"Oh, that' I said 'Is what we call nadsat talk. All the teens use that, sir"
Nadsat is the fictional slang invented by Anthony Burgess, for the novel 'A Clockwork Orange'. The words used are based on 'Russian, Romany and rhyming slang'. The dialect is used by the teenagers or 'nadsats', with the name coming from the Russian suffix for 'teen'. As the novel is writen from Alex's perspective it is used throughout the novel; the book features a glossary of Nadsat terms to assist in the readers understanding.
Contents
- 1 Origin
- 2 Film
- 3 Nadsat Words
- 3.1 A
- 3.2 B
- 3.3 C
- 3.4 D
- 3.5 E
- 3.6 F
- 3.7 G
- 3.8 H
- 3.9 I
- 3.10 J
- 3.11 K
- 3.12 L
- 3.13 M
- 3.14 N
- 3.15 O
- 3.16 P
- 3.17 R
- 3.18 S
- 3.19 T
- 3.20 V
- 3.21 Y
- 3.22 Z
Origin[]
Burgess originally planned to write to novel using the slang of the teenagers of the time, but he decided that would lead to the novel becoming outdated very quickly, so he created his own slang by blending Russian, Romany and rhyming slang.
Film[]
Nadsat is still used in the Kubrick film, however due to the change from literature to cinema, its role is reduced due to the lack of glossary to support the dialect.
Nadsat Words[]
Here is a list or Nadsat words used in the novel and featured in the glossary provided in the book, some terms have variations that are unlisted but adjust the word for context (e.g. plurals. tense):
A[]
- appy polly loggies: [Infantilism] apologies
- auto: car
B[]
- baboochka [Russian > babushka = "grandmother"]:old woman
- baddiwad [Infantilism]: bad
- bezoomny [Russian > bezumnyy]:crazy
- biblio [diminutive of Russian > biblioteka]:library
- bitva [Russian = "battle"]: fight.
- Black and Suds: beer.
- blubbery [blub > "to cry"]: crying
- Bog: [Russian] God
- bogman: [Russian (see Bog above) = "man of god"] minister
- bolnoy [Russian]:sick
- bolshy [Russian]:big
- boomaboom [Infantilism]: thunder
- bratchny [diminutive derived from Russian > vnebrachnyy rebenok = "extramarital child"]: bastard
- bratty, brat [Russian > brat]:brother
- britva [Russian]:razor
- brooko [Russian > bryukho]: belly or stomach
- to brosat [Russian > brosat' ]: to throw
- bruiseboy: bouncer or hired muscle
- bugatty [Russian > bogatyy]:rich
C[]
- cables: blood vessels (in context).
- cal: [Russian > kal = "feces"]sh*t
- cancer: cigarette
- cantora: [Russian > kontora ] office
- carman: [Russian > karman ] pocket
- chai: [Russian > chaj; derived from Chinese > chai ] tea.
- charlie [Rhyming slang > "Charlie Chaplin"] prison chaplain
- chasha: [Russian > chashka = literally: "little bowl"] cup
- chasso: [Russian > chasovoj = "sentinel"] 1) noun: guard 2) verb: to guard or keep watch.
- cheena:[diminutive for Russian > zhenshchina ] woman
- to cheest: [Russian > chistitʹ ] to clean or wash
- chelloveck: [Russian > chelovek ] man, human being
- chepooka: [Russian > chepukha ]nonsense
- choodessny: [Russian > chudesnyy ] wonderful
- chumble: [Portmanteau word > "chatter" + "mumble"] to talk in a low voice
- cluve: [Russian > kluve = "beak"]nose
- collocoll: [Russian > kolokol] bell
- crark: [Portmanteau word > "crow" + "bark"] to howl
- to crast: [Russian > krastʹ ] to steal
- to creech: [Russian > krichatʹ ] to scream
- cutter: [Rhyming slang > "bread and butter" > "bread"] money
D[]
- darkmans: [Infantilism] darkness
- ded: [diminutive of Russian > dedushka = "grandfather"] old man
- deng: [Russian > dengi ] money
- devotchka:girl
- dobby:good
- domy: [Diminutive > "domicile"; also Russian > dom] house
- dorogoy:valuable
- to drats:to fight
- drencrom: adrenochrome, a chemical that can induce psychosis and thought disorders and potentially trigger the onset of schizophrenia.
- droog, droogie: [Russian > drug ] friend
E[]
- eegra: game
- eemya:name
- eggiweg [Infantilism]:egg
F[]
- to filly: to play
- firegold: liquor
- flatblock: apartment building
- flip: very, great
- forella [German > forelle = "trout"]:bad-tempered old woman.
