CLOCKWORK ORANGE STUDY GUIDE 2009

Study Guide: NCEA 2.3

AUTHOR INTENTION:

Extract from Anthony Burgess’ preface to the modern

american prints:
"...by definition, a human being is endowed with free
will. He can use this to choose between good and evil.
If he can only perform good or only perform evil, then
he is a clockwork orange -- meaning that he has the
appearance of an organism lovely with colour and
juice but is in fact only a clockwork toy to be wound by
God or the Devil or (since this is increasingly
replacing both) the Almighty State. It is as inhuman to
be totally good as it is to be totally evil.
...I don't think I have to remind readers what the title
means. Clockwork oranges don't exist, except in the
speech of old Londoners. The image was a bizarre
one always used for a bizarre thing. "He is as queer
as a clockwork orange" meant he was queer to the
limit of queerness.
...I mean it to stand for the application of a
mechanistic morality to a living organism oozing with
juice and sweetness."

A Clockwork Orange, written by Anthony Burgess. PLOT SUMMARY:

The story of A Clockwork Orange takes place in a

wretched future of the author's invention, complete
with a repressive government, violent street gangs,
OVERVIEW: and a deadening mass culture. The narrator is the
This study guide is a compendium of facts and young protagonist, Alex, who tells his story in
information intended to assist students of language peppered with "nadsat," the slang, derived
English to prepare for their NCEA 2.3 (Extended mostly from Russian, used by the teenage hooligans
Written Texts) Examination. of the novel. Alex, at the start of the novel, is a happy
While the information included in this guide 15-year-old hoodlum who delights in rape, violence,
(assembled from a number of online sources thievery, and leading Dim, Pete, and Georgie, his little
and including material developed by the teacher) gang of teenage criminals. To amuse themselves,
is directly useful in preparing for an Examination, they break in one night to a cottage in the country,
nothing can replace a student’s own where they beat up the man they find inside and
preparation based on their reading of the brutally rape his wife. The boys go on their way—this
primary text (The novel itself). Students should is an ordinary night for them—and back to their
read the novel in detail and depth and come to favorite hangout. At the bar, a woman breaks out into
their own conclusions about its purpose, art, song, a little bit of opera. When Dim makes an
and meaning. obscene gesture toward her, Alex, a great lover of
classical music, gives him a good punch. It seems to

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Dim and the others that autocratic little Alex is now both policemen, drive him out into a field, beat
stepping beyond his rights as a leader, and they plan him, and leave him. Trying to find someone to help
to betray him. The next time they go out, they break him, Alex knocks at the door of a cottage. A man lets
into the house of an old woman. When she calls the him in and very kindly gives him dinner and a room for
police, Dim whips Alex across the eyes with his chain the night. Alex recognizes the man as the writer he
and they all run away, leaving their former leader beat up and whose wife he raped, but the man does
behind, blinded and helpless, for the police to catch. not recognize Alex, who wore a mask on that long-ago
At the station, Alex is told that the old woman, who he night. This writer, F. Alexander, is a political dissident.
had beaten in the process of robbing, died at the He and his friends come up with a plan to use Alex to
hospital. make the repressive government look bad; they drive
him to suicide by locking him in a room and piping
classical music into it, so Alex is driven by the sick
feeling to throw himself out the window. They plan to
blame the government for the boy's death. The fall,
however, does not kill Alex, and government
psychologists reverse Ludovico's Technique on him
while he is unconscious, so that, when he comes to,
he is back to his old happy, violent self. He gets back
to his old tricks for a while, with a new gang, but he's
growing up and begins to get tired of his thug's life. At
the end of the book, he starts thinking about settling
down, marrying, and having a son.

OFFICIAL ANALYSIS - THEMES

(Emphatically not to be used to replace your own
analysis, which should be the primary content of your
answers at year 12)

