If his Russian was music, his English was murder.
In Vladimir Nabokov's novel "Pnin," the protagonist, Timofey Pnin, faces the challenges of language and cultural identity as a Russian émigré in America. His struggle with English reflects his deep passion for his native language, which he experiences as a beautiful form of art. In contrast, his attempts to engage with English are fraught with misunderstanding and miscommunication, leading to a sense of alienation. Nabokov captures this duality effectively, suggesting that...