Pushkin is also untranslatable, they say, and I'm too old to learn Russian (right now I'm deciding which of my existing projects I'll have to abandon.)

Since Chapter 11 is "the final Chapter", I take it you're not going on to read Volume Two? I've never gotten to Volume Two myself. I thought the consensus is that the second part is not authentic Gogol but simply whatever scraps could be saved, but my Russian edition includes it with no comment.

"Most untranslateable" is certainly subjective, but Bulgakov is another great writer that is certainly much better in Russian than in translation. Maybe not "great" but worth reading and nearly untranslatable is "Moskva-Petushki" by Venedikt Yerofeyev.

I think my Australian accent is a bit atypical, but I give both syllables of "razoo" about the same length and stress. OK, maybe a tiny little bit more of each for "zoo" to emphasize the zaniness.

I take it you're not going on to read Volume Two?

I may at some point, but it's not a high priority; the few chapters that remain are authentic Gogol, but the consensus is that they're pretty bad (with a few good bits). After 1842 he decided he had a duty to uplift humanity, and... well, that wasn't really his gift.

I love both Bulgakov and Erofeev (I've rarely laughed so hard as when reading Moskva-Petushki), but I think something of their essence comes across better than with Gogol. They're writing about "real life," however stylized and exaggerated; Gogol is writing about a purely invented world created from the resources of the Russian language, and when you take those resources away, you're left with something that looks like a novel but has lost most of what makes it great (and leaves it open to silly interpretations as "social realism" or "wacky humor").

Matt: Thanks, that makes sense.

John: Pushkin's poetry is untranslateable; that's why I added the "prose." His prose is crystal-clear and eminently translateable.

I have stress on ZOO of razoo too, and also with a strong secondary stress on the first syllable

It's a darn shame. Even translated, Gogol is a favorite of mine, and I think I'd love Pushkin.

This New Zealander pronounces it raZOO, rhyming with kazoo. I have only ever heard or seen razoo in the phrase "brass razoo." Often coupled with "I wouldn't give a ..." or "Not worth a ..."

I wouldn't say this has any currency in conversation with anyone of my parents' generation or younger (I'm 36). I see it in writing sometimes and I always assume the writer intends deliberate corniness.

'Snath' does indeed have a nice ring to it, and so does the type of scythe handle that has a stiff rotating band down on the business end of it instead of an iron blade to mow with. Of course, the handle of this manual equivalent of a weedwhacker is called a 'bandersnath'.

From another NZer: I put the stress on the second syllable in 'razoo'. To me it doesn't sound like 'kazoo' because the first syllable is more drawn out. But as Stephen says, it's becoming an outdated term in NZ and I always thought of it as Strine in any case.

"paa sned" means "at an angle" or "askew" in Danish. Whether that is anything to do with the angle that a scythe's blade makes with the snat I would not know.

"paa sned" means "at an angle" or "askew" in Danish. Whether that is anything to do with the angle that a scythe's blade makes with the snat I would not know.

I'm 32 and have never heard 'razoo' before.

(New Zealander)

What a great story about Paddock, including his marriage / murder!

I (an Ozlander) am with Claire on the pronunciation of razoo.

I've heard Andrei Platonov described as the most untranslateable Russian writer, too. I don't speak Russian, however, so can't say whether that is deserved.

"Snath" is a great word. I'd like to see a list of those short, obscure Anglo-Saxon words...most "obscure word" lists are full of Latinate words that were coined 80 years ago, but the ones that are centuries old and are now only used by a small number of people are more interesting. Like "hasp", or "placket".

Ned, I agree - the little, old words like snath are the most fun.

I nominate: froe, thole, jess, clabber, hob, farrow.......

Indeed the central of these sequentially listed coinages bears a certain intrigue and panache about it which recent diversions over correct prosody work rather well to enhance. And fairly handy to boot, in particular cases, such as confrontment with a grocery clerk offering the customary choice (in this specific locale, but probably at nearly any holistic foods store elsewhere) between a $0.05 refund or the more curious "wooden nickel" charity token, in the instance of one bringing one's own tote. The latter of these would, at the discretion of recipient, get distributed among various donation boxes mounted on the periphery, usually forcing said benefactor of the unknown to puzzle over which of the usual three or four to choose, and the authenticity of such a system overall. In other words, with the phrase well in reach, one would feel urged to exclaim:

"None of this RAZOO, sir; deduct the half-tenth!"

...and that the word "razoo" does appear, at least, to contain a particle akin to that most critical in "razz" (to taunt, rag, etc.) could lend to its capability as rebuff...

Cheers (nazdrovia, mazel tav, et cetera) to all, and thanks, Hat, for the chance for comment here (more spacifically, above), and thus a first participational effort!!

A pleasure to have you, eloquent sir!

"Brass razoo" was the usual term in my young days in Oz, with equal stress on both syllables. I would still use it, but then I'm (a) of pensionable age and (b) 40 years out of touch with developments in Oz slang.

For instance, I only farily recently learned of the term "bingle" for a minor fender-bender. A creation of the past 40 years. I've no idea of the origin.

PT

As for obscure parts of common objects, I nominate 'vamp'.

I'm a New Zealander and grew up with the phrase 'I haven't got a brass razoo', pronounced RAH-zoo. I'm in my mid 30s. However, my parents were widely read and brought me up to be the same. I know I bring things up in conversation that make my husband say 'What on *earth* did you say?!'

When we were on holiday in Australia, I bought a mock coin called a 'brass razoo', so you could never say you didn't have one.