Jonathan Ashleigh's Reviews > A Clockwork Orange

There's irony is your describing the Nadsat as cool: by not using slang that was cool at the time, Burgess made his book less prone to aging. And I am grateful.

Cecily wrote: "There's irony is your describing the Nadsat as cool: by not using slang that was cool at the time, Burgess made his book less prone to aging. And I am grateful."

groovy...

"This book was sweet"

Pwaaaaaaaaaaah!!!!

Sweet sure isn't the word I'd use. Disturbing and thought-provoking is more like it. :)

I found it mind boggling at times. I understand re-reading parts.

Sweet?

I really have to read this book; I've only seen the movie.

But...sweet?

I read the book in the early 70's m perhaps 1972. In that edition it came with a glossary of the language used just so we could undetstand. One phrase I've never gotten out of my head , maybe its spelled wrong but is sounded like - vonny bratchney

I thoroughly enjoyed this novel especially the playful way in which Burgess weaved Russian words in and out of the English. Language is already nuanced in so many many but Burgess use gave multiple meanings to those slang phrases and words. My favorite term was Cow for shit/bullshit. One of the terms had different meanings in different contexts. Von Or Vonny вонь  in Russian means stinky or smelly. But Vonny Bratchney is a slurred pronunciation of внебрачный (vnebračnyj) meaning bastard,literally out of wedlock. I love linguistics. I studied Russian in college so had an easier grasp of the pseudo Cockney/ Russian slang upon the first reading.

Kelly wrote: "I thoroughly enjoyed this novel especially the playful way in which Burgess weaved Russian words in and out of the English. Language is already nuanced in so many many but Burgess use gave multiple..."

I grew up overseas and picked up lang easily so I only had to look up a word once to remember it. I love that you were familiar with Russian when you read it.