A Clockwork Orange is a novel with a very tight,

carefully planned structure. Alex's narration is divided
Alex is sentenced to fourteen years in prison. But, into three parts of seven chapters each, which fall
after only two years there, he is chosen as an ideal into a tidy ABA pattern: Parts I and III take place in
first candidate for a new treatment called Ludovico's Alex's hometown, while Part II takes place in prison. In
Technique. This is a brain-washing method that Parts I and III, our protagonist is called Alex; in Part II,
involves showing Alex violent films after he has been he is only "6655321," his identification number in the
injected with a substance that makes him feel prison. The question repeated at the beginning of
extremely ill, so that the violence and the feeling of each of the three parts—"What's it going to be then,
sickness become linked in his mind. After two weeks eh?"—is asked in Parts I and III by Alex, but by the
of the treatment, Alex is so thoroughly conditioned prison chaplain in Part II. These are just a few of the
that the injection is no longer necessary: If he so ways that Burgess brings it to our attention that
much as thinks a violent thought, he becomes Parts I and III mirror each other, like a repeated motif
extremely ill. As an unforeseen side effect, hearing in a symphony or a poem, separated by the very
classical music provokes in Alex the same response different Part II.
as does violence because classical music is on the
soundtrack of many of the films he was shown. After The most explicit thematic concern of A Clockwork
his treatment, he is released, thoroughly harmless. Orange is enunciated by the alcoholic prison chaplain
The government boasts of Alex's treatment as a in his chat with Alex in Part II, Chapter 3. Before Alex
great victory for law and order and plans to goes for his two weeks of Ludovico's Technique, the
implement it on a wide scale. chaplain takes him aside and muses on the moral
When Alex is released, he has no idea what to do. questions raised by this method of conditioning by
The people he wronged in the past take their revenge which Alex will be forced to be good: "What does God
on him; now they can hit him, and he is unable to hit want? Does God want goodness or the choice of
back. Dim, his old friend, and Billyboy, an old enemy, goodness? Is a man who chooses the bad perhaps

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 CLOCKWORK ORANGE STUDY GUIDE 2009

in some way better than a man who has the good machine, the "clockwork orange" of the title, Alex is
imposed upon him?" Alex pays little attention at the unable to choose the good, although he may do good
time to these questions, for all of his attention is fixed acts. This is what the chaplain is referring to when he
on the prospect of getting out of prison at whatever says to Alex, "You are passing now to a region where
cost, and he does not yet understand the nature of you will be beyond the reach of the power of prayer
Ludovico's Technique. The reader, however, is advised (Part II, Chapter 3)." Once we consider morality in this
to pay close attention because, in these questions, light, we can even judge that Alex was morally better,
the chaplain puts much of the ethical meat of the in a way, when he is the violent tough of Part I rather
book into its most concise expression. than after his conditioning by the psychologists: He is,
at least, by actively choosing evil, affirming his
A Clockwork Orange is largely a parable about free capacity to choose, and the possibility of true and
will. Ludovico's Technique is a scientific method for heartfelt redemption is open to him. The pleasure
taking moral choice away from troublesome Alex takes in music in Part I, followed by the revulsion
criminals: After being conditioned, the person he feels at it after his treatment, symbolizes on
subjected to this treatment feels intense pain and another level what the priest meant by Alex entering
nausea whenever he has a violent thought. The a place beyond the reach of prayer: As Burgess has
criminal is forced to be good. This is totalitarianism written, commenting when conditioning makes
on the most intimate level; the criminal's own brain Mozart and Beethoven trigger in Alex the horrible
becomes a police state—as Alex puts it when he had sickness, "the gates of heaven are closed to the boy,
a violent thought, "skorry [quick] as a shot came the since music is a figure of celestial bliss."
sickness, like a detective that had been watching
round a corner and now followed to make his grahzny At the end, after state psychologists deprogram him,
[dirty] arrest (Part II, Chapter 7)." Ludovico's undoing the work of Ludovico's Treatment, Alex
Technique makes Alex "as decent a lad as you would begins to make his way toward a fuller realization of
meet on a May morning, unvicious, unviolent...inclined his capacity to choose. First, he goes back to his old
to the kindly word and the helpful act (Part II, Chapter ways as a hooligan, but then he begins to grow tired
7)," but his good actions are the result of his desire to of that life. As a teenage criminal, he affirms his
avoid the horrible feeling of sickness that comes power of choice in one way, by emphatically choosing
when he is violent or bad—they are the result of a evil, but, because he acts without consideration and
forced self-interest not of any genuine desire to do forethought, he is not truly free. As he muses in the
good. As the prison chaplain says, after the scientists last chapter, being young is like being a tin wind-up toy
demonstrate how effectively they have conditioned that "itties [goes] in a straight line and bangs straight
Alex to be good by showing how the boy not only does into things bang and it cannot help what it is doing."
not fight back when someone insults and beats him When he begins to grow up a bit, he begins to reflect
but actually gets down and licks his attacker's boots, more on his actions, and, in doing so, he works his
"He has no real choice, has he? Self-interest, fear way toward a more complete and real freedom. This
of physical pain, drove him to that grotesque act of last chapter fits the story of Alex into a recognizable
self-abasement. Its insincerity was clearly to be Christian shape of sin followed by redemption. He
seen. He ceases to be a wrongdoer. He ceases also finally answers the question—"What's it going to be
to be a creature of moral choice (Part II, Chapter then, eh?"—that came up at the beginning of each
7)." section of the novel, and, by doing so, affirms his
freedom to choose. His final and free choice of the
Burgess, with the chaplain, takes the Christian moral good, of leaving the violence behind him, brings him to
position that it's the free choice to do good, and not a moral level infinitely higher than the forced
the good action, that really matters; in an interview, harmlessness of his conditioning, which cut off his
he said, "I still maintain, more than ever I did, that it's ability to choose and grow up.
the only thing we have, that this capacity to choose is
the big human attribute." The story of Alex is largely a
moral parable, showing what happens when the
human capacity to choose is ignored in the name of
the good of society. Ludovico's Technique, by robbing
Alex of this capacity, makes him inhuman; he
becomes, as F. Alexander puts it, "a little machine
capable only of good (Part III, Chapter 4)." As a little

