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Re: Nabokovs brain is shaped like a helter-skelter ...
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Although rarely seen in public UK playgrounds*, helter-skelters are well
known here to kids of all ages. They turn up at travelling fairs, in
kindergartens, large stores, and there¹s even a very posh model (built from
metal tubes) at the New Tate, London. The very name has probable ME roots
(skelton to hurry) and a rhyming reduplicative format that appeals to the
young. (Compare HARUM-SCARUM.) I hope we don¹t get involved in defining
precisely the physical attributes of the helter-skelter. Spiral slide is a
good approximation, although I¹ve seen many variations. What seems beyond
doubt is the widespread idiomatic use of helter-skelter¹ that would be
clear to most English native speakers. Which came first, the slide or the
predicate is best left to the word-anoraks with time to burn. If based on
the giddy mix of FUN and FEAR enjoyed by those sliding spirally under the
accelerating force of gravity, helter-skelter¹ is a natural adv. or adj.
for hurried and uncontrolled activity. Helter-skelter the predicate has
never been quite as derogatory as harum-scarum (which is nearer to DING-BAT)
As a description of the SHAPE of VN¹s BRAIN (or MIND?), though,
helter-skelter¹ seems highly inappropriate, both physically and
metaphorically! Even worse, it¹s boringly daft. E.g., ³I find Zadie Smith¹s
mind shaped like an aubergine.² ³Really? Methinks it¹s more like a melon.²
* The nanny-state is increasingly cautious as to what is safe for the
unsupervised.
On 24/1/07 22:05, "TA Colquhoun" <tacolquhoun@BTOPENWORLD.COM> wrote:
>
>
> That must be London, Ohio or somewhere. I don't think I¹ve ever seen something
> called a helter-skelter¹ in any playgrounds around here (London). Slides,
> swings, ponds with boats. No helter-skelter, though.
>
>
>
> Tina Colquhoun
>
>
>
>
>
>
> From: Vladimir Nabokov Forum [mailto:NABOKV-L@LISTSERV.UCSB.EDU] On Behalf Of
> Priscilla Meyer
> Sent: 24 January 2007 15:49
> To: NABOKV-L@LISTSERV.UCSB.EDU
> Subject: Re: [NABOKV-L] Nabokovs brain is shaped like a helter-skelter ...
>
>
>
> The second. It's a substantive noun in her context, denoting a common
> playground item seen all over, for example, London.
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known here to kids of all ages. They turn up at travelling fairs, in
kindergartens, large stores, and there¹s even a very posh model (built from
metal tubes) at the New Tate, London. The very name has probable ME roots
(skelton to hurry) and a rhyming reduplicative format that appeals to the
young. (Compare HARUM-SCARUM.) I hope we don¹t get involved in defining
precisely the physical attributes of the helter-skelter. Spiral slide is a
good approximation, although I¹ve seen many variations. What seems beyond
doubt is the widespread idiomatic use of helter-skelter¹ that would be
clear to most English native speakers. Which came first, the slide or the
predicate is best left to the word-anoraks with time to burn. If based on
the giddy mix of FUN and FEAR enjoyed by those sliding spirally under the
accelerating force of gravity, helter-skelter¹ is a natural adv. or adj.
for hurried and uncontrolled activity. Helter-skelter the predicate has
never been quite as derogatory as harum-scarum (which is nearer to DING-BAT)
As a description of the SHAPE of VN¹s BRAIN (or MIND?), though,
helter-skelter¹ seems highly inappropriate, both physically and
metaphorically! Even worse, it¹s boringly daft. E.g., ³I find Zadie Smith¹s
mind shaped like an aubergine.² ³Really? Methinks it¹s more like a melon.²
* The nanny-state is increasingly cautious as to what is safe for the
unsupervised.
On 24/1/07 22:05, "TA Colquhoun" <tacolquhoun@BTOPENWORLD.COM> wrote:
>
>
> That must be London, Ohio or somewhere. I don't think I¹ve ever seen something
> called a helter-skelter¹ in any playgrounds around here (London). Slides,
> swings, ponds with boats. No helter-skelter, though.
>
>
>
> Tina Colquhoun
>
>
>
>
>
>
> From: Vladimir Nabokov Forum [mailto:NABOKV-L@LISTSERV.UCSB.EDU] On Behalf Of
> Priscilla Meyer
> Sent: 24 January 2007 15:49
> To: NABOKV-L@LISTSERV.UCSB.EDU
> Subject: Re: [NABOKV-L] Nabokovs brain is shaped like a helter-skelter ...
>
>
>
> The second. It's a substantive noun in her context, denoting a common
> playground item seen all over, for example, London.
Search the archive: http://listserv.ucsb.edu/archives/nabokv-l.html
Contact the Editors: mailto:nabokv-l@utk.edu,nabokv-l@holycross.edu
Visit Zembla: http://www.libraries.psu.edu/nabokov/zembla.htm
View Nabokv-L policies: http://web.utk.edu/~sblackwe/EDNote.htm