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Re: Fwd: Re: Re: Query: wordplay in Russian ADA
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Dear Brian,
It took me a while to understand what you were pointing at: actually Ada at
the end of her wits, at the end of the continent´s tips ( Patagonia) and
referring to the ending of her name Ada... Sorry.
Several mails ago it the name of two psychoanalysts were teased out of VN´s
comments related to the French revolution ( I could find the posting). One
was Melanie Klein and the other, Princess Marie Bonaparte.
If VN read Marie Bonaparte´s interpretation of E.A.Poe it´s no wonder that
he was so intensely averse to Psychoanalysis!
To those who might be interested to read Marie Bonaparte´s disagreeable
article, the book " The Purloined Poe", edited by John P. Muller and W.
Richardson ( Johns Hopkins University Press, 1988) besides opening with a
reference to Nabokov
( a VN sighting I reported a long time ago ), also offers various different
psychoanalytic readings of Poe, such as Lacan´s and Derrida´s that help to
put Marie Bonaparte´s interpretations in a somewhat different perspective.
Thanks,
Jansy
----- Original Message -----
From: "Donald B. Johnson" <chtodel@gss.ucsb.edu>
To: <NABOKV-L@LISTSERV.UCSB.EDU>
Sent: Wednesday, December 15, 2004 2:59 PM
Subject: Re: Fwd: Re: Re: Query: wordplay in Russian ADA
Dear Alex,
You wrote: " by saying that "da" is also "the end of her wit," Ada seems to
confirm unWITtingly that she not just "enjoyed going places" with Demon at
Nevada,
but that he was her lover. At least, I interpret it that way.
It is a very interesting association that fits in the "wit" rather nicely as
our ED observed:
EDNOTE." I too have toyed with the idea that Demon is among Ada's lovers.
There are hints. I am somewhat dissuaded by Demon's apparently sincere
distress on
discovering Van and Ada's affair. Or is he just jealous?"
And yet, I still think there is more to wit.
Is Ada´s always referred to as Ada? She was baptized Adelia, was she not?
Does "ia" mean something in Russian?
Jansy
----- Original Message -----
From: "Donald B. Johnson" <chtodel@gss.ucsb.edu>
To: <NABOKV-L@LISTSERV.UCSB.EDU>
Sent: Wednesday, December 15, 2004 3:04 AM
Subject: Fwd: Re: Re: Query: wordplay in Russian
> Dear Tomasz,
>
> One Russian word - "the end of Ada's name and wit" - is certainly "da"
> (yes). Note that "da" also occurs in Ada's second letter where a sentence
> consists of that single word:
>
> "He [Demon] and I have gamed at Nevada, my rhyme-name town, but you are
also
> there, as well as the legendary river of Old Rus. Da. Oh, write me, one
tiny
> note, I'm trying so hard to please you!"
>
> Note that "Nevada" is a town, not a State, on Antiterra. But Antiterra's
> other name is DEMONIA. I think that Ada's "da" links Demon, the father of
> Van and Ada, to the planet name Demonia. Note that, while the end of Ada's
> name is "da," its beginning is "ad" (hell). So, Demonia = Hell.
> By saying that "da" is also "the end of her wit," Ada seems to confirm
> unWITtingly that she not just "enjoyed going places" with Demon at Nevada,
> but that he was her lover. At least, I interpret it that way.
> Alexey
> ---------------------------------------------
> EDNOTE. I too have toyed with the idea that Demon is among Ada's lovers.
There
> are hints. I am somewhat dissuaded by Demon's apparently sincere distress
on
> discovering Van and Ada's affair. Or is he just jealous?
> ----------------------------------------------------------
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Donald B. Johnson" <chtodel@gss.ucsb.edu>
> To: <NABOKV-L@LISTSERV.UCSB.EDU>
> Sent: Tuesday, December 14, 2004 11:17 PM
> Subject: Re: Query: wordplay in Russian
>
>
> > Quoting "[Tomasz Cyba]" <tcyba@PRAST.PL>:
> >
> > > ----------------- Message requiring your approval (15 lines)
> > > ------------------
> > > In the first chapter of Part II of ADA, Van presents Ada's letters.
The
> > > fourth one ends with a wordplay, which proved unsolvable for me.
> > >
> > > After making a suggestion for Van (she wants him to join her in El
> Paso),
> > > Ada says: 'Send me an aerogram with one Russian word - the end of my
> name
> > > and wit.'
> > >
> > > What is that 'one Russian word'?
> > > Is it simply 'da'?
> > > Then why 'wit'?
> > >
> > > Would somebody help me in my struggle with it?
> > >
> > > Thanks,
> > > Tomasz
> > -----------------------------------------------
> > EDNOTE. My guess is that the wordplay involves both the DA of Ada and
the
> set
> > phrase "at my wits end." both something esle might be involved.
> > Do note, however the play on"burning tip" and the ""agonia" of
> "PatAGONia."