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CHARACTERS:

Alex - Alex is both the protagonist and the narrator

of A Clockwork Orange. His use of language in his
narrative, spiked with "nadsat talk," is witty and agile,
with a strong rhythm. In Part I, he is a 15-year-old
hooligan, arrogant and without a grain of sympathy
for his victims, the extremely vicious leader of his
gang. His only purpose, when he commits his violent
crimes, is the experience itself; he seems to believe in
evil for evil's sake. He fantasizes, for example, about
nailing Jesus to the cross—such is the purity of his
commitment to evil. A sort of aesthete of violence, it
angers him when his chums go about their bloody
business without having a sense of style about it.
There is nothing in his background that can explain
why he is so vicious; as his state-appointed guidance indirectly leads the government scientists to remove
councilor, P.R. Deltoid, puts it to him, "You've got a Ludovico's clockwork from Alex's brain, making him
good home here, good loving parents, you've got not again truly human, "a creature of growth and capable
too bad of a brain. Is it some devil that crawls inside of sweetness," as we see at the very end of the book.
you?" His chief interest, besides rape, thievery, and
bloodying up innocent people, is classical music, Georgie - Georgie is the most ambitious of the gang
about which he is truly passionate. He remains pretty of boys Alex leads. He sees his chance when Alex
much the same Alex—although Ludovico's Technique punches Dim while they are hanging out at the
causes him, for a time, to act very differently from his Korova, making the boys resent Alex's autocratic
old self—until the very end of the book, when he ways. He leads the mutiny that results in Alex's arrest
begins to grow up and tire of violence. at the end of Part I and goes on to lead Dim and Pete
in their criminal adventures; but, only a year later, he
F. Alexander - F. Alexander, a young "intelligent type dies after being hit very hard on the head by a man
bookman type," as Alex calls him, is a subversive he and the gang are robbing. Unlike Alex, an exponent
writer, enraged at governmental repression. He is of violence for violence's sake, Georgie seems to be
the author of a book called A Clockwork Orange, a mostly interested in the money, arguing that the gang
screed, written in a very pompous style, against "[t]he should stop spending their time on criminal pranks
attempt to impose upon man, a creature of growth and move on to more lucrative robberies.
and capable of sweetness...laws and conditions
appropriate to a mechanical creation." He is entirely Dim - Dim is the biggest, the strongest, and the
committed to his political mission of ousting the stupidest in Alex's gang. Fastidious Alex is continually
government; when Alex shows up at his doorstep in irritated at Dim's slovenliness and vulgarity; when
Part III, F. Alexander, seeing him as both a victim of Dim, in his usual foolish way, makes a rude gesture to
the governmental repression that he loathes and a a woman singing a bit of opera in the Korova, Alex
potential tool to be used against such repression, is gives him a good punch in the mouth. This incident
extremely "kind protecting and like motherly" toward triggers among the gang resentment against Alex's
Alex. But, he and his dissident chums see in Alex only autocratic ways and leads to the mutiny that ends in
a political weapon, a thing to be used—and this is Alex's arrest. In Part III, Dim has become a police
ironic, since they are all so enraged at how the officer—the result of a government policy to cut crime
government dehumanizes its citizens. When F. rates by recruiting young brutes into the police. He
Alexander begins to figure out that Alex was one of and Billyboy, who has also joined the police, beat up
the hooligans that broke into his house several years Alex toward the end.
before and brutally raped his wife, the shock of which
killed her, he becomes bloodthirsty. F. Alexander and Pete - Pete is the most mild-mannered of the gang of
his friends impel Alex toward suicide— which both young hoodlums Alex leads; we see that he often
satisfies F. Alexander's thirst for revenge and takes a conciliatory attitude. Later, he leaves his
maximizes the use of Alex as a tool to make the hooligan days behind him and becomes a harmless
government look bad. However, this suicide attempt office worker. When Alex runs into Pete and his

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young pretty wife in a cafe, it starts him thinking

about growing up and finding a girl to settle down
with.

