Re: Speak, Mnemosyne

2007/11/17, David J. Peterson <dedalvs@...>:
>
> Dear god, I *hope* you meant to write Vladimir Nobokov.  I'd
> be appalled to learn that Putin stole Nobokov's title.
>
> -David
Dear me, yes I do indeed mean Nabokov. I mixed it up with another
article about Putin's rule in Russia, which is causing me quite a bit
of consternation. Thank you for pointing that out.

2007/11/17, R A Brown <ray@...>:
>
> OK - If we stick with _legein_ (which has a suppletive aorist), the most
> common of the verbs 'to speak', we have (using _ee_ for long 'e'):
> λέγε, Μνημοσύνη (lége, Mneemosýnee) - imperfective
> εἶπε, Μνημοσύνη (eîpe, Mneemosýnee) - perfective
>
> I'd guess perfective is more likely.
>
> P.S. I do give you credit for trying.
>
> --
> Ray
Do the "imperfective" and "perfective" imperatives here mean literally
"speak and continue speaking" vs. "speak, but just once"? If so, I
believe imperfective might possibly be what Nabokov -- not Putin, my
bad (whoops) -- intended, as the book is a memoir. (Is a memoirs? Is
memoirs? Is a collection of memoirs?)

Pardon my awful Greek! And all the same thanks for the corrections.
The mistakes must seem as egregious to you as "heared" or "seed" seem
to seasoned English speakers.

Eugene

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