The Jabberwocky with spelling "corrected" by PC-WRITE

© Copyright 1987, 1996 by Lee Altenberg

I originally posted this to the AIlist mailing list in 1987 after reading an article there about "PROFS", some kind of AI style correcting software of the time. Evidently, others have reposted it, and I accidentally came across it while doing a Web search. This data, since it has been replicating autonomously of me, therefore is another example of Internet "artificial life", where the Internet users are the propogating vectors. It's a whole new ecosystem out there...

Newsgroups: alt.best.of.internet
Subject: ABOI: Spell Checkers And Funny Substitutions

[ Article crossposted from alt.folklore.computers ]
[ Author was Doug Landauer ]
[ Posted on 17 Jan 1995 06:35:53 GMT ]

> >unintentionally funny substitutions suggested by spell checkers.
> Have you seen the Newton-recognized Jabberwocky?

Posted years before the Newton existed ...

[Excerpted from AIList]

Date: Mon 18 May 87 12:27:57-PDT
From: Lee Altenberg [CCOCKERHAM.ALTENBERG@BIONET-20.ARPA]
Subject: Humor - Spelling Correction

After reading about PROFS, I discovered that my PC-WRITE software has
a spell-checker with a "Guess" feature that is like PROFS. Below are
three actual revisions of Jabberwocky produced by PC-WRITE, "Jabbing:,
"Jabs", and "Suppress", employing the first, second, and third guesses,
respectively, of PC-WRITE. Some of the poetic leaps I think you'll find
extraordinary. AI is a whole new frontier. The religious and political
overtones are those of PC-WRITE, not my own.

First, the original:

Jabberwocky

'Twas brillig, and the slithy toves
Did gyre and gimble in the wabe:
All mimsy were the borogoves,
And the mome raths outgrabe.
"Beware the Jabberwock, my son!
The jaws that bite, the claws that catch!
Beware the Jubjub bird, and shun
The frumious Bandersnatch!"
He took his vorpal sword in hand:
Long time the manxome foe he sought --
So rested he by the Tumtum tree,
And stood awhile in thought
And, as in uffish thought he stood,
The Jabberwock, with eyes of flame,
Came wiffling through the tulgey wood,
And burbled as it came!
One, two!  One, two!  And through and through
The vorpal blade went snicker-snack!
He left it dead, and with its head
He went galumphing back.
"And hast thou slain the Jabberwock?
Come to my arms, my beamish boy!
O frabjous day!  Callooh!  Callay!"
He chortled in his joy.
'Twas brillig, and the slithy toves
Did gyre and gimble in the wabe:
All mimsy were the borogoves,
And the mome raths outgrabe.

Now, the "corrections":

-- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- --

Jabbing

'Tweak brim, and the slits tow
Did gyrfalcon and gimmicks in the WAC:
All min were the boron,
And the moment ratification outgrow.

"Beware the Jabbing, my son!
The jaws that bite, the claws that catch!
Beware the Judaism bird, and shun
The frustrate Bandies!"

He took his vortex sword in hand:
Long time the many foe he sought -
So rested he by the Tumult tree,
And stood awhile in thought.

And, as in UFOs thought he stood,
The Jabbing, with eyes of flame,
Came whiffs through the tulip wood,
And burch as it came!

One, two! One, two! And through and through
The vortex blade went snickered-snack!
He left it dead, and with its head
He went galvanic back.

"And hast thou slain the Jabbing?
Come to my arms, my beams boy!
O fracas day! Callous! Called!
He chortled in his joy.

'Tweak brim, and the slits tow
Did gyrfalcon and gimmicks in the WAC:
All min were the boron,
And the moment ratification outgrow.

-- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- --

Jabs

'Tweaks brimful, and the slitter toward
Did gyrfalcons and gimpy in the wacky:
All minaret were the borough,
And the momentarily ratified outgrows.

"Beware the Jabs, my son!
The jaws that bite, the claws that catch!
Beware the Judas bird, and shun
The frustrated Banding!"

He took his vortices sword in hand:
Long time the mao foe he sought -
So rested he by the Tumultuous tree,
And stood awhile in thought.

And, as in Uganda thought he stood,
The Jabs, with eyes of flame,
Came whig through the tulips wood,
And burden as it came!

One, two! One, two! And through and through
The vortices blade went snider-snack!
He left it dead, and with its head
He went galvanism back.

"And hast thou slain the Jabs?
Come to my arms, my bean boy!
O fraction day! Calloused! Calligraphy!
He chortled in his joy.

'Tweaks brimful, and the slitter toward
Did gyrfalcons and gimpy in the wacky:
All minaret were the borough,
And the momentarily ratified outgrows.

-- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- --

Suppress

'Tis farewells, and the sled advice
Did gro and compel in the vow:
All mimeos were the breakups,
And the mm radios outcrop.

"Beware the Suppress, my son!
The jaws that bite, the claws that catch!
Beware the Shipshape bird, and shun
The freeing Bandersnatch!"

He took his barfly sword in hand:
Long time the manikin foe he sought -
So rested he by the Automation tree,
And stood awhile in thought.

And, as in abbeys thought he stood,
The Suppress with eyes of flame,
Came affluence through the atlas wood,
And fairfield as it came!

One, two! One, two! And through and through
The barfly blade went snigger-snack!
He left it dead, and with its head
He went clamping back.

"And hast thou slain the Suppress?
Come to my arms, my baying boy!
O barbecues day! Call! Call!
He chortled in his joy.

'Ts farewells, and the sled advice
Did gro and compel in the vow:
All mimeos were the breakups,
And the mm radios outcrop.

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