Pnin

[Inderjit Sanghe]

Hi, I recently reviewd 'Pnin' by Nabokov, please let me know what you think:
http://notesfromzembla.wordpress.com/2013/03/10/pnin/

[cacian]

Pnin? how does one read that? NIN?
I skimmed through your work, impressive but I do not seem to find the meaning to the name.

[Inderjit Sanghe]

Pnin? how does one read that? NIN?
I skimmed through your work, impressive but I do not seem to find the meaning to the name.

The "p" is sounded, that's all. But since the "p" is mute
in English words starting w-ith "pn", one is prone to insert a
supporting "uh" sound-- "Puh-- nin"-- which is wrong. To get
the "pn" right, try the combination "Up North", or still better
"Up, Nina!", leaving out the initial "u". Pnorth, Pnina, Pmn.
Can you do that? . . . That's fine. A quote from a interview with Nabokov.

Not sure if the name "means" anything per se, it is more a case of it sounding similar to "pain"; a major preoccupation of the book.

[cacian]

The "p" is sounded, that's all. But since the "p" is mute
in English words starting w-ith "pn", one is prone to insert a
supporting "uh" sound-- "Puh-- nin"-- which is wrong. To get
the "pn" right, try the combination "Up North", or still better
"Up, Nina!", leaving out the initial "u". Pnorth, Pnina, Pmn.
Can you do that? . . . That's fine. A quote from a interview with Nabokov.

Not sure if the name "means" anything per se, it is more a case of it sounding similar to "pain"; a major preoccupation of the book.

Inderjit this is a fabulous explanation. Thank you for the phonetic lesson. Excellent indeed. I will read furthermore into your work later on. Might have few questions if I may. :)
I know 'Inderjit' means something but nos sure what haha. Nice name. :)

[Inderjit Sanghe]

Inderjit this is a fabulous explanation. Thank you for the phonetic lesson. Excellent indeed. I will read furthermore into your work later on. Might have few questions if I may. :)
I know 'Inderjit' means something but nos sure what haha. Nice name. :)

Thanks; Inderjit is my actual name; I am Indian. It means conqueror of Indra.

[ashulman]

Wow, you weren't kidding, you really went to town on that book! I just read this a few months ago as well and enjoyed it, mostly for its comic flourishes. BTW, there is a section of this site where people generally post book reviews you may want to check out.

[cacian]

Thanks; Inderjit is my actual name; I am Indian. It means conqueror of Indra.

Wow

Indra or Śakra is the leader of the Devas or gods and Lord of Svargaloka or heaven in the Hindu religion. He is the God of war, the god of thunderstorms. His weapon is the lightning bolt (vajra). Indra is one of the chief deities in the Rigveda. He is the twin brother of Agni and hence said to be born of Dyaus Pitar (Father Heaven) and Prithvi Mata (Mother Earth). He is also mentioned as an Aditya, a son of Aditi. His home is situated on Mount Meru.

This is fairyland magic. Thank you :)

It does make me think about why earth is a mother and god is a father but that is propably another subject to talk about.;)

[ennison]

"Pnin" is terrific. It is accessible by comparison with some of Nabokov and a lot less full of "Look at me and what a smart guy I am". That kind of arrogance is a fault in Nabokov much as it is a fault in the modern Russian oligarchs. I read "Pnin" feeling that he had a genuine feeling of sympathy for that type of clever but socially inept and unlucky person. I would recommend it