Subject
Fw: Versipel. VN & Merriam-Webster II & III
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EDNOTE. Do take note of this. I've encountered the problem several times
(and often regretted trading my M-W II for the 17 vol. Russ. , of Science
dictionary). I also have found cases where words that were used by VN,
although not in either edition, turn up in French dictionaries.
----- Original Message -----
From: "Mary Bellino" <iambe@rcn.com>
To: "Vladimir Nabokov Forum" <NABOKV-L@LISTSERV.UCSB.EDU>
Sent: Thursday, November 07, 2002 7:25 AM
Subject: Re: Versipel
>
> ----------------- Message requiring your approval (52
lines) ------------------
> From Mary Bellino (iambe@rcn.com):
>
> I might add to Ranko Mastilovic's post that in general, when
> faced with a troublesome word in one of Nabokov's texts,
> it's often useful to check the English dictionary he
> actually used: Webster's Second Unabridged. "Versipel" is
> defined there as a "a creature capable of changing from one
> form to another, as a werewolf." The word was dropped from
> Webster's Third, possibly because the editors couldn't find
> any citations for it; none are listed in the Webster's II
> entry. It may even be what lexicographers call a "ghost
> word,' one that has passed from dictionary to dictionary due
> to some long-ago error but has never been in use in the
> written language. See also the preface to Webster's III, p.
> 4a, for their criteria for discarding "material of
> insubstantial or evanescent quality," including words that
> became obsolete before 1755.
>
> I've read--but now can't recall--another instance in which a
> word used by Nabokov was present in Webster's II but not in
> Webster's III or the OED. I am not sure how much Nabokov
> used the OED; Stephen Parker reports that there was a set in
> the Montreux apartment, but it was "bought by Mrs. Nabokov
> not long before her husband's death" (Garland Companion
> 286). She told Parker that VN "liked having it at his
> fingertips," which may suggest that he was accustomed to
> consulting it, but had to visit a library to do so.
>
> Mary
>
> "D. Barton Johnson" wrote:
> >
> > ----- Original Message -----
> > From: "Dasa Duhacek" <dasaduh@sezampro.yu>
> > To: "Vladimir Nabokov Forum" <NABOKV-L@LISTSERV.UCSB.EDU>
> > Sent: Tuesday, November 05, 2002 2:12 PM
> > Subject: Re: Fw: reply to Mr Grundy re demons of pity
> >
> > > This message was originally submitted by dasaduh@SEZAMPRO.YU to the
> > NABOKV-L
> > > list at LISTSERV.UCSB.EDU.
> >
> > Dear Ms Kunin, there are other Oxford dictionaries, e.g. C.T. Lewis &
C.
> > Short's Latin Dictionary. You can find a very useful explanation on p.
> > 1976 - versipellis (vorsip-) - that changes its skin; hence, that
changes
> > its shape or form, that alters its appearance... skilled in
dissimulation,
> > sly, cunning, crafy, subtle...
> >
> > Ranko Mastilovic
>
> > >
> > >
(and often regretted trading my M-W II for the 17 vol. Russ. , of Science
dictionary). I also have found cases where words that were used by VN,
although not in either edition, turn up in French dictionaries.
----- Original Message -----
From: "Mary Bellino" <iambe@rcn.com>
To: "Vladimir Nabokov Forum" <NABOKV-L@LISTSERV.UCSB.EDU>
Sent: Thursday, November 07, 2002 7:25 AM
Subject: Re: Versipel
>
> ----------------- Message requiring your approval (52
lines) ------------------
> From Mary Bellino (iambe@rcn.com):
>
> I might add to Ranko Mastilovic's post that in general, when
> faced with a troublesome word in one of Nabokov's texts,
> it's often useful to check the English dictionary he
> actually used: Webster's Second Unabridged. "Versipel" is
> defined there as a "a creature capable of changing from one
> form to another, as a werewolf." The word was dropped from
> Webster's Third, possibly because the editors couldn't find
> any citations for it; none are listed in the Webster's II
> entry. It may even be what lexicographers call a "ghost
> word,' one that has passed from dictionary to dictionary due
> to some long-ago error but has never been in use in the
> written language. See also the preface to Webster's III, p.
> 4a, for their criteria for discarding "material of
> insubstantial or evanescent quality," including words that
> became obsolete before 1755.
>
> I've read--but now can't recall--another instance in which a
> word used by Nabokov was present in Webster's II but not in
> Webster's III or the OED. I am not sure how much Nabokov
> used the OED; Stephen Parker reports that there was a set in
> the Montreux apartment, but it was "bought by Mrs. Nabokov
> not long before her husband's death" (Garland Companion
> 286). She told Parker that VN "liked having it at his
> fingertips," which may suggest that he was accustomed to
> consulting it, but had to visit a library to do so.
>
> Mary
>
> "D. Barton Johnson" wrote:
> >
> > ----- Original Message -----
> > From: "Dasa Duhacek" <dasaduh@sezampro.yu>
> > To: "Vladimir Nabokov Forum" <NABOKV-L@LISTSERV.UCSB.EDU>
> > Sent: Tuesday, November 05, 2002 2:12 PM
> > Subject: Re: Fw: reply to Mr Grundy re demons of pity
> >
> > > This message was originally submitted by dasaduh@SEZAMPRO.YU to the
> > NABOKV-L
> > > list at LISTSERV.UCSB.EDU.
> >
> > Dear Ms Kunin, there are other Oxford dictionaries, e.g. C.T. Lewis &
C.
> > Short's Latin Dictionary. You can find a very useful explanation on p.
> > 1976 - versipellis (vorsip-) - that changes its skin; hence, that
changes
> > its shape or form, that alters its appearance... skilled in
dissimulation,
> > sly, cunning, crafy, subtle...
> >
> > Ranko Mastilovic
>
> > >
> > >