Vladimir Nabokov

NABOKV-L post 0007044, Thu, 7 Nov 2002 13:55:28 -0800

Subject
Fw: Versipel. VN & Merriam-Webster II & III
Date
Body
lines) ------------------
The word is in Webster's Second, Nabokov's dictionary. --BB
>


> Webster's Second doesn't provide citations for MOST words, so the absence
of
> citations for "versipel" should not be assumed to be the reason it's not
in
> W3.
>
> The other example Mary is probably thinking of is Ada's "Tofana," which
> Darkbloom glosses: "allusion to 'aqua tofana' (see any good
dictionary)"--a
> rather pointed remark when W3 omits it (see BB's Annotations to ADA).
>
> Yes, VN clearly consulted the OED in libraries prior to his being given
the
> set by Vera for Christmas 1973 (too late even for LATH!), just as he
> consulted W2 prior asking and being given it by Bollingen in 1959. (See
> VNAY.)
>
> Brian Boyd
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: D. Barton Johnson [mailto:chtodel@cox.net]
> Sent: Friday, November 08, 2002 10:11 AM
> To: NABOKV-L@LISTSERV.UCSB.EDU
> Subject: Fw: Versipel. VN & Merriam-Webster II & III
>
>
> EDNOTE. Do take note of this. I've encountered the problem several times
> (and often regretted trading my M-W II for the 17 vol. Russ. , of Science
> dictionary). I also have found cases where words that were used by VN,
> although not in either edition, turn up in French dictionaries.
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Mary Bellino" <iambe@rcn.com>
> To: "Vladimir Nabokov Forum" <NABOKV-L@LISTSERV.UCSB.EDU>
> Sent: Thursday, November 07, 2002 7:25 AM
> Subject: Re: Versipel
>
>
> >
> > ----------------- Message requiring your approval (52
> lines) ------------------
> > From Mary Bellino (iambe@rcn.com):
> >
> > I might add to Ranko Mastilovic's post that in general, when
> > faced with a troublesome word in one of Nabokov's texts,
> > it's often useful to check the English dictionary he
> > actually used: Webster's Second Unabridged. "Versipel" is
> > defined there as a "a creature capable of changing from one
> > form to another, as a werewolf." The word was dropped from
> > Webster's Third, possibly because the editors couldn't find
> > any citations for it; none are listed in the Webster's II
> > entry. It may even be what lexicographers call a "ghost
> > word,' one that has passed from dictionary to dictionary due
> > to some long-ago error but has never been in use in the
> > written language. See also the preface to Webster's III, p.
> > 4a, for their criteria for discarding "material of
> > insubstantial or evanescent quality," including words that
> > became obsolete before 1755.
> >
> > I've read--but now can't recall--another instance in which a
> > word used by Nabokov was present in Webster's II but not in
> > Webster's III or the OED. I am not sure how much Nabokov
> > used the OED; Stephen Parker reports that there was a set in
> > the Montreux apartment, but it was "bought by Mrs. Nabokov
> > not long before her husband's death" (Garland Companion
> > 286). She told Parker that VN "liked having it at his
> > fingertips," which may suggest that he was accustomed to
> > consulting it, but had to visit a library to do so.
> >
> > Mary
> >
> > "D. Barton Johnson" wrote:
> > >
> > > ----- Original Message -----
> > > From: "Dasa Duhacek" <dasaduh@sezampro.yu>
> > > To: "Vladimir Nabokov Forum" <NABOKV-L@LISTSERV.UCSB.EDU>
> > > Sent: Tuesday, November 05, 2002 2:12 PM
> > > Subject: Re: Fw: reply to Mr Grundy re demons of pity
> > >
> > > > This message was originally submitted by dasaduh@SEZAMPRO.YU to
the
> > > NABOKV-L
> > > > list at LISTSERV.UCSB.EDU.
> > >
> > > Dear Ms Kunin, there are other Oxford dictionaries, e.g. C.T. Lewis &
> C.
> > > Short's Latin Dictionary. You can find a very useful explanation on p.
> > > 1976 - versipellis (vorsip-) - that changes its skin; hence, that
> changes
> > > its shape or form, that alters its appearance... skilled in
> dissimulation,
> > > sly, cunning, crafy, subtle...
> > >
> > > Ranko Mastilovic
> >
> > > >
> > > >