Subject
Re: Nabokov's first language?
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Date
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The chronology from the Library of America edition of his works notes the
following:
1902* Nabokov and Sergey learn English from Rachel Home, first of a
succession of British governesses. Mother tells him to remember details they
admire on walks in country, and reads him fairy tales and adventure stories
in English at bedtime.*
*
*
1903* In St. Petersburg Nabokov toboggans and takes long walks with new
English governess; reads English juvenile magazines Chatterbox and Little
Folks (has not yet learned to read Russian).*
On Mon, Jun 13, 2011 at 4:36 PM, Emily Sours <talulahgosh@gmail.com> wrote:
> Someone pointed out to me today that English was Nabokov's first language.
> As he's Russian, I had no idea this was the case. His wiki says: "The
> family spoke Russian, English, and French in their household, and Nabokov
> was trilingual from an early age. In fact, much to his patriotic father's
> chagrin, Nabokov could read and write English before he could Russian. "
> Is this true? Being wikipedia, it should have a citation for this
> statement, but it doesn't. He may have mentioned this in Speak Memory
> though, that's one of his books that I haven't read yet.
> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vladimir_Nabokov
>
> Emily
>
>
> A great book should leave you with many experiences, and slightly
> exhausted. You should live several lives while reading it.
> -William Styron
>
> Search the archive<http://www.google.com/advanced_search?q=site:listserv.ucsb.edu&HL=en> Contact
> the Editors <nabokv-l@utk.edu,nabokv-l@holycross.edu> Visit "Nabokov
> Online Journal" <http://www.nabokovonline.com> Visit Zembla<http://www.libraries.psu.edu/nabokov/zembla.htm> View
> Nabokv-L Policies <http://web.utk.edu/~sblackwe/EDNote.htm> Manage
> subscription options <http://listserv.ucsb.edu/>
>
> All private editorial communications, without exception, are read by both
> co-editors.
>
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/
following:
1902* Nabokov and Sergey learn English from Rachel Home, first of a
succession of British governesses. Mother tells him to remember details they
admire on walks in country, and reads him fairy tales and adventure stories
in English at bedtime.*
*
*
1903* In St. Petersburg Nabokov toboggans and takes long walks with new
English governess; reads English juvenile magazines Chatterbox and Little
Folks (has not yet learned to read Russian).*
On Mon, Jun 13, 2011 at 4:36 PM, Emily Sours <talulahgosh@gmail.com> wrote:
> Someone pointed out to me today that English was Nabokov's first language.
> As he's Russian, I had no idea this was the case. His wiki says: "The
> family spoke Russian, English, and French in their household, and Nabokov
> was trilingual from an early age. In fact, much to his patriotic father's
> chagrin, Nabokov could read and write English before he could Russian. "
> Is this true? Being wikipedia, it should have a citation for this
> statement, but it doesn't. He may have mentioned this in Speak Memory
> though, that's one of his books that I haven't read yet.
> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vladimir_Nabokov
>
> Emily
>
>
> A great book should leave you with many experiences, and slightly
> exhausted. You should live several lives while reading it.
> -William Styron
>
> Search the archive<http://www.google.com/advanced_search?q=site:listserv.ucsb.edu&HL=en> Contact
> the Editors <nabokv-l@utk.edu,nabokv-l@holycross.edu> Visit "Nabokov
> Online Journal" <http://www.nabokovonline.com> Visit Zembla<http://www.libraries.psu.edu/nabokov/zembla.htm> View
> Nabokv-L Policies <http://web.utk.edu/~sblackwe/EDNote.htm> Manage
> subscription options <http://listserv.ucsb.edu/>
>
> All private editorial communications, without exception, are read by both
> co-editors.
>
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/