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Fw: Fw: Fw: Petty nationalism
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----- Original Message -----
From: Jansy Berndt de Souza Mello
To: Vladimir Nabokov Forum
Sent: Tuesday, March 16, 2004 4:51 AM
Subject: Re: Fw: Fw: Petty nationalism
Hello, AS Brown
I couldn´t follow two items of your message:
a) what do you mean with " Nabokov ruled language"?
b) " to transcend borders" refers to VN´s oeuvre or to his physicality "in life"?
Could you find the quotation about VN and "translation"? Unfortunately, your paraphrase didn´t ring any mnemic bell for me, nor did it help me to learn which for you were the other "serious" points of VN besides language and translation...
I´m a hasty writer and I think it is comforting when more people write spontaneously of their "thoughts on the way to somewhere else". This means that we are open to discuss matters that interest us and be enriched by the arguments we get in return. You observed that you " would advise against any of my hastily conceived and hectically typed notions being given any undo weight". Please, don´t take my questions above as trying to give such "undue weight" nor as attempts to "undo" the weight of your ponderations.
Jansy
-----Mensagem Original-----
De: D. Barton Johnson
Para: NABOKV-L@LISTSERV.UCSB.EDU
Enviada em: Terça-feira, 16 de Março de 2004 02:47
Assunto: Fw: Fw: Petty nationalism
----- Original Message -----
From: Andrew Brown
To: Vladimir Nabokov Forum
Sent: Monday, March 15, 2004 6:31 PM
Subject: Re: Fw: Petty nationalism
TA
I would advise against any of my hastily conceived and hectically typed notions being given any undo weight.
But let's consider... Yes, the art VN created, against incredible odds, "transcends all borders." Now. What his art does with languages is a much larger question. Read Nabokov on the subjects of language and translation to see how serious a business it was for him.
I paraphrase his strictures for a good translator: Good in the "out of" language, superb in the "in to" language, and, thirdly, a man.
No, I don't think the point of VN is that he transcended language -- he ruled language. And he certainly didn't transcend borders, in life. In getting out of Russia, and, finally, France, he was put through every danger and indignity that nihilists and bureaucrats can devise.
I don't know where you got your notion that I need "affirmation" through nationalism, petty or otherwise. It's more as if my nation needs me. It at least seems to feel it needs my money. I've enjoyed being in a good many different countries. And I don't care for football. Always a loner, it's long distance running that I love. And ocean swimming
AS Brown-
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P.S. I've just replied to a much shorter note that my reply had been writte, revised, revised again, and the SENT buttton pressed without my giving the subject one solid half hour of real thought.
So, to mull it over at too great a rate is a waste of time.
If it spurs a good thought, that's fine. If it doesn't, we can all do better by reading a book or going for a walk, or talking with our families.
Enough.
-
----- Original Message -----
From: D. Barton Johnson
To: NABOKV-L@LISTSERV.UCSB.EDU
Sent: Monday, March 15, 2004 12:13 PM
Subject: Fw: Petty nationalism
----- Original Message -----
From: Tina Colquhoun
To: 'Vladimir Nabokov Forum'
Sent: Monday, March 15, 2004 3:48 AM
Subject: Petty nationalism
> By the way, I refuse to allow Nabokov to be considered anything other than an American novelist. He chose us.
> He's ours. And he's a genius who is, in relation to Bellow, what Shakespeare is to, say, Kit Smart. Adopted
> children agree, the one who broke their back to raise you is the true parent, not the one who merely begat you.
What an absurd statement. Isn't the whole point of Nabokov that he transcends borders, language, etc? There can hardly be a more 'international' writer. He's not more 'yours' than he's anyone else's. If you need affirmation through some petty nationalism, go and support a football team.
TA Colquhoun