The Limerick packs jokes anatomical ...

June 18, 2004 12:47 PM

Wordcraft, an on-line community of linguaphiles, best known for its extensive collection of eponyms, has taken on a new and fairly ambitious project -- they're trying to rewrite the entire Oxford English Dictionary -- in limerick form. So far they're only on the a's, but they do seem optimistic.
Shamelessly stolen from languagehat's blog
posted by anastasiav (7 comments total)

But only clean limericks. Bah!
posted by raygirvan at 12:50 PM on June 18, 2004

We do insist that your contributions are:
1. Your own original work
2. Not vulgar, obscene, or otherwise trashy, and
3. In correct limerick format.

To be a true limerick, doesn't it have to be nasty?

On preview, ditto ray.
posted by ColdChef at 1:02 PM on June 18, 2004

We wed young and then hit the skids
After doing what good sense forbids.
We couldn't have guessed it,
Though its name should suggest it:
Adultery is not meant for kids.

Okay, you know what? That's pretty damn good.
posted by ColdChef at 1:06 PM on June 18, 2004

This is truly amazing.
posted by rocketman at 1:27 PM on June 18, 2004

does coldchef's example have the correct rhythm for a limerick when spoken by an american? it doesn't work for me (english). it's not just how it scans, there seem to be too many syllables in the 3rd + 4th lines.

two youngly weds soon hit the skids,
by doing what good sense forbids,
they couldn't have guessed,
though the name did suggest,
that adultery's not meant for kids.

works better for me.
posted by andrew cooke at 2:34 PM on June 18, 2004

Absolutely brilliant. I love it. Although I must concur that at least slight naughtiness should be incorporated in any true limerick.
posted by livii at 4:49 PM on June 18, 2004

This is beyond fantastic! The limerick has always been a favorite of mine... I'm hoping that my linguaphile friends jump on this bandwagon and contribute some winners. Mental gymnastics!

This one tickled me... don't know why...

action

It's years since my last lover Jenny.
And prospects since then? Not that many.
It's clear "satisfaction"
And "younger" and "action"
Are three things I'm not getting any!
posted by Corky at 5:59 PM on June 18, 2004