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[Fwd: Re: nabokov afield: the otherworld?]
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EDITOR's NOTE. NABOKV-L thanks sharp-eyed Nicholas Laughlin for his
earlier note on the "Nabokovian" masthead and even more for his
corroborating scan below. (My God, who would ever dream of reading the
names of the editorial staff on an in-flight mag?) I reply to his
equally astute linguistic observation below.
-------- Original Message --------
Subject: Re: nabokov afield: the otherworld?
Date: Mon, 19 Mar 2001 09:11:59 -0400
From: Nicholas Laughlin <nicholas@lonsaatch.com>
Reply-To: nicholas@lonsaatch.com
Organization: Lonsdale Saatchi & Saatchi
To: Vladimir Nabokov Forum <NABOKV-L@LISTSERV.UCSB.EDU>
References: <c6.12c261e8.27e53c70@aol.com> <3AB3E89A.D84B7E03@gte.net>
> Iann88@aol.com wrote:
>
>> Trinidad? Characters from Nabokov? I suspect our dear, dear lovable
>> Moderator. . .Don Johnson! at work here in the in-flight magazine!
>>
>> Phil Iannarelli
>
> ----------------------------
> EDITOR's outraged RESPONSE. Although it is true that much of my best
> work has appeared in the pages of failed airline in-flight magazines,
> I am not the perp in this case. If anyone is, it must be Mr. Laughlin
> --to whom I address (in the local Trinidadian patois) -- "Whazzup."
----------------------------------
FROM NICHOLAS LAUGHLIN:
I feel compelled not merely to protest my innocence but to submit proof.
I have scanned the appropriate page from the magazine in question & the
JPEG is attached to this message.
I will add that I think I've figured out who's really responsible for
this literary jeu d'esprit: a Trinidadian writer by the name of Raymond
Ramcharitar, who I know to be both an anonymous freelance contributor to
the defunct Caribbean Way & a Nabokov admirer.
I must also remark that as an expression of interrogation "Whazzup" is
not very typical of Trinidadian speech. In fact to my Creole ears this
sounds positively North American. More accurate would be "Wha's de
story?", "What happen?", or the more derisive "Wha' de jail?"
But has our esteemed Editor visited the island? Does his dab of local
colour come from personal experience?
Nicholas Laughlin
--------------------------
EDITOR's RESPONSE: Dear Nicholas Laughlin,
I have indeed visited your delightful island in my incapacity as
birdwatcher a couple of years back (Asa Wright). You are quite right
about the non-Trinidadian "Whazzup." The expression I heard there and
asked about was used by our Indian bird guide to passers-by...
What'shap? I was just in Kauai, Hawaii where "Whazzup" is common. I
mixed the two.
Contritely, DBJ
P.S. One would like to know more of Mr. Ramcharit.
earlier note on the "Nabokovian" masthead and even more for his
corroborating scan below. (My God, who would ever dream of reading the
names of the editorial staff on an in-flight mag?) I reply to his
equally astute linguistic observation below.
-------- Original Message --------
Subject: Re: nabokov afield: the otherworld?
Date: Mon, 19 Mar 2001 09:11:59 -0400
From: Nicholas Laughlin <nicholas@lonsaatch.com>
Reply-To: nicholas@lonsaatch.com
Organization: Lonsdale Saatchi & Saatchi
To: Vladimir Nabokov Forum <NABOKV-L@LISTSERV.UCSB.EDU>
References: <c6.12c261e8.27e53c70@aol.com> <3AB3E89A.D84B7E03@gte.net>
> Iann88@aol.com wrote:
>
>> Trinidad? Characters from Nabokov? I suspect our dear, dear lovable
>> Moderator. . .Don Johnson! at work here in the in-flight magazine!
>>
>> Phil Iannarelli
>
> ----------------------------
> EDITOR's outraged RESPONSE. Although it is true that much of my best
> work has appeared in the pages of failed airline in-flight magazines,
> I am not the perp in this case. If anyone is, it must be Mr. Laughlin
> --to whom I address (in the local Trinidadian patois) -- "Whazzup."
----------------------------------
FROM NICHOLAS LAUGHLIN:
I feel compelled not merely to protest my innocence but to submit proof.
I have scanned the appropriate page from the magazine in question & the
JPEG is attached to this message.
I will add that I think I've figured out who's really responsible for
this literary jeu d'esprit: a Trinidadian writer by the name of Raymond
Ramcharitar, who I know to be both an anonymous freelance contributor to
the defunct Caribbean Way & a Nabokov admirer.
I must also remark that as an expression of interrogation "Whazzup" is
not very typical of Trinidadian speech. In fact to my Creole ears this
sounds positively North American. More accurate would be "Wha's de
story?", "What happen?", or the more derisive "Wha' de jail?"
But has our esteemed Editor visited the island? Does his dab of local
colour come from personal experience?
Nicholas Laughlin
--------------------------
EDITOR's RESPONSE: Dear Nicholas Laughlin,
I have indeed visited your delightful island in my incapacity as
birdwatcher a couple of years back (Asa Wright). You are quite right
about the non-Trinidadian "Whazzup." The expression I heard there and
asked about was used by our Indian bird guide to passers-by...
What'shap? I was just in Kauai, Hawaii where "Whazzup" is common. I
mixed the two.
Contritely, DBJ
P.S. One would like to know more of Mr. Ramcharit.
