Author's Note Nadsat glossary

Signals

Kaisional Tempest


Notes About Nothing

Disclaimer: This book is entirely fictional.  Any reference to real-life events or to persons living or dead is coincidental and unintentional.  NOT!
Alex was based on the main character from Anthony Burgess’s novel, A Clockwork Orange.
Adam was based on the pop star Adam Ant, who used to be really hot, by the way.
Jareth was based on the character Jareth from Jim Henson’s film, Labyrinth.  He was played by rock star David Bowie, who is also really hot.
Rasputin was a smelly, creepy peasant who lived in Russia in the early 1900’s, and who had a lot of influence over the royal family.

The titles of the chapters and of the novel itself were borrowed from the album Signals, by Rush, and the events that occur in each chapter loosely correspond with the lyrics of the song that the chapter is named after.  This book is not a tribute to Rush, and Signals is not my favorite album, (although it’s a darn good one).  I already had the novel planned out, I simply was looking for a title for my book, and I saw that the lyrics from Signals and the crap that happens in this book fit together in a very beautiful way.  So I used it.  (The guitarist from Rush is named Alex, however, and he looks like Alex DeLarge.  Kinda, sorta, not really.)
Also, I am very much aware that the titles of the chapters aren’t in the same order as they appear on the album.  They were switched to fit the story better.  Anyways, moving on:

Actual Quotes from A Clockwork Orange
(Refers to quotes used in both Signals and Vampire Alphabet)
“As an unmuddied lake.  Clear as an azure sky of deepest summer.  You can rely on me”- pg.23 (VA)
“How art thou, thou gloopy bottle of cheap, stinking chip oil.  Come and get one in the yarbles, if you have any yarbles, you eunuch jelly, thou!”- 24 (VA)
“I’ve been told everything you’ve done . . . and pretty shocking it was to listen to.  It made me real sick, a lot of it did.” – 16
Singing in the Rain song – 23
“if to continue to be on live thou dost wish.” – 24
“O most beautiful and beauteous of devotchkas . . . Let me be like your true knight.” – 26
“Welly welly welly welly welly welly well.  If it isn’t (His Highness Jareth) in poison.  To what do the extreme pleasure of this surprising visit?”- 36
“There was me, that is Alex . . . a flip dark chill winter bastard though dry.” – 48
“Oh bliss! . . . I knew such lovely pictures!” – 52

Classical Pieces used in Signals (listed in chronological order):
The Blue Danube, Johann Strauss II
Waltz of the Flowers, Peter Ilych Tchiakovsky
Symphony No. 3, Johannes Brahms
Symphony No. 94, Joseph Haydn
1812 Overture, Tchiakovsky
Dance of the Prince and the Sugarplum Fairy, Tchiakovsky
Bourree, Johann Sebastian Bach
L’autunno, Antonio Vivaldi
Infernal Dance, Igor Stravinsky
Moonlight Sonata, Ludwig Van Beethoven
Pelléas et Melisande, Gabriel Fauré
Pastoral, Beethoven
Ode to Joy, Beethoven

Cygnus is the Latin word for swan.

The names of the two vampires who flirt with Alex in Ch. 2, Arsinoë and Berenice, are the names of two of Cleopatra’s sisters.

In the book, Adam’s father is named Emet.  This is the Romany (Gypsy) word for ant.

On page 30, Lara tells Alex not to throw raw eggs at the cook.  This is an inside joke, based on the fact that Beethoven would often check his eggs before they were served to him to make sure they were fresh.  If they weren’t to his satisfaction, he would hurl them at the servants or the cook.  He went through a lot of servants that way.

In real life, Adam Ant doesn’t have a son; he has an eight-year-old daughter named Lily.  Marco is the name of Adam’s close friend and guitarist, Marco Pirroni.

Glossary of Nadsat words used in Vampyre Alphabet, Signals, and Signs

A: Appy polly loggy - apology

B: Bezoomy - crazy
Bolney - sick
Bolshy - big
Bratchny - bastard
Britva - knife
Brosay – to throw

C: Cal - crap
Chai - tea
Cheena - woman
Chelloveck - person
Chepooka - nonsense
Chumble - mumble
Crast – to rob
Creech - screech
Cutter - money

D: Dama - lady
Devotchka - woman
Dobby - good
Domy - house
Dook – trace, bit
Dorogoy – dear, valuable
Drast - fight
Drencrom - drug
Droog/Droogie - friend

E: Eemya - name
Eggiwegs - eggs

F: Filly – fool around with

G: Gazetta - newspaper
Glassies - eyes
Gloopy - stupid
Goloss - voice
Goober - lip
Grahzny - dirty
Gulliver - head
Guttiwuts - guts

H: Horrowshow – good, great

I: Interossovert
Itty – to go

J: Jammiwam - jam
Jeezny - life

K: Knives – drugs, drencrom
Korova - cow
Kroovy - blood
Kupet – to buy

L: Litso - face
Lomtick - piece
Loveted - caught
Luna - moon
Luscious glory - hair

M: Malchick - boy
Malenky - little
Maslo - butter
Mezky - filthy
Messel - thought
Mesto - place
Millicents - police
Moloko - milk
Moodge - man
Mounch - snack

N: Nadsat - teenager
Noga - foot
Notchy - night

O: Oddy knocky - alone
Ookadeet – to leave

P: Pishcha - food
Platties - clothes
Peet - drink
Plenny - prisoner
Plott - body
Ptista - girl

R: Razdraz – tear, become irritated
Razoodok - mind
Rooker - hand
Rot - mouth

S: Sharries - buttocks
Sharp - female
Shlapa - hat
Slooshy - hear
Shoomy - noise
Skorry - quick
Slovo - word
Smeck - laugh
Sneety - dream
Snuff it – to die
Sobirat – pick up
Spatchka - sleep
Starry - old

T: Tick tocker - heart
Tolchock – punch, hit

V: Vareet – cook
Vech – person (chelloveck)
Vellocet - drug
Veshch - thing
Viddy - see
Voloss - hair
Vred - injure

W: Warble - sing

Z: Zoobies - teeth