Subject
JF responds on absentmindedness, puns, and botfly larvae
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--- Andrew Brown <as-brown@COMCAST.NET> wrote:
> Dear Jansy,
...
> In writing to Jerry, I had no humorous intentions toward absent-minded
> seniors, which I think would be unkind. I defy anyone to display more
> absent-mindedness than me.
Maybe you and I should have a contest.
> My concern was a writerly feeling that Shade¹s
> versipel reference marked the start of a new series of imagery rather
> than
> the conclusion of the list of nouns attaching to being groomed, shod,
> and
> fed.
I might have been unclear. I don't think the versipel is the
conclusion. It sums up the series (no mathematical pun
intended)--the object in Shade's hand appears to change, so he
calls it a versipel.
(Speaking of puns, who of those talking about botflies and
mawkishness is intentionally making a pun?
("Main Entry: mawk•ish
Pronunciation: 'mo-kish
Function: adjective
Etymology: Middle English /mawke/ maggot, probably from Old
Norse /mathkr/ -- more at MAGGOT" --Merriam-Webster)
Jerry Friedman was once pointlessly worried that he had
a botfly larva in his skin.
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> Dear Jansy,
...
> In writing to Jerry, I had no humorous intentions toward absent-minded
> seniors, which I think would be unkind. I defy anyone to display more
> absent-mindedness than me.
Maybe you and I should have a contest.
> My concern was a writerly feeling that Shade¹s
> versipel reference marked the start of a new series of imagery rather
> than
> the conclusion of the list of nouns attaching to being groomed, shod,
> and
> fed.
I might have been unclear. I don't think the versipel is the
conclusion. It sums up the series (no mathematical pun
intended)--the object in Shade's hand appears to change, so he
calls it a versipel.
(Speaking of puns, who of those talking about botflies and
mawkishness is intentionally making a pun?
("Main Entry: mawk•ish
Pronunciation: 'mo-kish
Function: adjective
Etymology: Middle English /mawke/ maggot, probably from Old
Norse /mathkr/ -- more at MAGGOT" --Merriam-Webster)
Jerry Friedman was once pointlessly worried that he had
a botfly larva in his skin.
Search the archive: http://listserv.ucsb.edu/archives/nabokv-l.html
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