Vladimir Nabokov

NABOKV-L post 0008949, Fri, 21 Nov 2003 16:06:36 -0800

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Fw: QUERY: Question about the Prismatic Bezel
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Re: QUERY: Question about the Prismatic Bezel
----- Original Message -----
From: Carolyn Kunin
To: Vladimir Nabokov Forum
Sent: Friday, November 21, 2003 12:45 PM
Subject: Re: QUERY: Question about the Prismatic Bezel


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Dear Nabokovians:

I remember there being a remark, either in The Real Life of Sebastian Knight
or in criticism about the novel, regarding the Prismatic Bezel - the term
bezel is both a word for a kind of cut as well as for the tool used to make
that cut (I believe). I remember there being, perhaps, some sort of word
(or more elegant way) to describe this linguistic feat.

Can anyone help me out? A friend is working on a paper on bibliography, and
the way he is using the term reminds me of the Nabokov cite.

Thank you, in advance, for any help you can offer.

Marianne


Dear Marianne,

I doubt if this will be of any help, and I don't think it answers your question, but it is interesting that the same French word, chaton, refers both to Sebastian Knight's bezel and to Pale Fire's catkin. I don't think there's any word to discribe that linguistic feat!

Carolyn
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