A linguist by necessity, Timofey Pnin (the title character of VN's novel Pnin, 1957) tells Joan Clements (Pnin's landlady in Waindell) that water in Turkish is su:
Half an hour later, Joan glanced over the moribund cactuses in the sun-porch window and saw a raincoated, hatless man, with a head like a polished globe of copper, optimistically ringing at the front door of her neighbour's beautiful brick house. The old Scotty stood beside him in much the same candid attitude as he. Miss Dingwall came out with a mop, let the slowpoke, dignified dog in, and directed Pnin to the Clements' clapboard residence.
Timofey Pnin settled down in the living-room, crossed his legs po amerikanski (the American way), and entered into some unnecessary detail. It was a curriculum vitae in a nutshell--a coconut shell. Born in St Petersburg in 1898. Both parents died of typhus in 1917. Left for Kiev in 1918. Was with the White Army five months, first as a 'field telephonist', then at the Military Information Office. Escaped from Red-invaded Crimea to Constantinople in 1919. Completed university education-- 'Say, I was there as a child exactly the same year,' said pleased Joan. 'My father went to Turkey on a government mission and took us along. We might have met! I remember the word for water. And there was a rose garden--'
'Water in Turkish is "su",' said Pnin, a linguist by necessity, and went on with his fascinating past: Completed university education in Prague. Was connected with various scientific institutions. Then--'Well, to make a long story very short: habitated in Paris from 1925, abandoned France at beginning of Hider war. Is now here. Is American citizen. Is teaching Russian and such subjects at Vandal College. From Hagen, Head of German Department, obtainable all references. Or from the College Home for Single Instructors.'
Hadn't he been comfortable there?
'Too many people,' said Pnin. 'Inquisitive people. Whereas special privacy is now to me absolutely necessary.' He coughed into his fist with an unexpected cavernous sound (which somehow reminded Joan of a professional Don Cossack she had once met) and then took the plunge: 'I must warn: will have all my teeth pulled out. It is a repulsive operation.'
'Well, come upstairs,' said Joan brightly. (Chapter Two, 2)
The main character in Ilf and Petrov's novels Dvenadtsat' stuliev ("The Twelve Chairs," 1928) and Zolotoy telyonok ("The Little Golden Calf," 1931), Ostap Bender tells everybody that his father was a Turkish subject. In The Little Golden Calf there is the old typewriter "Adler" (bought by illiterate Balaganov at the Chernomorsk bazaar) with the Turkish accent (because it lacks the character e, and, everytime when e is needed, the typist must use the keycap э, the so-called "э oborotnoe," which represents a more open sound than Russian e):
На базаре была куплена старая пишущая машинка «Адлер», в которой не хватало буквы «е», и ее пришлось заменить буквой «э». Поэтому первое же отношение, отправленное Остапом в магазин канцелярских принадлежностей, звучало так:
«Отпуститэ податэлю сэго курьэру т. Паниковскому для Чэрноморского отдэлэния на 150 рублэй (сто пятьдэсят) канцпринадлежностэй в крэдит за счэт Правлэния в городэ Арбатовэ.
Приложэниэ: бэз приложэний».
— Вот послал бог дурака уполномоченного по копытам! — сердился Остап. — Ничего поручить нельзя. Купил машинку с турецким акцентом! Значит, я начальник отдэлэния? Свинья вы, Шура, после этого! (Chapter XV "Hooves and Antlers")
Pnin speaks English with a thick Russian accent. Pnin is VN's English novel with the Russian accent.