Where do I begin?
First, you need to know what LOLCAT is. You probably do, but just haven’t seen the term before. If you’re confused, click the link, read the article and then come back. We’ll be waiting here.
Finished? Ok. We can move on.
Before the development of the printing press and the Protestant Reformation, the Church used to have strict rules about translating the Bible into any language other than Latin (or Greek). For the most part, translations into a “vulgar” language was prohibited, which meant English, German, French, etc. There are copies of vulgate Bibles still in existence, but it really wasn’t in the best interest of the Church to have just anyone producing a translation. Something might get mistranslated and then you can imagine the confusion. Better to just stick with the Latin, which was transparent to national boundaries. Just ask William Tyndale.
So my first thought upon find out a group of people were translating the Bible into LOLCAT, I had the title of this post and more than a few laughs. At first blemish, I know most people would think the whole thing is a sign of extreme disrespect, but consider the opening of Genesis, Chapter 1:
Boreded Ceiling Cat makinkgz Urf n stuffs
1 Oh hai. In teh beginnin Ceiling Cat maded teh skiez An da Urfs, but he did not eated dem.
2 Da Urfs no had shapez An haded dark face, An Ceiling Cat rode invisible bike over teh waterz.
3 At start, no has lyte. An Ceiling Cat sayz, i can haz lite? An lite wuz.4 An Ceiling Cat sawed teh lite, to seez stuffs, An splitted teh lite from dark but taht wuz ok cuz kittehs can see in teh dark An not tripz over nethin.5 An Ceiling Cat sayed light Day An dark no Day. It were FURST!!!1
6 An Ceiling Cat sayed, im in ur waterz makin a ceiling. But he no yet make a ur. An he maded a hole in teh Ceiling.7 An Ceiling Cat doed teh skiez with waterz down An waterz up. It happen.8 An Ceiling Cat sayed, i can has teh firmmint wich iz funny bibel naim 4 ceiling, so wuz teh twoth day.
9 An Ceiling Cat gotted all teh waterz in ur base, An Ceiling Cat hadz dry placez cuz kittehs DO NOT WANT get wet.10 An Ceiling Cat called no waterz urth and waters oshun. Iz good.
If you can laugh at Christopher Moore’s Lamb and you like the LOLCAT pictures that pop up on the internet, then you’re going to enjoy this. It’s even a reasonably accurate translation.
And you know, even though I can be a grammar snob, for some reason, I find LOLCAT dialect to be hilarious. It just hits me square in my center for absurdity appreciation.
-K
