Unlocking Creative Reading: Beyond Words

Writing is a reflection of not just meanings, but also senses, shades, sounds, mental states, breath, and many other aspects of life.

Creative reading is a game. If you don't understand anything, just try to visualise it, read it aloud, sing it to yourself, check how it sounds, and try to figure it out.

In a chapter about friends climbing a huge mountain, there's a dialogue:

""So far, it's been a picnic," said Mallardi.
"Yeah," Stan acknowledged.
"No birds either."
"No," I agreed.
"Do you think Doc was right--about it /a huge scary bird/ being an hallucination?"
Mallardi asked. "I remember seeing things on Kasla...."
"As I recall," said Stan, "it was nymphs and an ocean of beer.
Why would anyone want to see hot birds?"
"Damfino."
R. Zelazny "The Mortal Mountain"

What is "damfino"? A new term? A fantasy creature?

My B2 students didn't know. But once we read it out loud, it made sense.

Here is the reference with the answer: https://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=damfino