Vladimir Nabokov

NABOKV-L post 0010112, Sat, 24 Jul 2004 19:22:10 -0700

Subject
Re: TT-5 triomphale (fwd) (fwd)
Date
Body
------------------
I have probably been led astray by too long association with the
_Finnegans Wake_ lists, which explicate bits in really astounding
ways. Howsomever:

A few days ago I posted the note re the name of our hero "Persona",
pointing out that this word, borrowed by English from Latin, was
further a Latin borrowing from Etruscan (not one of my stronger
languages), and the Etruscan formed is claimed to be a
borrowing from Greek.

Now with in few days and few pages we have "triumphales" in
French, which your handy von Wartburg will tell you, if you
ask nicely, is borrowed from Latin "triumphalis", based on
Latin "triumphe", which, according to my OLD (supporting my
Devoto's introduction to Italian etymology) was borrowed
by Latin from Etruscan, which "probably borrowed" it from Greek.
"It's turtles all the way down!"

Must be time for my martini (no vegetables, please)

John

D. Barton Johnson wrote:
> ---------- Forwarded Message ----------
> Date: Saturday, July 24, 2004 8:02 AM +0900
> From: Akiko Nakata <a-nakata@courante.plala.or.jp>
> To: NABOKV-L@LISTSERV.UCSB.EDU
> Subject: TT-5 triomphale
>
>
> Jansy Berndt de Souza Mello sent me an interesting analysis of
> "triomphale." Indeed, it alludes to the themes of "3" and "foreseeing."
> Thank you, Jansy!
>
> Akiko Nakata
>
>
>> 12.02: Notre vente triomphale de soldes: Is this commonly used for
>> "solde"?
>
>
>
>
>
> From: Jansy Berndt de Souza Mello
> To: Akiko Nakata
> Sent: Friday, July 23, 2004 12:19 AM
> Subject: hello
>
>
> Triomphale in French sounds to me as " three- navels" or three umbelical
> connections or just as "navel button" or origin ( please, check the Greek
> for omphalus ) I was also reminded that one of this omphalus is in
> Delphi, where the famous pithon foresaw the future.
>
> It is far-fetched. But... who knows? We can travel thru languages...
> Best, Jansy
>
>
>
> ---------- End Forwarded Message ----------
>
>
>
> D. Barton Johnson
> NABOKV-L
>



---------- End Forwarded Message ----------



D. Barton Johnson
NABOKV-L