G[]
- glaz, glazzy:1) eye. 2) nipple (in context).
- gloopy:stupid
- golly [diminutive derived from Russian > golova = "head", from the face in profile on the obverse side of the coin]:coin
- goloss:voice
- goober:lip
- to gooly:to go
- gorlo:throat
- to govoreet:to talk, speak
- grahzny [Russian > grazny]: dirty
- grazzy [Russian > grazny]: greasy
- gromky [Russian > gromkiy = "thunderous"]:loud
- groody [Russian > grudi = "chest"]:breast
- guff [Diminutive for "guffaw"]:laugh
- gulliver [Russian > golova]:head
H[]
- hem-korm [Russian > "hen corn"; derived from English > "chicken feed"] : pocket change
- horrorshow [Russian > khorosho]:good, well
I[]
- in-out in-out [Infantilism] : sexual intercouse
- interessovatted [Infantilism]: interested
- to itty [Russian > idti ]:to go
J[]
- jammiwam [Infantilism]:jam, jelly
- jeezny:life
K[]
- kartoffel [German] potato
- keeshkas [Yiddish > kishkes = "intestines"]guts
- kleb: [Russian > khleb] bread
- klootch: [Russian > klyuch]key
- knopka: [Russian] button
- kopat: [Russian = "to dig"] to understand
- koshka: [Russian koshka] 1) puss*cat (female cat). 2) cool guy (in context)
- kot: [Russian] tomcat (male cat).
- krovvy:[Russian > krovy' ] blood
- to kupet:[Russian > kupyt] to buy
L[]
- lewdies [Russian > liudi = "race", "Humanity"]: people
- lighter: old woman
- litso [Russian]: face
- lomtick [Russian > lomtik = "piece"]: portion
- to lovet [Russian > Lovit' ]: to catch
- to lubbilub [Infantilism]: to kiss
- luscious glory [Rhyming slang > "upper story" = "top of the head"] hair
M[]
- malchick: [Russian > malchik ] boy
- malenky: [Russian > malen'kiy ] little
- maslo: [Russian] butter
- merzky: [Russian > merzkiy] filthy
- messel: [Russian > mysl' ] idea
- mesto: [Russian] place
- millicent: [nickname derived from Russian > Militsiya = “State Police”] armed police.
- minoota: [Russian] minute
- molodoy: [Russian] young
- moloko: [Russian] milk
- moodge: [Russian > muzh = "husband"] man, husband
- morder: [Russian > morda = "snout"] nose or nostrils
- mounch: [Portmanteau word > "mouth" + "munch"] snack
- mozg: [Russian] brain
N[]
- to nachinat [Russian] : to start or begin
- nadmenny [Russian] :arrogant
- nadsat [Russian > -nadtsat = "-teen"; the suffix added to the words for 1 through 9 to make the words for 11 through 19]: teenager
- nagoy [Russian] : naked
- nazz [Russian > naz] : name
- neezhnies [Russian > nizhneye bel'ye = "under-linens"]: underwear
- nochy [Russian > nochi] : night
- noga [Russian]: foot, leg
- nozh [Russian]: knife
O[]
- oddy knocky [Russian > odinok = "alone", "lonely"]: alone
- okno:window
- to oobivat:to kill
- to ookadeet:to leave
- ooko:ear
- oomny:intelligent
- oozhassny:dreadful
- oozy:chain
- to osoosh:to wipe
- otchkies:glasses
P[]
- to peet: [Russian > pit ]to drink
- pishcha: [Russian] food
- to platch:to cry
- platties:clothes
- plennies: prisoners
- plesk:splash
- pletcho:shoulder
- plott: [Russian > plot = "flesh"] body
- pol:sex
- polezny:useful
- to pony:to understand
- poogly:frightened
- pooshka: [Russian > pushka = "cannon"] pistol
- prestoopnick: [Russian > prestupnik] 1) criminal 2) degenerate
- pretty polly: [Rhyming slang > "pretty polly" > "lolly"] money
- to prod [Diminutive]:to produce
- ptit*a [Russian = "bird"]:woman
- pyahnitsa: [Russian > p'yanitsa] drunkard
R[]
- to rabbit: [Rhyming slang > "rabbit and pork" > "pork"; also Russian > rabota ] to work
- rabbiter: [Rhyming slang (see rabbit above); also Russian > robotnik ] worker
- radosty: [Russian > radost' ] joy
- rassoodock: [Russian > rassudok ] mind
- raz: [Russian]:time
- razdraz: [Russian] irritated or angered
- raskazz: [Russian > rasskaz] story
- to razrez: [Russian > razryvat' ] to tear
- rooker: [Russian > ruka ] hand or arm
- rot: [Russian] mouth
- rozz: [nickname derived from Russian > korchit' rozh = "to grimace"] the police
- rozzer: [Russian (see rozz above)] policeman
S[]
- sabog [Russian > sapog]: boot
- sakar [Russian]:sugar
- sarky [Diminutive]:sarcastic
- Scotchman: Scotch (Scottish whisky)
- scoteena [Russian > skotina ]:beast
- shaika [Russian]:gang
- sharp [Rhyming slang > "sharp and blunt" > "c*nt"]:woman
- sharries:buttocks, arse
- shest: barrier
- shilarny: interest
- shive [Portmateau of shiv (Romany > "knife") + "carve"]: slice.
