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ClockWork Orange - Anthony Burgess

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  • 05-08-2006 5:43am
    #1
    BossArky
    Moderators, Arts Moderators, Recreation & Hobbies Moderators, Sports Moderators Posts: 9,521 Mod ✭✭✭✭


    I started this last night. Where did he get the slang that the characters use? I'm presuming it is invented for the sake of the book and not some weird English slang / argot that I have missed out on? I was also suprised that the book is so short.


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    #2
    tuxy
    Closed Accounts Posts: 14,983 ✭✭✭✭tuxy


    I think the slang is of russian origin.


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    #3
    _blank_
    Closed Accounts Posts: 41,926 ✭✭✭✭_blank_


    It's called Nadsat, and most of it is of Russian origin.

    Burgess invented it for the book.

    You will love the book.


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    #4
    Thomas_S_Hunterson
    Closed Accounts Posts: 6,151 ✭✭✭Thomas_S_Hunterson


    Yup, it's a pretty amazing read


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    #5
    BossArky
    Moderators, Arts Moderators, Recreation & Hobbies Moderators, Sports Moderators Posts: 9,521 Mod ✭✭✭✭BossArky


    Thanks for the info folks, I shall sit won with my Nadsat dictionary and work it out. Hopefully once I get the guist of it he will be using the same vocab over and over so that I won't be contstantly looking up new words?

    I found the first pages to Train spotting hard to read but once I understood the slang I picked it up as it was reused constantly.


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    #6
    _blank_
    Closed Accounts Posts: 41,926 ✭✭✭✭_blank_


    You'll be fine once you read a chapter or two.


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    #7
    BossArky
    Moderators, Arts Moderators, Recreation & Hobbies Moderators, Sports Moderators Posts: 9,521 Mod ✭✭✭✭BossArky


    Ok, well I finished A Clockwork Orange this evening. What giveth you say? An interesting little ending which I was not expecting. Previously I had seen 3/4s of the film and vaguely remembered what was coming up in the book. The ending hit me and the same things that seem to be running through our little droog Alex's head were in mine.

    - A quick read.
    - Funny yet serious.
    - An ending to make you think.

    RATING - 7/10


    (a few points docked for having to go to google/wikipedia every now and again to figure out what Alex was talking about with his nadsat slang... perhaps I am being harsh).


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    #8
    _blank_
    Closed Accounts Posts: 41,926 ✭✭✭✭_blank_


    Excellent, I thought it wouldn't take you long to read it. I had thought of asking if you had watched the film previously.

    I love the ending of the book, I love Alex :o

    Hmm, I might just go and re-read this.


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    #9
    The_Minister
    Registered Users Posts: 10,255 ✭✭✭✭The_Minister


    BossArky wrote:
    (a few points docked for having to go to google/wikipedia every now and again to figure out what Alex was talking about with his nadsat slang... perhaps I am being harsh).
    I had two copies. One had a Nadsat dictionary in the back, but it was missing the last chapter (damn Americans)

    I had seen the film and had to hunt down the last chapter. I was surprised and delighted with the ending.


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    #10
    BossArky
    Moderators, Arts Moderators, Recreation & Hobbies Moderators, Sports Moderators Posts: 9,521 Mod ✭✭✭✭BossArky


    Firespinner wrote:
    One had a Nadsat dictionary in the back

    That would have been very handy.


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