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Re: J. Rea on Knaves and Jacks
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In a message dated 1/30/2007 2:43:58 PM Central Standard Time, Chaswe@AOL.COM
writes:
> Since "Knave" is presumably closely cognate with German "Knabe", a more
> accurate translation into American would be King, Queen, Boy; although "Boy" is,
> I suppose, quite unacceptable these days (cf the film Casablanca, or the
> song Chattanooga-Choo-Choo). The Swedish is Kung, Dam, Knekt, no doubt cognate
> with Knight; although Knekt, in Swedish, has been demoted to servant, varlet
> or batman, not elevated to petty nobility, as in English. Not that a nobleman
> needn't be a servant, depending on whom he serves. I seem to recall that in
> English, I mean in England, the Jack, whether one-eyed or two-faced, is also
> called a Knight. Or am I thinking of chess? And a Swedish Dam is normally a
> Lady. All knowledge derives from translation.
>
>
The symmetry of KQK was probably appealing, as are the chess symbols for
King, Queen, Knight: KQKn. It may have been mentioned that the German word for
the jack in a deck of cards is "bube." The surname "Dreyer" means "group of
three." I wonder about the critics who find an anagram in "Vivian Badlook." I
can't figure this one out, though there are two Vivians--photographer and
child--in the novel, and the name obviously links to Darkbloom. The tourist and
the seaside is an obvious anagram for V. N.
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writes:
> Since "Knave" is presumably closely cognate with German "Knabe", a more
> accurate translation into American would be King, Queen, Boy; although "Boy" is,
> I suppose, quite unacceptable these days (cf the film Casablanca, or the
> song Chattanooga-Choo-Choo). The Swedish is Kung, Dam, Knekt, no doubt cognate
> with Knight; although Knekt, in Swedish, has been demoted to servant, varlet
> or batman, not elevated to petty nobility, as in English. Not that a nobleman
> needn't be a servant, depending on whom he serves. I seem to recall that in
> English, I mean in England, the Jack, whether one-eyed or two-faced, is also
> called a Knight. Or am I thinking of chess? And a Swedish Dam is normally a
> Lady. All knowledge derives from translation.
>
>
The symmetry of KQK was probably appealing, as are the chess symbols for
King, Queen, Knight: KQKn. It may have been mentioned that the German word for
the jack in a deck of cards is "bube." The surname "Dreyer" means "group of
three." I wonder about the critics who find an anagram in "Vivian Badlook." I
can't figure this one out, though there are two Vivians--photographer and
child--in the novel, and the name obviously links to Darkbloom. The tourist and
the seaside is an obvious anagram for V. N.
Search the archive: http://listserv.ucsb.edu/archives/nabokv-l.html
Contact the Editors: mailto:nabokv-l@utk.edu,nabokv-l@holycross.edu
Visit Zembla: http://www.libraries.psu.edu/nabokov/zembla.htm
View Nabokv-L policies: http://web.utk.edu/~sblackwe/EDNote.htm