Origins of "vorpal"?

[randomhero00]

So as far as I can tell, it was first mentioned in Alice in Wonderland as the vorpal sword that defeated the jabberwocky (cut off its head).

Are there any earlier uses?

[Okizruin]

Nope. It was made up by the writer of Alice in Wonderland (Lewis Carroll).

[randomhero00]

Nope. It was made up by the writer of Alice in Wonderland (Lewis Carroll).

Wow, that's what I just said...

[GoblinArchmage]

As far as I know, you are both correct. Lewis Carroll made up most of the words in the "Jabberwocky" poem.

[NecroRebel]

I'm pretty sure Jabberwocky was in Through the Looking Glass, and What Alice Found There, not Alice's Adventures in Wonderland. Wikipedia backs this up. But regardless, that was where the word was coined; the poem is made up mostly of what were then nonsense words, and "vorpal" was among them.

[Worira]

Wow, that's what I just said...

Yup, that's how agreement works.

[Yuki Akuma]

I'm pretty sure Jabberwocky was in Through the Looking Glass, and What Alice Found There, not Alice's Adventures in Wonderland. Wikipedia backs this up. But regardless, that was where the word was coined; the poem is made up mostly of what were then nonsense words, and "vorpal" was among them.

Yes. You're right.

I'm not sure how anyone who's read Alice's Adventures in Wonderland could think Jabberwocky was in it...

[Shadowknight12]

Yes. You're right.

I'm not sure how anyone who's read Alice's Adventures in Wonderland could think Jabberwocky was in it...

I haven't read either. The premises have always sounded far too nonsensical to me.

[Steward]

So, to reiterate, the word "vorpal" originated from Lewis Carroll's poem "Jabberwocky", found in "Through the Looking Glass".

[SilverClawShift]

So, to reiterate, the word "vorpal" originated from Lewis Carroll's poem "Jabberwocky", found in "Through the Looking Glass".

I always heard Lewis Carroll made it up in the Jabberwocky poem.

[Arbane]

I haven't read either. The premises have always sounded far too nonsensical to me.

They are TOTALLY nonsensical. Wonderland & its sequel run on a combination of dream-logic and deliberate misinterpretations of figures of speech, logic, and math. It's like a Victorian XKCD.

[Shadowknight12]

They are TOTALLY nonsensical. Wonderland & its sequel run on a combination of dream-logic and deliberate misinterpretations of figures of speech, logic, and math. It's like a Victorian XKCD.

Oh goodie, I always wondered if I was missing out on something. I'm quite glad to realise I'm not. If I can't get anything useful out of it, reading it will be a waste of my time.

[Gavinfoxx]

The Vorpal Blade is the Conyers falchion, dating to the 12th century. Lewis Carroll saw this weapon at the ordination of a bishop in his childhood, and coined the term Vorpal in his book based on this weapon.

[Kurald Galain]

I always heard Lewis Carroll made it up in the Jabberwocky poem.

I've heard it was brillig, and there were some slithy toves in the wabe.

[gkathellar]

I've heard it was brillig, and there were some slithy toves in the wabe.

Everyone knows that those slithy toves did gyre and gimble like in the wabe like mad. Couldn't get enough of gyring and gimbling, really. Kinda sad. They never saw the jubjub birds coming, and after that they just didn't have a chance against the frumious bandersnatch. Glad my beamish boy didn't turn out like that.

For reference, the poem Jabberwocky was first featured in Through the Looking Glass and What Alice Found There. I believe a number of words first used in the poem are now in common use in the English lexicon, but I'm not certain of that.

And you are missing out, Shadowknight. The books are fascinating explorations of the nature of childhood and adulthood, arguably feature a lot of very sharp social critique, and may even have some Zen philosophy mixed in.

[Analytica]

Oh goodie, I always wondered if I was missing out on something. I'm quite glad to realise I'm not. If I can't get anything useful out of it, reading it will be a waste of my time.

Arguably, it is required reading to get the most out of Douglas Hofstadter's "Gödel-Escher-Bach", though. Which will be useful if you are particularly interested in artificial intelligence, number theory or computing theory, but otherwise more fun than useful...

[Steward]

I always heard Lewis Carroll made it up in the Jabberwocky poem.

Are you implying that the word was first used by Lewis Carroll in the Jabberwocky poem? Because I think you might be onto something here.

but otherwise more fun than useful...

You could say that about most fiction, couldn't you?

