answersLogoWhite

0


Best Answer

When he wrote the first verse of Jabberwocky, Lewis Carroll defined 'slithy' in this way:

SLYTHY: (compounded of 'slimy' and 'lithe'). "smooth and active"


This definition is supported by what Humpty Dumpty tells Alice about the word:

`Well, "slithy" means "lithe and slimy." "Lithe" is the same as "active." You see it's like a portmanteau -- there are two meanings packed up into one word.'


Carroll originally defined 'toves' in this way:

TOVE: a species of Badger. They had smooth white hair, long hind legs, and short horns like a stag. lived chiefly on cheese.


This is slightly different from Humpty Dumpty's understanding of the word:


`Well, "toves" are something like badgers -- they're something like lizards -- and they're something like corkscrews.'
`They must be very curious looking creatures.'
`They are that,' said Humpty Dumpty: `also they make their nests under sun-dials -- also they live on cheese.'

User Avatar

Wiki User

14y ago
This answer is:
User Avatar
More answers
User Avatar

AnswerBot

1mo ago

In the poem "Jabberwocky" by Lewis Carroll, "slithy toves" is a nonsense phrase that was deliberately created to evoke a sense of mystery and whimsy. The phrase is meant to be imaginative and playful, contributing to the overall nonsensical and fantastical tone of the poem.

This answer is:
User Avatar

User Avatar

Wiki User

11y ago

Jabberwocky is a nonsense poem, most of what you read seems to make a story, but a large number of the words are not real. In the case of Slithy Toves, there is no such thing, but as you read the poem, they are clearly capable of gyring and gimbling. In my imagination they are toad like creatures moving in a swamp, but you could equally imagine flowers waving in the breeze. What they are is not important.

This answer is:
User Avatar

User Avatar

Anonymous

Lvl 1
4y ago

the answer is grumpy

This answer is:
User Avatar

Add your answer:

Earn +20 pts
Q: What does 'slithy toves' mean in Jabberwocky?
Write your answer...
Submit
Still have questions?
magnify glass
imp
Related questions

Is 'slithy' a noun?

In the poem Jabberwocky, the word 'slithy' is used as an adjective. Twas brillig, and the slithy toves did gyre and gimble in the wabe 'Toves' are badger-like creatures and 'slithy' means 'lithe and slimy'.


What does twas brillig and the slithy toves mean?

Muslims


Slithy thing to Carroll?

"Slithy" is a nonsensical adjective coined by Lewis Carroll in his poem "Jabberwocky." It is often interpreted to mean slimy and lithe, combining the characteristics of both worms and snakes. Lewis Carroll delighted in creating new words and language in his whimsical and fantastical works.


What part of speech is slithy?

Slithy is an adjective. It describes the toves.`Twas brillig, and the slithy tovesDid gyre and gimble in the wabe:All mimsy were the borogoves,And the mome raths outgrabe.


What does toves mean in jabberwocky?

In "Jabberwocky" by Lewis Carroll, the word "toves" is a whimsical term for a creature. The poem is meant to be nonsense verse and uses invented words like "toves" to create a fantastical and surreal atmosphere.


What does 'slithy ' mean in Jabberwocky?

wet


What does toves mean?

Jabberwocky is a nonsense poem, most of what you read seems to make a story, but a large number of the words are not real. In the case of Slithy Toves, there is no such thing, but as you read the poem, they are clearly capable of gyring and gimbling. In my imagination they are toad like creatures moving in a swamp, but you could equally imagine flowers waving in the breeze. What they are is not important.


What word class does the word toves?

The word 'toves' is a word made up by author Lewis Carroll for his nonsense poem 'The Jabberwocky'.The word 'toves' is functioning in his poem as a noun, a word for some type of creature that he leaves to the readers imagination. He describes the creatures with a made up adjective 'the slithy toves'.


What is the consonance in the poem jabberwocky?

In the poem "Jabberwocky" by Lewis Carroll, some examples of consonance include the repeated "m" sound in "beamish boy" and "whiffling through," as well as the repeated "s" sound in "slithy toves did gyre and gimble in the wabe." These instances contribute to the playful and nonsensical tone of the poem.


What are the nouns in the poem Jabberwocky?

Too many of the words in the poem "Jabberwocky" are nonsense words made up by the author of the poem, Lewis Carroll (including the noun Jabberwocky). Since they are not real words, the nouns can only be deciphered by their function in the sentence. For example, in the lines, "Twas brillig, and the slithy toves, did gyre and gimble in the wabe", we can interpret "brilling" as a noun or an adjective (a subject complement), or even a verb. We can interpret "slithy" as an adjective describing the noun "toves"; "did gyre and gimble" as a compound verb; and "the wabe" as a noun object of the preposition "in". So many of the words in the poem are not real words, no one can say for sure exactly which words are nouns.


How many nouns are in the poem jabberwocky?

Many of the nouns in the poem "Jabberwocky" are nonsense words made up by the author of the poem, Lewis Carroll (including the noun Jabberwocky). Since they are not real words, the nouns can only be deciphered by their function in the sentence. For example, in the lines, "Twas brillig, and the slithy toves, did gyre and gimble in the wabe", we can interpret "brilling" as a noun or an adjective (a subject complement), or even a verb. We can interpret "slithy" as an adjective describing the noun "toves"; "did gyre and gimble" as a compound verb; and "the wabe" as a noun object of the preposition "in". So many of the words in the poem are not real words, no one can say for sure how many nouns there are or exactly which words are nouns.


Is gimble a verb?

Yes gimble is a noun ."Twas brillig, and the slithy toves. Did gyre and gimble in the wabe.