Vladimir Nabokov

NABOKV-L post 0006310, Fri, 11 Jan 2002 10:41:43 -0800

Subject
"Dear John" letters in Nabokov
Date
Body
EDITOR's NOTE. Can any of our Russian subscribers tell us whether
there is a Russian equivalent
to the "Dear John" letter expression. The American expression dates
from World Wat II and originally refers to letters from soldiers wives
saying the wives are divorcing them. Now more broadly used for any
letter of dismissal from a female lover. For that matter, similar
expression from any languages would be of interest.

-------- Original Message --------
Date: Thu, 10 Jan 2002 14:24:39 +0800
From: Сергей Карпухин <shrewd@irk.ru>
To: <NABOKV-L@LISTSERV.UCSB.EDU>



One may find interesting also a letter in Ada (at the close of Part
Two). It is from Van Veen to his sister and lover Ada Veen, and is
concluded with a very Dear-Johnish (Dear-Janish?) "Good-bye, girl",
although the separation is but temporary as it transpires. On the whole
Ada is full of dazzling epistles, billets doux, etc.



Sergei





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