, 5:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jellicle-cat-and-boojum-snark-on-a-frabjous-day/957264/13 "2022-01-08T05:01:57Z")
ISTM I’ve seen several mentions of Mitch McConnell “chortling” every time he torpedoes some Democratic bill. Jabberwocky also gives us: brillig, slithy, tove, wabe, mimsy, borogove, mome, rath, outgrabe. (All that’s just the first four-line verse!) frumious, vorpal, uffish, frabjous.