(no subject)

[lapsa]

"Прости, что я писал тебе глупости, но мозги у меня растрепались, выпали шпильки: я какой-то простомозговый, как бывают люди простоволосые…"
Владимир Набоков - Вере, 16.01.1924 г.

Comments

[gwendraith]

I wonder what he meant by "simple hair"?

[lapsa]

This ancient word means "without a headgear." For married peasant women, appearing without a headscarf was considered downright indecent. To this day, the Russian language still uses the word "опростоволоситься", meaning "to have found oneself in an awkward situation."

[gwendraith]

That's interesting, thank you!