-------- Original Message --------
Subject: Re: Robin in Pale Fire]]]
Date: Fri, 13 Jan 2006 18:24:04 -0500
From: Savely Senderovich <ss51@cornell.edu>
To: Vladimir Nabokov Forum <NABOKV-L@LISTSERV.UCSB.EDU>




        According to bird classification, 'robin' belongs to the family of thrushes, which is exactly 'drozd/' It looks like it, except that Russian drozd has no such colorful breast. But it larger than 'malinovka' and sings unlike it. Besides, a PURLY POETIC REASON: '"Robin drozd daet sdachi" sounds right as a translation of "Robin Cock fights back" (RLSK); with 'malinovka' it does not work either semantically or phonetically. S. Il'in often "drunk on his own wines", but he has a good ear.  
        S. Senderovich