Language Use in Trainspotting

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jimppqq
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I just picked up the novel after watching the movie, however I was totally pissed after a few pages.

I wonder if it was just my terrible English or it takes everybody a while to get hold of the language.

Or maybe more frankly if the book is worth spending a lot of time on.

By the way, English is not my first language but I have very little problem on other novels.

Thank you.

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tourist_information
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I adored Trainspotting. I found myself settling into a rhythm with the words, almost singing it to myself instead of reading it outright. It was almost poetic at that point. Wonderful, and worth your time if you enjoyed the movie, which I did.

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jimppqq
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tourist_information wrote:

I adored Trainspotting. I found myself settling into a rhythm with the words, almost singing it to myself instead of reading it outright. It was almost poetic at that point. Wonderful, and worth your time if you enjoyed the movie, which I did.

THat sounds really cool.

I did like the movie a lot.

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zoth
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omg! i just watched trainspotting today for the first time in about 4 years, god it's a beautiful movie. i could'nt understand most of it in theater until it came out and i could see the captions, but i got it none the less.
i'm sorry but the novel, i couldn't take it. although i still think it's brilliant

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Giggan
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I was quite unimpressed by Trainspotting. It was like Palahniuk without purpose, and cool just for the sake of being it.

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GonzoParadise
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First time I saw Trainspotting, I had eaten a bunch of 'shrooms that started kicking in right around the toilet scene. I hung in there, but then came the dead baby which messed me up for a good long while. I watched it again a few years after, mostly sober and dug it for its style and sweet soundtrack. I'd be interested in reading the book some day. I hear his porn book (book on porn, that is) is getting made into a movie by the same dudes who brought you Trainspotting.

Nightrious
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jimppqq wrote:

I just picked up the novel after watching the movie, however I was totally pissed after a few pages.

I wonder if it was just my terrible English or it takes everybody a while to get hold of the language.

Or maybe more frankly if the book is worth spending a lot of time on.

By the way, English is not my first language but I have very little problem on other novels.

Thank you.

I understand what you mean, but give it a little more. The first two pages are the most difficult to read. After that he seems to touch it down a notch, and in some parts only the dialogue is written in slang. It also gets easier the more you know the characters.

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zoth
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i just found out on the special features today that the dude who plays mikey forester in the movie, is irvine welch.

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jimppqq
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GonzoParadise wrote:

First time I saw Trainspotting, I had eaten a bunch of 'shrooms that started kicking in right around the toilet scene. I hung in there, but then came the dead baby which messed me up for a good long while. I watched it again a few years after, mostly sober and dug it for its style and sweet soundtrack. I'd be interested in reading the book some day. I hear his porn book (book on porn, that is) is getting made into a movie by the same dudes who brought you Trainspotting.

That toilet was the ultimate of disgustingness. Especially I saw him trying to find the pills.

It's good to know, if it's true, porno is written in normal English, which is GREAT, but wouldn't help at all, if I got stuck at TRAINSPOTTING.

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jimppqq
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zoth wrote:

i just found out on the special features today that the dude who plays mikey forester in the movie, is irvine welch.

googled and verified the information.

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zoth
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ummm... k.
zoth non-believer

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shun the non-believer.

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Synnove
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shhhhhhhuuuuuuuuuuunnnnnnnnnnnn

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PGoutis01
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jimppqq wrote:

It's good to know, if it's true, porno is written in normal English, which is GREAT, but wouldn't help at all, if I got stuck at TRAINSPOTTING.

Porno is written the same way. Some chapters are pretty much a garbled mess and others are pretty easy to read. I really liked Porno though. Well worth the effort.

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nathaniel parker
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same with Clockwork Orange, i found it much easier to understand them watching the movie rather than reading the book. well except for maybe Spud.

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haha. spud.
for better or worse he reminds me a lot of a guy who used to hang out on the fringes of my circle of friends.

that was the first role id seen Ewen Bremner in. when i started noticing him in other films i couldnt get the spud persona out of my head, even though he was a great actor.

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Spadez
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It's phonologically written. That's why many find it difficult to actually read it. But hey, once you get past this ordeal ... all's good

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alex pallix
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Yeah it really is worth the effort reading his stuff, he's one of my favourite authors and I think that style immerses you in the story more.

monkeywright
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I liked Trainspotting and loved Porno more. I seem to be alone in my enjoyment of Filth, as most people don't like that one so much. I plan to buy some UK editions of Welsh in the next week

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Ritt
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tourist_information wrote:

I adored Trainspotting. I found myself settling into a rhythm with the words, almost singing it to myself instead of reading it outright. It was almost poetic at that point. Wonderful, and worth your time if you enjoyed the movie, which I did.

Or you do it like a musical.

Aw ye bloody cunt.
AW YE BLOODY CUNT!
Aaaaawww-ye-blooooddddyyyyyy CUUUUUUUUUUUUNT!

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jimppqq
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Porngrind

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