[Spiryt]

Oh goodie, I always wondered if I was missing out on something. I'm quite glad to realise I'm not. If I can't get anything useful out of it, reading it will be a waste of my time.

That's rather.... interesting view, I guess it depends on what exactly you mean by "getting anything useful".

I can't get anything useful out of Monty Python, maybe save the fact that one can quite nicely replicate the sound of hooves with a coconut. But I, by no way drunk or sober, would dare to care it "waste of my time".

The Vorpal Blade is the Conyers falchion, dating to the 12th century. Lewis Carroll saw this weapon at the ordination of a bishop in his childhood, and coined the term Vorpal in his book based on this weapon.

That's funny story, I've seen the weapon few times, and haven't herd about it.

Anyway, it seems that the weapon is 13th century, it generally looks like that, and if anyone was to slay a dragon, it would certainly be a solid choice.

[SilverClawShift]

Are you implying that the word was first used by Lewis Carroll in the Jabberwocky poem? Because I think you might be onto something here.

Hey hey, I'm not trying to jump to conclusions. But I do believe the word vorpal came from the Jabberwocky poem (the one written by Lewis Carroll). See, lewis Carroll wrote this poem? About the Jabberwocky? And he used the word 'vorpal' in it. I think that's where the word came from.

[dps]

Oh goodie, I always wondered if I was missing out on something. I'm quite glad to realise I'm not. If I can't get anything useful out of it, reading it will be a waste of my time.

{{scrubbed}}

[Yukitsu]

Oh goodie, I always wondered if I was missing out on something. I'm quite glad to realise I'm not. If I can't get anything useful out of it, reading it will be a waste of my time.

You must not read novels. Terrible shame really.

[The Glyphstone]

You people are all wrong, and should really check your facts before posting. It's inarguable that the word 'Vorpal' was first put to paper by Lewis Caroll in the Jabberwocky poem from Through the Looking Glass and What Alice Found There.

[UserClone]

You people are all wrong, and should really check your facts before posting. It's inarguable that the word 'Vorpal' was first put to paper by Lewis Caroll in the Jabberwocky poem from Through the Looking Glass and What Alice Found There.

Correction: it actually made its first appearance it Lewis Carrol's Through the Looking Glass and What Alice Found There.

[OracleofWuffing]

Prior to reading this thread, I thought it was first inked in the Jabberwocky poem in Through the Looking Glass and What Alice Found There, by Lewis Caroll. It's nice to finally hear where it came from, though!

[Graytemplar]

i realize that this is slightly off topic, but does anyone else think that whoever did the new Alice movie, did an excellent job in blending the jabberwocky in?

[Shadowknight12]

Arguably, it is required reading to get the most out of Douglas Hofstadter's "Gödel-Escher-Bach", though. Which will be useful if you are particularly interested in artificial intelligence, number theory or computing theory, but otherwise more fun than useful...

No, I don't foresee having to venture into those fields. But thanks for letting me know that, I'll keep it in mind if I ever do.

That's rather.... interesting view, I guess it depends on what exactly you mean by "getting anything useful".

I can't get anything useful out of Monty Python, maybe save the fact that one can quite nicely replicate the sound of hooves with a coconut. But I, by no way drunk or sober, would dare to care it "waste of my time".

My definition of useful is quite broad, but it unfortunately precludes things that are nonsensical.

You must not read novels. Terrible shame really.

On the contrary, comprehensible and sensical novels are a great source of new ideas.

{Scrub the post, scrub the quote}

Because I'm curious about the origin of the word "vorpal," of course.

[Yukitsu]

Through the looking glass is comprehensible and sensible. At the very least, it is very easy to relate to, and there is nothing in the flow of the events that should be considered confusing. The only potentially incomprehensible aspects of the stories are the characters, who are themselves variably insane, however, characters being incomprehensible is not something that should tarnish the story.

[Rogue Shadows]

Oh goodie, I always wondered if I was missing out on something. I'm quite glad to realise I'm not. If I can't get anything useful out of it, reading it will be a waste of my time.

...out of curiosity, why do you define as "useful?"

[Yukitsu]

...out of curiosity, why do you define as "useful?"

99% of the time, it means "If I enjoyed it, I got a use out of it" rather than any indication of higher learning. Which is fine, but saying "I didn't enjoy it because I didn't enjoy it" always irritates me as a criticism.

[The Random NPC]

The poem itself is a critique on the rules for writing. I don't remember if it was about only relying on the rules or about there not being enough rules, but he was trying to show that you could make a completly nonsensical poem without breaking any of the rules of writing.