Vladimir Nabokov discusses "Lolita" part 1 of 2

Vladimir Nabokov discusses his brillant novel "Lolita" on "Close Up", a circa 1950's CBC program.

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  Education

[HotVoodooWitch]

I picked up on the fact that this show was Canadian even before I noticed that it was CBC--the host said "aboot."

[JiffySpook]

That and the Culture.

[AbsalomAbsalom3]

Nabokov is extremely uncomfortable in this interview. He tries to distract the interviewers' attention from pedophilia, but they insist on mitigating the fact that Lolita is a child by modern standards. Why? Because the book titillates them and is beautifully written. If you know anything about Nabokov, you know that he was infatuated by nymphets and yet was keenly aware of the absurdity of acting on this predilection. To all you gd English teachers who think this is a morality play, gth.

[danieljliversLXXXIX]

There's something about Nabokov that rubs me the wrong way.

[JoeLaFigue]

There actually is a diffrence. Most Canadians, not all of them, but most say "ah bowt" or "ah boat". The prononciation of the tha A not as a /ə/ sound, like RP British and American people do, but as an /a/ sound. This pronouciation influences the rest of the word, which instead of becoming /'baʊt/ as americans would say it, is instead /'bəʊt/ , the last transcription may not be accurate.

Anyways that's what happens. But generally, only hearing something unfamiliar in "about" is enough.

[jyozeff]

anglophones don't say aboot, plus he did say about.

[MultiKutner]

I agree. I studied Lolita in an English course last semester; the professor read it as if it were some kind of social commentary or public service announcement about pedophilia

[JiffySpook]

1939-1945.

[captainjack77]

You grammar Nazied me on a year old post? lmao!

[mirraag]

your