Billyboy - Billyboy is the leader of a rival teenage

gang, very similar to Alex's. Alex's posse and Billyboy's
often fight each other with knives and razors and
chains. Billyboy, who Alex, typically, seems to
especially abhor for his ugliness—"Billyboy was
something that made me want to sick just to viddy
[see] his fat grinning litso [face]"—seems to be a fairly
simple brute. Later on he, like Dim, joins the police
force to exercise his fondness for violence in a more
official capacity.

Prison Chaplain - In prison, Alex becomes friendly

with the chaplain, who lets him choose the music for
services and even sit in the chapel with the stereo on,
reading the Bible. The chaplain, while no hero—he is
an alcoholic and a careerist who doesn't speak out
against Ludovico's Technique until it is too late—gives
many of the themes of the novel their most concise
expression. He is strongly opposed to Ludovico's
Technique because, as a Christian, he believes in the
primary importance of the choice to do good. The
chaplain tries to explain his ethical reservations about
Ludovico's to Alex, asking, "What does God want?
Does God want goodness or the choice of goodness?
Is a man who chooses the bad perhaps in some way
better than a man who has the good imposed upon
him?" but Alex, who doesn't really know the first thing
about the treatment he is about to undergo, has no but his manner is insincere. Just like Dr. Brodsky and
idea what he is talking about. When Dr. Brodsky trots the rest of the scientists, he is responsible for ridding
Alex out before an audience to demonstrate how Alex of his free will and humanity by using Ludovico's
conditioning has transformed him, the chaplain finally Technique on him.
speaks out publicly against the treatment,
compromising his career. Minister of the Interior - The Minister of the Interior
orders the administrators of the jail to try Ludovico's
Dr. Brodsky - Dr. Brodsky is the psychologist in Technique on Alex. He wants to clean up the streets
charge of conditioning Alex using Ludovico's to win the favor of the people at whatever cost; he
Technique. It is hinted that he is in some ways does not care a bit about the ethics of what he
ethically worse than the vicious criminal he is treating; orders the scientists to do to Alex. He sees in
he knows nothing about music, which is, for Burgess, Ludovico's Technique a method by which the
a "figure of celestial bliss," but merely makes use of it government he belongs to could attain better and
as an "emotional heightener." We see also that, better control of the citizenry. At the end, he more or
during the treatment, Brodsky often laughs at Alex's less bribes Alex, with a new stereo and a position at
misery, just like the torturers in the films that Alex is the National Gramodisc Archives, to reverse the
shown. And when, during his demonstration of Alex damage that F. Alexander and his fellow subversives
before an audience, he says that his technique has had been able to do to the government in the field of
turned the boy into a "true Christian," we see how public opinion by making a scandal of Alex's
little a grasp he has on morality. attempted suicide. The Minister of the Interior is the
bland, smiling face of governmental repression.
Dr. Branom - Dr. Branom is Dr. Brodsky's rather
smarmy assistant. He acts very friendly toward Alex,

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Alex's parents - Alex's background is perfectly

decent and ordinary—there's no sexual abuse or PREVIOUS EXAMINATION QUESTIONS:
broken family or extreme poverty or domestic
violence in his past. His parents, still married, are  Analyse how ONE or MORE minor character(s) helped
thoroughly decent people. His mother is forever doing you understand a main character.
kind motherly things for Alex, like leaving little suppers Note: “Character” can refer to an individual in a non-
out for him on the table for when he comes back fiction text.
from his criminal adventures. They are, however, very  Analyse how an important setting was made realistic
meek; they seem to be frightened of their son and let or believable.
him bully them. They are frightened of knowing too  Analyse how techniques were used to strongly affect
much about their son's activities. your emotions in ONE or TWO key sections.
 Analyse how links between the beginning and end
Joe - Joe is the lodger that Alex's parents take when helped you understand a main theme or issue.
their son is sent to jail. He is outraged at what he  Analyse how your text managed to be BOTH entertain-
hears about Alex and is extremely rude to Alex when ing AND thought-provoking.
the boy comes back. Joe has, Alex finds, taken over  Analyse how ONE main character’s attempts to solve a
his role of son. problem were important to the text as a whole.
Note: “Character” can refer to an individual in a non-
P.R. Deltoid - Deltoid is Alex's state-appointed "Post- fiction text.
Corrective Advisor;" his job is to keep Alex out of
trouble. Because he thinks of human behavior
according to a deterministic scheme, he cannot for
the life of him grasp why Alex, who comes from a
good unbroken family and has a fine home life, is as
vicious as he is. When Alex is picked up by the police
at the end of Part I, Deltoid spits square in his face.

