Content-Type: message/rfc822 Content-Disposition: inline Return-path: From: KatyaBelousBoyle@aol.com Full-name: KatyaBelousBoyle Message-ID: Date: Thu, 1 Jan 2009 22:14:21 EST Subject: Nymphet? Or Larvalet? To: NABOKOV-L@LISTSERV.UCSB.EDU MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: multipart/alternative; boundary="-----------------------------1230866061" X-Mailer: AOL 9.0 VR sub 5200 -------------------------------1230866061 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="US-ASCII" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit No wish to bug Nabokovians, but a question demanding an answer. Why did Nabokov, a lepidopterist, call Lolita a nymphet? Lepidoptera do not have nymphs, they have larvae. Only ancient insects, primitive insects if you will, such as the Plecoptera (stoneflies) and the Odonata (dragonflies and damselflies) have nymphs. Should Lolita have been a larvalet instead of a nymphet? Or was VN thinking of her, which I doubt, as a damselfly and thus a nymphet? Please, a definitive entomological/etymological answer. RHB **************New year...new news. Be the first to know what is making headlines. (http://www.aol.com/?ncid=emlcntaolcom00000026) 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/ -------------------------------1230866061 Content-Type: text/html; charset="US-ASCII" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable
No wish to bug Nabokovians,  but a question demanding an= =20 answer. 
 
       Why did Nabokov,  a=20 lepidopterist, call Lolita a nymphet?  Lepidoptera do not have nymphs,=20= they=20 have larvae. 
 
        Only ancient insects,=20 primitive insects if you will, such as the Plecoptera (stoneflies) and=20= the=20 Odonata (dragonflies and damselflies) have nymphs. 
 
         Should Lolita hav= e=20 been a larvalet instead of a nymphet? 
 
         Or was VN thinking of=20= her,=20 which I doubt, as a damselfly and thus a nymphet?  Please,  a=20 definitive entomological/etymological answer.
 
          =20 RHB



New year...new news. Be the first= to know what is making headlines.
Search the archive Contact the Editors Visit "Nabokov Online Journal"
Visit Zembla View Nabokv-L Policies Manage subscription options

All private editorial communications, without exception, are read by both co-editors.

-------------------------------1230866061--