Chucked Up
Chuck Palahniuk's novels all share various Palahniukian things. For example the repeating of a sentence or the fact that weird but interesting and often little known facts are scattered throughout his novels. He himself has talked about the extensive research he does before he starts a novel. And I thought maybe you guys, being the Palahniuk lovers you are (the Chuck Club if you will, of which we all know the first 2 rules) would like to know of a mistake he made in Rant.
I apologize if this is old news to you, I have not read all the threads. In chapter 2 - Guardian Angels, Shot Dunyun is "quoted" saying how Buster used to listen to traffic reports from all over the world. Then he mentions various translations of the word "gridlock". "Imbottigliamento" (Italian), "Roosterslot" (Dutch) and "Saturation" (French). In the second one lies the error, "roosterslot" (pronounced: roasterslot) in Dutch means "grid lock", notice the space between "grid" and "lock". I know this because a Dutchman would know this. I am a Dutchman (Dutch Club anyone?). I think mr. Palahniuk looked "gridlock" up in a dictionary but, like me, saw that it isn't there. Then, I think, he checked "grid" and "lock" separately, that gave him "rooster" and "slot" and he just merged them thinking it would be the same as merging "grid" and "lock". Honest mistake, it's a bitch for a non-Dutchman to translate "gridlock".
In my dictionary, the second meaning it gives for "lock" is "verkeersopstopping" which means "traffic congestion" which is what he was looking for. But then again in another English - Dutch dictionary I have, under "lock" it doesn't say "verkeersopstopping" at all. Ánd, both the E - D dictionaries I have are based on British English not American English so there (probably) goes my theory, out the window together with the pot I piss in.
Even though it's a mistake, I like it. It's sort of like an in-joke for every Dutchman that reads Rant.
Extensive at the very least but I just couldn't help myself, I love to write.
And yes, quote hooks probably are going to haunt me in my dreams tonight.
[QUOTE=Ironman;1025852]first[/QUOTE]
:slap:
that's it you ruined [I]everything[/I] for me. he was infalible until you pointed this most glaring of errors....
oh, and seeing as it's your first post, welcome.
Wow... Good job dude.
Any mistake Chuck makes in his Novels, regarding factoids, I assume it was done purposely to show the (in)accurate expertise of the character.
Shot Dunyun is dumb... Like he says, "...see what a thoughtless, bullshit idiot I am." (Page 247)
And in some other of his books he fucks up with Greek mythology regarding godesses, I think it was in Diary he fucks it up and in Choke too. But this can be dismissed as character's misinformation. Y'know the same way we think we know it all, and in reality we dont know anything.
Either way, a gaddamn good catch.
Ironman, Chuck has already used Spanish words. In the sentence previous to the one I was talking about he used: "neumático desinflado"/"flat tires" and "punto muerto"/"gridlock". Maybe you should read Rant, it's quite a good book. If you have, stop smoking weed it's bad for your brain.
bskyb, haha and thanks. I never said I had life changing information about Michael.
chubbz, that's a very good point you made there. But it seems rather unlikely that he would get the Spanish, Italian and French translation right but just not the Dutch. But who knows, except Chuck. I should mail him, maybe I'll get a gift. Doubt he'll send something to Holland, shipping costs are like 5 bucks.
I know some Dutch, and in fact, I tried to look it up when the word didn't ring a bell. But I didn't find anything on my first attempt, and was eager to go back to the book. Thanks for bringing this into the light.
Since you're new here, let me give you a bit of a warning. A man named BigShrimpn is going to approach you at some point and offer you some lobster. JUST SAY NO. That's the only advice you're getting from me. The rest is up to you to discover and decide.
Welcome to the cult.
[QUOTE=bigshrimpn;1025855]:slap:[/QUOTE]:D
Thanks for the warning Jill's Booby. Seeing as I've never had lobster I probably would've accepted it too.
Alright punks and drunks, I have a new one for y'all. My copy of Rant (published in Britain by Jonathan Cape. The one with the drawn cars on the cover.) has a typo on page 32. The word fingernail is spelled as: fingermail. Yeah I know, I was cracking up for hours myself.
Did anyone else notice? And is this typo also present in the American published version?
Yep, I looked on page 32, the american edition of Rant or whatever and it says fingermail on the 6th line of page 32.
"Society exists only as a mental concept; in the real world there are only individuals." --Oscar Wilde
first!!
Interesting, when is chuck going to use Spanish words and make a mistake for all the spanish speakers can have their joke? when chuck ?!! I curse you Palahniuk!