Marty and Sonietta - Marty and Sonietta are two

very young girls not more than ten. They seem to
want to be grown-up teenagers like the girls who
hang out at the Korova, but they get much more then
they bargained for when Alex, who finds them to be
annoying little empty-headed things, picks them up
and rapes them. They are so drunk that it takes them
a little while to realize what is happening to them, but
when they do, they start feebly punching him and call
him a "[b]east and hateful animal."

LINKS:

This guide was prepared using extensive material to

be found at the following online locations:

 http://www.geocities.com/athens/academy/1974/
summary.html
 http://www.sparknotes.com/lit/clockworkorange/
 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A_Clockwork_Orange

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EXAMINER’S REPORT:

Achieved Merit Excellence

Analyse specified aspect(s) of Analyse specified aspect(s) of Analyse specified aspect(s) of

extended written text(s), using extended written text(s) extended written text(s)
supporting evidence. convincingly, using supporting convincingly and with insight,
evidence. using supporting evidence.

Candidates who achieved this standard most candidates may know the text well. The candidates
commonly demonstrated the following skills could not move beyond a basic statement of fact in an
and/or knowledge: attempt to address the question, eg; “It was entertain-
ing because it was good” and what followed was a plot
summary or a discussion that did not explain what
 sound knowledge of their text in terms of characters, ‘good’ means.
theme, setting, structure, techniques
 wrote little – often less than 250 words
 ability to make specific references (or quotations) to
 did not answer all parts of the essay question
the text studied, and to use these to support their dis-
cussion  lacked knowledge of the text and supplied incorrect
 ability to show evidence that they have understood an details about character, names and plot
aspect or element(s) of the text  provided basic description – of setting, characters,
 studied and how it was presented or contributed to the theme, structure, rather than analysis
author’s purpose  did not support their discussion and provided little to
 ability to interpret the essay question correctly and no evidence from the text.
answer the question, often using lead sentences to
help keep focus, such as ‘this told us…’ or ‘we learn In addition to the skills and knowledge required for
that…’ Achievement candidates who achieved
 ability to respond to the ‘how’ and ‘why’ aspects of the the standard with Merit or Excellence commonly:
question
 ability to discuss ideas without relying too heavily upon  provided evidence of ‘thinking’ about the text, rather
plot. than just ‘learning’ the text. These candidates showed
considerable engagement with the text and an appre-
Candidates who did not achieve this standard ciation of it.
lacked some or all of the skills and  covered all aspects of the essay question fully
knowledge required for Achievement. They also  showed a knowledge of techniques and an understand-
commonly: ing about why they are used; their effects
 gave answers showing mature use of terminology,
 struggled to ‘decode’ the questions adequately or style, structure and interpretation of text
chose inappropriate questions for their studied text  provided their position as a reader
 did not address the question as a whole. There was a  conveyed insightful thoughts, often different in the in-
tendency for these candidates to write ‘pre-prepared’ terpretation of the author’s craft as compared to the
essays, with some attempt to manipulate the topic to ‘class notes’ approach
write about what they knew. Or, these candidates  integrated knowledge and understanding beyond the
‘dumped’ everything they knew about the text rather text; this was not contrived like those at achieved. They
than focussing on the question. were able to make clear connections within and be-
 did not seem to answer any particular question at all yond the text.
and just wrote all that they knew  featured analysis throughout the essay; not just in the
 wrote at a simplistic level (Level 1). These essays did conclusion
not demonstrate evidence of analysis, although the

