Vladimir Nabokov

NABOKV-L post 0014406, Sat, 16 Dec 2006 10:25:22 -0500

Subject
Philistine
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In current Italian the adjective 'filisteo' is used only in translations
from English, almost. Well, one understands the meaning, but (I dare
say) not directly from the biblical concept, rather from what one knows
the English-speaking people mean when using 'Philistine'.

I've been grown in a strictly Roman Catholic family, but don't remember
a single case of use of that adjective in the negative sense I've been
accustomed of via my knowledge of English (high and low brow)
literature.

But, you know, an Italian Catholic girlhood doesn't imply a serious
knowledge of Bible at all.

Giulia Visintin

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