Subject
Re: : Vocabulary 'Lectures on Russian Literature': toxonomic &
buxology
buxology
From
Date
Body
Purists who like to separate Greek from Latin would prefer "toxonomic" to
be a pun about archery rather than poisons--if it weren't a misprint.
Likewise they might wish Nabokov had coined a completely Greek word such as
"pyxology" (if I formed that correctly), after the Greek words for boxwood
and ancient cylindrical "boxes", instead of "buxology". Could he possibly
have been trying for comprehensibility? On the other hand, they might give
Nabokov credit for using "buxology" in the strict sense of "pertaining to
discussions of boxes" (the terms must be those one would use in talking
boxes) instead of in the loose sense of "having to do with boxes".
And what are those terms? I took a look at *Dead Souls* and didn't see any
box-related terms where Korobochka was mentioned. What did Nabokov see?
In answer to Yigit Yavuz: I don't see any examples of "boxology" at Google
Books before 1990, except a parodic suggestion that it could mean the
knowledge of boxing, and a lot of OCR errors for "doxology".
Jerry Friedman
On Fri, Jul 26, 2013 at 9:44 AM, Roth, Matthew <mroth@messiah.edu> wrote:
> “Buxological” here simply means “related to boxes,” from the Latin root *buxus,
> *meaning boxwood (or anything made of boxwood). ****
>
> ** **
>
> Unless VN is making a pun regarding something poisonous, I think
> “toxonomic" is a misprint and should be “taxonomic.”****
>
> ** **
>
> Matt Roth****
>
> ** **
>
> *From:* Vladimir Nabokov Forum [mailto:NABOKV-L@LISTSERV.UCSB.EDU] *On
> Behalf Of *Nabokv-L
> *Sent:* Friday, July 26, 2013 8:40 AM
> *To:* NABOKV-L@LISTSERV.UCSB.EDU
> *Subject:* [NABOKV-L] : Vocabulary 'Lectures on Russian Literature':
> toxonomic & buxology****
>
> ** **
>
> ** **
>
>
>
> -------- Original Message -------- ****
>
> *Subject: *
>
> Vocabulary 'Lectures on Russian Literature': toxonomic & buxology****
>
> *Date: *
>
> Thu, 25 Jul 2013 11:14:28 -0700****
>
> *From: *
>
> Rodrigo Dauster <rdauster@GMAIL.COM> <rdauster@GMAIL.COM>****
>
> *To: *
>
> <NABOKV-L@LISTSERV.UCSB.EDU> <NABOKV-L@LISTSERV.UCSB.EDU>****
>
>
> ----------------- There are two words in the 'Lectures on Russian
> Literature' whose definition I can't find. TOXONOMIC "'Pa-vel l-va-no-vich
> Chi-chi-kov'; and these syllables have a TOXONOMIC value for the
> identification of that particular staircase." BUXOLOGICAL "Korobochka's
> arrival in the town at the crucial moment is described in BUXOLOGICAL
> terms, subtly in keeping with those used for the above quoted anatomic
> preparation of Chichikov's soul." I'd appreciate any suggestions. Thank
> you, Rodrigo
>
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be a pun about archery rather than poisons--if it weren't a misprint.
Likewise they might wish Nabokov had coined a completely Greek word such as
"pyxology" (if I formed that correctly), after the Greek words for boxwood
and ancient cylindrical "boxes", instead of "buxology". Could he possibly
have been trying for comprehensibility? On the other hand, they might give
Nabokov credit for using "buxology" in the strict sense of "pertaining to
discussions of boxes" (the terms must be those one would use in talking
boxes) instead of in the loose sense of "having to do with boxes".
And what are those terms? I took a look at *Dead Souls* and didn't see any
box-related terms where Korobochka was mentioned. What did Nabokov see?
In answer to Yigit Yavuz: I don't see any examples of "boxology" at Google
Books before 1990, except a parodic suggestion that it could mean the
knowledge of boxing, and a lot of OCR errors for "doxology".
Jerry Friedman
On Fri, Jul 26, 2013 at 9:44 AM, Roth, Matthew <mroth@messiah.edu> wrote:
> “Buxological” here simply means “related to boxes,” from the Latin root *buxus,
> *meaning boxwood (or anything made of boxwood). ****
>
> ** **
>
> Unless VN is making a pun regarding something poisonous, I think
> “toxonomic" is a misprint and should be “taxonomic.”****
>
> ** **
>
> Matt Roth****
>
> ** **
>
> *From:* Vladimir Nabokov Forum [mailto:NABOKV-L@LISTSERV.UCSB.EDU] *On
> Behalf Of *Nabokv-L
> *Sent:* Friday, July 26, 2013 8:40 AM
> *To:* NABOKV-L@LISTSERV.UCSB.EDU
> *Subject:* [NABOKV-L] : Vocabulary 'Lectures on Russian Literature':
> toxonomic & buxology****
>
> ** **
>
> ** **
>
>
>
> -------- Original Message -------- ****
>
> *Subject: *
>
> Vocabulary 'Lectures on Russian Literature': toxonomic & buxology****
>
> *Date: *
>
> Thu, 25 Jul 2013 11:14:28 -0700****
>
> *From: *
>
> Rodrigo Dauster <rdauster@GMAIL.COM> <rdauster@GMAIL.COM>****
>
> *To: *
>
> <NABOKV-L@LISTSERV.UCSB.EDU> <NABOKV-L@LISTSERV.UCSB.EDU>****
>
>
> ----------------- There are two words in the 'Lectures on Russian
> Literature' whose definition I can't find. TOXONOMIC "'Pa-vel l-va-no-vich
> Chi-chi-kov'; and these syllables have a TOXONOMIC value for the
> identification of that particular staircase." BUXOLOGICAL "Korobochka's
> arrival in the town at the crucial moment is described in BUXOLOGICAL
> terms, subtly in keeping with those used for the above quoted anatomic
> preparation of Chichikov's soul." I'd appreciate any suggestions. Thank
> you, Rodrigo
>
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