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 CLOCKWORK ORANGE STUDY GUIDE 2009

 used conclusions as an opportunity to re-investigate Word Translation Origin

the author’s purpose in response to the essay ques- Russian: byezoomniyi/mad,
tion Bezoomny Mad insane
 showed wide knowledge of the text; could draw from Biblio Library Russian: biblioteka/library

across the text in discussion. Bitva Battle Russian: bitva/battle

Bog God Russian: Bog/God

Excellence Bolnoy Sick Russian: bolnoy/sick

Bolshy Big Russian: bolshoy/big

In the main essays gaining Excellence were Bratchny Bastard
Russian: vnyebrachnyi/
illegitimate
appreciative of the writer’s craft and how authors
Bratty Brother Russian: brat/brother
shape their work for particular effect. These essays
Britva Razor Russian: britva/razor
were generally well structured and expressed,
demonstrating higher levels of thinking. The essays Brooko Belly Russian: bryukho/abdomen

were usually in excess of 500 words. Some Brosay Throw Russian: brosat/to throw

excellence candidates demonstrated inter-textual Bugatty Rich Russian: bogaty/wealthy

knowledge and integrated the discussion. Cal Shit Russian: kal/excrement, faeces
Standard slang term: ie. cancer
Cancer Cigarette stick
Cantora Office Russian: kontora/office

VIEWPOINT: Carman Pocket Russian: karman/pocket

Russian: chai/tea (c.f. English
Chai Tea Slang: cha/tea)
A Clockwork Orange is written in first person Rhyming slang: Charlie Chaplin ->
Charlie Chaplain/Priest
perspective from a seemingly biased and unreliable Chaplain
source. Alex never justifies his actions in the Chasha Cup Russian: chashka/cup

narration, giving a good sense that he is somewhat Chasso Guard Russian: chasovoy/sentry
sincere; a narrator who, as unlikeable as he may Cheena Woman Russian: zhenshcheena/woman
attempt to seem, evokes pity from the reader Cheest Wash Russian: cheestit/to clean
through the telling of his unending suffering, and later Chelloveck Fellow Russian: chelovyek/person, man
through his realization that the cycle will never end. Chepooka Nonsense Russian: chyepookha/nonsense
Alex's perspective is effective in that the way that he Choodessny Wonderful Russian: choodesniyi/miraculous
describes events is easy to relate to, even if the Invented slang: chatter + mumble
situations themselves are not. He uses words that Chumble Mumble (?)
are common in speech, as well as Nadsat, the German: klopfen/hit & Dutch/
Clop Knock Malay: kloppen/to hit
speech of the younger generation.
Cluve Beak Russian: klyuv/beak

Collocol Bell Russian: kolokol/bell

Crark Yowl Unknown

NADSAT GLOSSARY: Crast Steal Russian: krast/steal

Creech Scream Russian: kreechat/scream

A comprehensive glossary of all the Nadsat words Cutter Money Unknown

used in the text, including their language of derivation Dama Lady Russian: dama/lady
is available at the site: Ded Old Man Russian: ded/grandfather

Deng Money Russian: dengi/money

http://www.geocities.com/athens/academy/ Devotchka Girl Russian: devochka/girl
1974/nadsat.html Dobby Good Russian: dobro/good

Domy House Russian: dom/house

Word Translation Origin Gypsy: dook/magic & Russian:
Dook Ghost dukh: spirit/shost
Word Meaning Origins

Appy polly Dorogoy Valuable Russian: dorogoi/expensive, dear

Apology schoolboy speak Russian: drat/to tear to pieces,
loggy Drat Fight to kill & drat'sya/to fight
Russian: babooshka/
Baboochka Old woman grandmother Drencrom A drug Invented slang: adrenochrome?

Baddiwad Bad schoolboy speak Droog Friend Russian: droog/friend

Banda Gang Russian: banda/band, gang Dva Two Russian: dva/two

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Word Translation Origin Word Translation Origin

Eegra Game Russian: igra/game Kot Tomcat Russian: kot/cat
Eemya Name Russian: imya/name Krovvy Blood Russian: krov/blood

Eggiweg Egg schoolboy speak Kupet To Buy Russian: kupit/to buy

Em Mum Invented slang: 'M' from "Mama" Lapa Paw Russian: lapa/paw

Fagged Tired English slang: tired Lewdies People Russian: lyudi/people

Possibly English: "filly" is a young Invented slang: related to
female horse, and "to horse Lighter Crone (?) "blighter"?
Filly Play around" means to indulge in
horseplay or frivolous activity.
Litso Face Russian: litso/face

A particular Lomtick Slice Russian: lomtik/slice (of bread)