>
> ----- End forwarded message -----
>
>
----- End forwarded message -----
----- End forwarded message -----
It took me a while to understand what you were pointing at: actually Ada at
the end of her wits, at the end of the continent´s tips ( Patagonia) and
referring to the ending of her name Ada... Sorry.
Several mails ago it the name of two psychoanalysts were teased out of VN´s
comments related to the French revolution ( I could find the posting). One
was Melanie Klein and the other, Princess Marie Bonaparte.
If VN read Marie Bonaparte´s interpretation of E.A.Poe it´s no wonder that
he was so intensely averse to Psychoanalysis!
To those who might be interested to read Marie Bonaparte´s disagreeable
article, the book " The Purloined Poe", edited by John P. Muller and W.
Richardson ( Johns Hopkins University Press, 1988) besides opening with a
reference to Nabokov
( a VN sighting I reported a long time ago ), also offers various different
psychoanalytic readings of Poe, such as Lacan´s and Derrida´s that help to
put Marie Bonaparte´s interpretations in a somewhat different perspective.
Thanks,
Jansy
----- Original Message -----
From: "Donald B. Johnson" <chtodel@gss.ucsb.edu>
To: <NABOKV-L@LISTSERV.UCSB.EDU>
Sent: Wednesday, December 15, 2004 2:59 PM
Subject: Re: Fwd: Re: Re: Query: wordplay in Russian ADA
Dear Alex,
You wrote: " by saying that "da" is also "the end of her wit," Ada seems to
confirm unWITtingly that she not just "enjoyed going places" with Demon at
Nevada,
but that he was her lover. At least, I interpret it that way.
It is a very interesting association that fits in the "wit" rather nicely as
our ED observed:
EDNOTE." I too have toyed with the idea that Demon is among Ada's lovers.
There are hints. I am somewhat dissuaded by Demon's apparently sincere
distress on
discovering Van and Ada's affair. Or is he just jealous?"
And yet, I still think there is more to wit.
Is Ada´s always referred to as Ada? She was baptized Adelia, was she not?
Does "ia" mean something in Russian?
Jansy
----- Original Message -----
From: "Donald B. Johnson" <chtodel@gss.ucsb.edu>
To: <NABOKV-L@LISTSERV.UCSB.EDU>
Sent: Wednesday, December 15, 2004 3:04 AM
Subject: Fwd: Re: Re: Query: wordplay in Russian
> Dear Tomasz,
>
> One Russian word - "the end of Ada's name and wit" - is certainly "da"
> (yes). Note that "da" also occurs in Ada's second letter where a sentence
> consists of that single word:
>
> "He [Demon] and I have gamed at Nevada, my rhyme-name town, but you are
also
> there, as well as the legendary river of Old Rus. Da. Oh, write me, one
tiny
> note, I'm trying so hard to please you!"
>
> Note that "Nevada" is a town, not a State, on Antiterra. But Antiterra's
> other name is DEMONIA. I think that Ada's "da" links Demon, the father of
> Van and Ada, to the planet name Demonia. Note that, while the end of Ada's
> name is "da," its beginning is "ad" (hell). So, Demonia = Hell.
> By saying that "da" is also "the end of her wit," Ada seems to confirm
> unWITtingly that she not just "enjoyed going places" with Demon at Nevada,
> but that he was her lover. At least, I interpret it that way.
> Alexey
> ---------------------------------------------
> EDNOTE. I too have toyed with the idea that Demon is among Ada's lovers.
There
> are hints. I am somewhat dissuaded by Demon's apparently sincere distress
on
> discovering Van and Ada's affair. Or is he just jealous?
> ----------------------------------------------------------
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Donald B. Johnson" <chtodel@gss.ucsb.edu>
> To: <NABOKV-L@LISTSERV.UCSB.EDU>
> Sent: Tuesday, December 14, 2004 11:17 PM
> Subject: Re: Query: wordplay in Russian
>
>
> > Quoting "[Tomasz Cyba]" <tcyba@PRAST.PL>:
> >
> > > ----------------- Message requiring your approval (15 lines)
> > > ------------------
> > > In the first chapter of Part II of ADA, Van presents Ada's letters.
The
> > > fourth one ends with a wordplay, which proved unsolvable for me.
> > >
> > > After making a suggestion for Van (she wants him to join her in El
> Paso),
> > > Ada says: 'Send me an aerogram with one Russian word - the end of my
> name
> > > and wit.'
> > >
> > > What is that 'one Russian word'?
> > > Is it simply 'da'?
> > > Then why 'wit'?
> > >
> > > Would somebody help me in my struggle with it?
> > >
> > > Thanks,
> > > Tomasz
> > -----------------------------------------------
> > EDNOTE. My guess is that the wordplay involves both the DA of Ada and
the
> set
> > phrase "at my wits end." both something esle might be involved.
> > Do note, however the play on"burning tip" and the ""agonia" of
> "PatAGONia."
>
> ----- End forwarded message -----
>
>
----- End forwarded message -----
----- End forwarded message -----