Subject
Re: real Cantaboff solution
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Jansy: I don¹t see Nabokov¹s word-plays as dark mysteries¹ demanding
answers¹ or solutions,¹ or reasons.¹ Jokes are jokes are jokes, resisting
over-reductionism. A multi-lingual miracle mind, like VN¹s, buzzes with
grammatical and literary bric-a-brac. Out come puns, anagrams, allusions,
threads, patches and snatches at the drop of nothing in particular. If we
cornered Jack Horners are good boys, our lucky dips locate the plums. This
is a parallel process oft resisting a single gotcha, and I agree with your
term open-ended.¹
Picasso would often sign another¹s work if he liked it. Similarly, VN hinted
his teasing agreement to any uncovered allusion, intended or not, if it met
his fancy (as with Mary McArthy¹s fanciful Pale Fire rakings.)
The amazing fact that the new edition of Finnegans Wake contains over 700
spelling corrections would certainly amuse VN who felt that Joyce had really
taken word-juggling beyond a joke. I wonder how many Keys to the Keys of
Finnegans Wake will now need Re-Keying?
Stan Kelly-Bootle.
On 21/05/2012 17:59, "Jansy" <jansy@AETERN.US> wrote:
> Stan Kelly-Bootle (Cantab) writes:"Equally, possibly more plausible:
> Cantabrigian Boffin. VN was both: Cambridge University and Brainy Sod!" ( Tom
> Rymour pointed out the same link with Cantabrigian and Cambridge)
>
> Jansy Mello: The easiest solution proves to be the more reasonable one ! In
> Nabokov's case, it often isn't... It occurred to me that there's a lesson to
> be learned from all our former disparate attempts. How about developing a
> special tactical move to deal with VN's dark mysteries? Namely, to identify
> the simplest, most obvious answer at first, and next, depart from it towards
> other hidden complexities. After all, why did Nabokov use the pen-name
> Cantaboff to emphasize his years at Cambridge University: - does it serve any
> particular purpose? I can more easily imagine it for Sebastian Knight
> (English-Russian).
> I've no access right now to Brian Boyd's autobiographical books (RY and AY) to
> find out when did VN use "Cantaboff" and if, then, he might have also played
> with Cambridge, Massachussetts*. I favor the hypothesis that many of Nabokov's
> riddles are "open-ended."
>
> ..............................................................................
> ...............................
> wiki: Cantabrigian is an adjective [ ] derived from Cantabrigia, a medieval
> Latin name for Cambridge invented on the basis of the Anglo-Saxon name
> Cantebrigge. In Cambridge, Massachusetts, the name "Cantabrigia" appears in
> the city seal and (abbreviated to "Cantab") in the seal of the Episcopal
> Divinity School, located therein. A pub in Cambridge, Massachusetts called the
> Cantab Lounge is a play on this abbreviation and perhaps its homophony with
> the 'can tab' of a beer can [. ]In England, the nickname "Tab" used by
> Oxonians (those affiliated with Oxford University) as a term of derision for
> those affiliated with Cambridge University, is a contraction of Cantabrigian.
>
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answers¹ or solutions,¹ or reasons.¹ Jokes are jokes are jokes, resisting
over-reductionism. A multi-lingual miracle mind, like VN¹s, buzzes with
grammatical and literary bric-a-brac. Out come puns, anagrams, allusions,
threads, patches and snatches at the drop of nothing in particular. If we
cornered Jack Horners are good boys, our lucky dips locate the plums. This
is a parallel process oft resisting a single gotcha, and I agree with your
term open-ended.¹
Picasso would often sign another¹s work if he liked it. Similarly, VN hinted
his teasing agreement to any uncovered allusion, intended or not, if it met
his fancy (as with Mary McArthy¹s fanciful Pale Fire rakings.)
The amazing fact that the new edition of Finnegans Wake contains over 700
spelling corrections would certainly amuse VN who felt that Joyce had really
taken word-juggling beyond a joke. I wonder how many Keys to the Keys of
Finnegans Wake will now need Re-Keying?
Stan Kelly-Bootle.
On 21/05/2012 17:59, "Jansy" <jansy@AETERN.US> wrote:
> Stan Kelly-Bootle (Cantab) writes:"Equally, possibly more plausible:
> Cantabrigian Boffin. VN was both: Cambridge University and Brainy Sod!" ( Tom
> Rymour pointed out the same link with Cantabrigian and Cambridge)
>
> Jansy Mello: The easiest solution proves to be the more reasonable one ! In
> Nabokov's case, it often isn't... It occurred to me that there's a lesson to
> be learned from all our former disparate attempts. How about developing a
> special tactical move to deal with VN's dark mysteries? Namely, to identify
> the simplest, most obvious answer at first, and next, depart from it towards
> other hidden complexities. After all, why did Nabokov use the pen-name
> Cantaboff to emphasize his years at Cambridge University: - does it serve any
> particular purpose? I can more easily imagine it for Sebastian Knight
> (English-Russian).
> I've no access right now to Brian Boyd's autobiographical books (RY and AY) to
> find out when did VN use "Cantaboff" and if, then, he might have also played
> with Cambridge, Massachussetts*. I favor the hypothesis that many of Nabokov's
> riddles are "open-ended."
>
> ..............................................................................
> ...............................
> wiki: Cantabrigian is an adjective [ ] derived from Cantabrigia, a medieval
> Latin name for Cambridge invented on the basis of the Anglo-Saxon name
> Cantebrigge. In Cambridge, Massachusetts, the name "Cantabrigia" appears in
> the city seal and (abbreviated to "Cantab") in the seal of the Episcopal
> Divinity School, located therein. A pub in Cambridge, Massachusetts called the
> Cantab Lounge is a play on this abbreviation and perhaps its homophony with
> the 'can tab' of a beer can [. ]In England, the nickname "Tab" used by
> Oxonians (those affiliated with Oxford University) as a term of derision for
> those affiliated with Cambridge University, is a contraction of Cantabrigian.
>
Search archive with Google:
http://www.google.com/advanced_search?q=site:listserv.ucsb.edu&HL=en
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
Visit "Nabokov Online Journal:" http://www.nabokovonline.com
Manage subscription options: http://listserv.ucsb.edu/