Firegold Invented slang: Unknown
Loveted Caught Russian: lovit/to catch
drink
Forella Trout Russian: forel/trout Lubbilubbing Making love Russian: lyubit/to love

Gazetta Newspaper Russian: gazeta/newspaper Luscious Glory Hair Rhyming Slang: upper story/hair

Glazz Eye Russian: glaz/eye Malchick Boy Russian: malchik/boy

Gloopy Stupid Russian: glupiyi/foolish, stupid Malenky Little Russian: malyenkiyi/small

Godman Priest Invented slang: 'man of God' Maslo Butter Russian: maslo/butter

Golly Unit of Money

Invented slang: related to Merzky Filthy Russian: merzkiyi/loathsome, vile
'lolly' (money)
Messel Thought Russian: misl/thought
Goloss Voice Russian: golos/voice
Mesto Place Russian: mesto/place
Goober Lip Russian: guba/lip
Russian: militsiya/policeman,
Gooly To Walk Russian: gulyat/to walk, stroll Millicent Policeman possibly from French Milicien/
militia member
Gorlo Throat Russian: gorlo/throat
Minoota Minute Russian: minuta/minute
Govoreet To speak or talk Russian: govorit/to speak, talk
Molodoy Young Russian: molodoy/young
Grahzny Dirty Russian: gryazniyi/dirty
Moloko Milk Russian: moloko/milk
Grazzy Soiled Russian: gryazniyi/dirty
Russian: muzhchina/male human
Gromky Loud Russian: gromkii/loud Moodge Man being
Groody Breast Russian: grud/breast Morder Snout Russian: morda/snout

Gruppa Group Russian: gruppa/group Mounch Snack Invented slang: munch?

Guff Laugh Invented slang: short "guffaw" Mozg Brain Russian: mozg/brain

Gulliver Head Russian: golova/head Nachinat To Begin Russian: nachinat/to begin

Guttiwuts Guts schoolboy speak Nadmenny Arrogant Russian: nadmenniyi/arrogant

Invented slang: hen-corn & Russian: ending for numbers
Nadsat Teenage 11-19
Hen-korm Chickenfeed Possibly Russian: korm/animal
feed Nagoy Naked Russian: nagoi/naked
Horn To Cry Out Invented slang: sound a horn Russian: nazad/literally
Nazz Fool backwards (adv.)
Horrorshow Good, well Russian: khorosho/good

Hound-and- Neezhnies Underpants Russian: nizhniyi/lower (adj.)

corny Rhyming slang: corny
Nochy Night Russian: noch/night
Horny
In-out-in-out Sex Invented slang: obvious Noga Foot Russian: noga/foot

Interessovat To interest Russian: interesovat/ to interest Nozh Knife Russian: nozh/knife

Itty To go Russian: idti/to go Smelling (of Russian: nyukhat/to smell, take a

Nuking (scent) whiff
Jammiwam Jam schoolboy speak perfume)
Jeezny Life Russian: zhizn/life Oddy-knocky Lonesome Russian: odinok/lonesome

Russian: kartofel/potatoes or Odin One Russian: odin/one

Kartoffel Potatoes German: kartoffel/potatoes Okno Window Russian: okno/window
Keeshkas Guts Russian: kishka/intestines
Oobivat To Kill Russian: ubivat/to kill
Kleb Bread Russian: khleb/bread
Ookadeet To leave Russian: ukhodit/to leave
Klootch Key Russian: klyuch/key
Ooko Ear Russian: ukho/ear
Knopka Button Russian: knopka/push-button
Oomny Clever Russian: umniyi/clever
To Dig (Eng. Russian: kopat/to dig (a hole, Oozhassny Terrible Russian: uzhasniyi/terrible
Kopat ditch, etc)
idiom)
Oozy Chain Russian: uzy/bonds
Koshka Cat Russian: koshka/cat

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Word Translation Origin Word Translation Origin

Malay: Orang/Man (c.f. the Orang Russian: shaika/band (as of
Orange Man Utan ape) Shaika Gang thieves)
Osoosh To Dry Russian: osushat/to dry Sharp Female Invented slang: Unknown

Otchkies Eyeglasses Russian: otchki/glasses Sharries Balls Russian: shariki/marbles

