The English Language vs. French

In Lolita, Vladimir Nabokov proves he is a brilliant writer through his playfulness with language. Fluent in English, Russian and French, Nabokov decided to write Lolita in English with some words in French. He chose to write the majority of his novel in English, because he felt the English language had more vocabulary and opportunity to use double entendres. Humbert Humbert tells the reader, “I gave her to hold in her awkward fist the scepter of my passion” (Nabokov 15). Nabokov is referring to Lolita and Humbert Humbert’s sexual interactions with each other. However, Nabokov’s ability to subtract the vulgarity of the action proves his skill with words. Readers may even fail to notice the meaning behind many of Humbert Humbert’s double entendres.

Because French is a romance language, I believe Nabokov chose to write some words in French, because words in French sound more seductive than words in English when read aloud. For instance, Nabokov writes, “Annabel did not come out well, caught as she was in the act of bending over her chocolat glacé” (Nabokov 13). In English, chocolat glacé means chocolate cake. Though the meaning of the words stays the same, these words sound more attractive when spoken in French. I think Nabokov intentionally added French words into his work to create a seductive tone throughout Lolita.