KOCHI: Bowdlerise: “remove material that is considered improper or offensive from (a text or account), especially with the result that the text becomes weaker or less effective.”
It also means “to castrate”.
The word is currently at the centre of a huge debate in global literary circles. Last weekend, the Daily Telegraph published an exhaustive article on celebrated – and controversial – author Roald Dahl’s works being “rewritten”.
“Hundreds of changes have been made to the original text of Roald Dahl’s books after sensitivity readers were hired to scrutinise the text with words such as ‘fat’ removed,” it said. And it has not gone down well. Many outraged that the amends smacked of ‘ultra-wokism’. Some called it ‘woke-washing’.
Here are some samples:
(Apparently because Conrad and Kipling were accused of racism.)
The list is long. In an opinion piece in the Daily Telegraph, journalist Tim Stanley opined that the “butchering of Roald Dahl is an assault on liberty by a neurotic elite”.
Meanwhile, another celebrated and controversial author, Salman Rsuhdie, led the global charge. “Roald Dahl was no angel but this is absurd censorship. Puffin Books and the Dahl estate should be ashamed,” he tweeted.
In a subsequent tweet Salman said Roald was “a self confessed antisemite, with pronounced racist leanings”, yet claimed to “defend” the latter’s work from “the bowdlerizing Sensitivity Police”.
Reports say the “review” began in 2020. And it involved the publisher, Puffin Books, the writers estate, Roald Dahl Story Company, and an NGO named Inclusive Minds.
“The wonderful words of Roald Dahl can transport you to different worlds and introduce you to the most marvellous characters,” the publisher says in a note in the new editions. “This book was written many years ago, and so we regularly review the language to ensure that it can continue to be enjoyed by all today.”
Though intentions sound noble, the edits have been widely slammed. Many critics argued that a better way of handling ‘sensitivity’ could have been adding appropriate, explanatory notes in the books.
In a Twitter post, the CEO of writers’ association PEN America, Suzanne Nossel, says: “... we are alarmed at news of hundreds of changes to venerated works by Roald Dahl in a purported effort to scrub the books of that which might offend someone… Amidst fierce battles against book bans and strictures on what can be taught and read, selective editing to make works of literature conform to particular sensibilities could represent a dangerous new weapon.
“Those who might cheer specific edits to Dahl’s work should consider how the power to rewrite books might be used in the hands of those who do not share their values and sensibilities.”
Amid all the outrage, what caught my eye was the statement put out by British prime minister Rishi Sunak’s spokesperson: “When it comes to our rich and varied literary heritage, the prime minister agrees with the BFG (Big Friendly Giant) that we shouldn’t gobblefunk around with words. I think it’s important that works of literature and works of fiction are preserved and not airbrushed. We have always defended the right to free speech and expression.”
Interestingly, the word ‘gobblefunk’ was coined by Dahl. Gobblefunk is basically a playful and imaginative language that features nonsense words, puns, and creative wordplay.
Not to be confused with gobbledygook, which means “complicated language that is difficult to understand, especially when used in official documents”.
It was first used by American politician Maury Maverick (1895-1954) in a memo during WWII. He banned “gobbledygook language” and mock-threatened to shoot “anyone using the words activation or implementation”.
It is said Maury “made up the word in imitation of turkey noise” . Incidentally, a few years later, ‘gobbledygook’ got a sibling, ‘bafflegab’, which means “incomprehensible or pretentious verbiage, especially bureaucratic jargon”.
Coming back to Dahl, he used gobblefunk to “add an extra layer of fun and whimsy to his stories”. The author is credited with ‘inventing’ over 400 words. And they were all hits. In fact, in 2016, gobblefunk was honoured with the Oxford Roald Dahl Dictionary – quite an amusing one for bedtime reading!
Okay, time for me to try conjuring some new words. It’s fun. Wish you a scrumdiddlyumptious week ahead.
Here are some classic Dahl gobblefunk terms:
Oompa-Loompa: “a small, orange-skinned worker in Willy Wonka’s chocolate factory, known for their singing and dancing performances”
Scrumdiddlyumptious: “extremely delicious or delightful”
Snozzberry: “a type of imaginary fruit used by Willy Wonka in his candy creations”
Hornswoggler: “a cheat or swindler”
Whangdoodle: “a fanciful creature or thing”
Golden Ticket: “a ticket found in a Wonka Bar that grants the holder entry into Willy Wonka’s chocolate factory”
Everlasting Gobstopper: “a type of candy that never gets smaller or disappears when sucked on”
Fizzy lifting drinks: “a type of drink that makes the drinker float in the air”
Roly-poly bird: “a bird that can roll itself up into a ball for protection”
Vermicious knid: “a type of alien creature with multiple arms and a cruel nature”
Whizzpopping: “the act of breaking wind; flatulence”
Snozzcumber: “a disgusting cucumber-like vegetable
Trogglehumper: “a painful blow or hit”
Splendiferous: “splendid or wonderful”
Peachy: “great, wonderful, or excellent”
Hopscotchy: “cheerful”
Frobscottle: “a fizzy drink that makes one feel hopscotchy”
Crodsquinkled: “being caught out at something”
Ucky-mucky: “dirty, messy”
Whoopsy-whiffling: “superb, great”
Frothbuggling: “Something silly”
Delumptious: “delicious”
Babblement: “having a friendly conversation or chat with someone”
Rommytot: “talk nonsense”
Biffsquiggled: “confused or puzzled”
Zozimus: “what dreams are made of”