- shiyah: neck
- shlaga [German > schlägen > "to hit"]:club, cudgel
- shlapa [Russian]: hat
- shlem [Russian]: helmet.
- shoom:noise
- shoomny:noisy
- shoot:fool
- sinny [French > ciné or cinéma]:movie theater
- to skazat:to say
- skitebird [Portmanteau of "kite" + "sh*tbird"; derived from British military slang > "sh*tehawk" or "sh*tbird"; the kite (or "sh*tehawk") was a raptor bird that liked to steal food]: a useless, good-for-nothing person
- skolliwoll [Infantilism]:school
- skorry:fast
- to skvat:to snatch
- sladky [Russian > sladkiy ]:sweet
- to sloochat:to happen
- to slooshy:to hear
- slovo [Russian]: word
- to smeck: [Russian > smex = "laughter"] to laugh
- to smot:to look
- sneety:dream
- snoutie: [British prison slang > snout (originally meaning snuff, but later referred to cigarettes)] tobacco (in the context used, either 1) loose tobacco in a packet for rolling into cigarettes or smoking in a pipe, or 2) a term for a pack or carton of cigarettes - see cancer above).
- soomka [Russian > sumka = "bag"]: unattractive woman
- to spat with: [Russian > spat' s... = "sleep with..."] to have sex with
- spatchka: [Russian] sleep
- spoogy: terrified
- staja [Portmanteau word > "state" + "jail"] high-security prison.
- starry [Russian > staryy ]:old
- strack [Russian > strakha ]:horror
T[]
- tally: [French > taille] waist
- tashtook: [German > Taschentuch = literally: "pocket cloth"] handkerchief
- tass: [French > tasse] cup
- to tolchock: [Russian] to hit
- toofles: [Russian > tufli = footwear]slippers
- twenty-to-one: [Rhyming slang] fun
V[]
- to vareet: [Russian > varit' = "to cook up"] to plan.
- what's vareeting [Russian > varit' = "to cook up"] What's happening? What is going on?
- vaysay: [French syllables > "W" (doble-veh) + "C" (seh); derived from English > "W.C." > "water closet"] bathroom
- veck: [diminutive for chelloveck (see above)] man, guy
- veshch: [Russian] thing
- to viddy: [Russian > uvidet' ] to see
- voloss: [Russian > volos] hair
- von: [diminutive of Russian > zlovoniye = "stench"] smell
- to vred: [Russian] to injure or harm
Y[]
- yahma [Russian > yama = "hole"]:mouth.
- yazick [Russian > yazyk ]:tongue
- yarbles [Portmanteau word > "your" + "balls"]:testicl*s
- yarblockos [Russian > jabloki = "apples”]: testicl*s
- to yeckate [Russian > jexatʹ ]: todrive
- Yahoodie: [Hebrew > Yehudi = "son of Judah"] Jew.
Z[]
- zammechat: [Russian > zamechatelʹno ] remarkable
- zasnoot: [Russian > zasnutʹ ] to fall asleep
- zheena [Russian > zhena] wife
- zoobies: [Russian > zuby ] teeth
- zurick:penis
- zvook: [Russian > zvuk = "sound"] noise
- zvonock: [Russian > zvonok = "bell"] doorbell or buzzer.
See Also
A Clockwork Orange's Controversy Explained - SlashFilmHow ‘that’ scene in Stanley Kubrick film ‘A Clockwork Orange’ temporarily blinded Malcolm McDowell - Far Out MagazineHow to Understand the ‘Nadsat’ Argot in “A Clockwork Orange”The Legacy of A Clockwork Orange - The International Anthony Burgess FoundationCommunity content is available under CC-BY-SA unless otherwise noted.