Pan-handle Erection Invented slang Shest Pole Russian: pole

Pee Father Invented slang: 'P' from "Papa" Shilarny Concern Unknown

Peet To Drink Russian: pit/to drink Shive Slice, cut English slang: shiv-a knife

Pishcha Food Russian: pischa/food Shiyah Neck Russian: shyeya/neck

Platch To Cry Russian: plakat/to cry German: Schlager/club or bat

(more exactly, something you use
Platties Clothes Russian: platye/clothes Shlaga Club to hit with) & Possibly Dutch/
Malay: slaag/hit
Plenny Prisoner Russian: plenniyi/prisoner
Shlapa Hat Russian: shlyapa/hat
Plesk Splash Russian: pleskat/to splash
Shlem Helmet Russian: shlem/helmet
Pletcho Shoulder Russian: plecho/shoulder
Shoom Noise Russian: shum/noise
Plott Flesh Russian: plot/flesh
Russian: shutit/to fool; shut/
Podooshka Pillow Russian: podushka/pillow Shoot Fool (v.) joker
Russian: pol/sex (biological Sinny Movies, film Invented slang: from cinema
Pol Sex characteristic)
Skazat To say Russian: skazat/to say
Polezny Useful Russian: polezniyi/useful
Skolliwoll School schoolboy speak
Polyclef Skeleton key English: poly/many + clef/key
Skorry Quick, quickly Russian: skori/quick
Pony To understand Russian: ponimat/to understand
Skriking Scratching Invented slang: strike + scratch
Poogly Scared Russian: pugat/ to frighten
Skvat To Grab Russian: khvatat/to grab, snatch
Pooshka Gun Russian: pushka/cannon
Sladky Sweet Russian: sladkiyi/sweet
Pop-disk Pop-music disc Invented slang
Sloochat To happen Russian: sluchatsya/to happen
Prestoopnik Criminal Russian: prestupnik/criminal
Rhyming slang: Derived from Slooshy To listen, hear Russian: slushat/to hear
Pretty Polly Money 'lolly' (money) Slovo Word Russian: slovo/word
To lead Russian: privodit/to lead Smeck Laugh (n.) Russian: smekh/a laugh
Privodeet (somewhere)
somewhere
Smot To look Russian: smotret/to look
English slang: shortening of
Prod To produce 'produce' Sneety Dream Russian: snitsya/to dream

Ptitsa Girl Russian: ptitsa/bird Snoutie Tobacco, snuff Invented slang: related to snout?

Pyahnitsa Drunk Russian: pyanitsa/a drunkard Snuff It To Die English slang: to snuff is to kill

Rabbit Work Russian: rabota/work Russian: sobirat/to gather

Sobirat To Pick Up (people)
Radosty Joy Russian: radost/joy
Sod Bastard (idiom) English slang: from sodomite
Raskazz Story Russian: rasskaz/story
Sodding Fucking (idiom) English slang: from sodomy
Russian: rassudok/sanity,
Rasoodock Mind common sense Soomka Woman Russian: sumka/bag

Raz Time Russian: raz/occasion Soviet Advice, order Russian: sovyet/advice, council

Razdraz Upset Russian: razdrazhat/to irritate Spat,

Sleep Russian: spat/to sleep
Russian: razryvat/to rip; spatchka
Razrez To Rip razrezat/to cut
Spoogy Terrified Russian: spugivat/to frighten
Rooker Hand Russian: ruka/hand
Staja State Jail Invented Slang: State + Jail
Rot Mouth Russian: rot/mouth
Starry Old, ancient Russian: stariyi/old
Russian: rozha/ugly face or
Rozz Policeman grimace (possibly also, English Strack Horror Russian: strakh/fear
slang: Rozzer/policeman)
A particular Invented slang: synthetic
French: sabot/a type of shoe (?) Synthmesc mescaline
Sabog Shoe & Possibly Russian: sapog/a tall drug
shoe Tally Waist Russian: taliya/waist
Sakar Sugar Russian: sakhar/sugar German: Taschentuch/
Tashtook Handkerchief Hankerchief
Sammy Generous Russian: samoye/ the most
English slang: shortening of Tass Cup French: tasse/cup
Sarky Sarcastic 'sarcastic' archaic English, but cf Russian
Russian: skotina/colloquial: brute
Thou You "ты"
Scoteena "Cow" or beast
Tolchock To hit Russian: tolchok/a push, shove

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 CLOCKWORK ORANGE STUDY GUIDE 2009

Word Translation Origin Word Translation Origin

Toofles Slippers Russian: tuflya/slipper Zasnoot To Sleep Russian: zasnut/to fall asleep
Tree Three Russian: tri/three Zheena Wife Russian: zhena/wife

Vareet To "cook up" Russian: varit/to cook up Zoobies Teeth Russian: zubi/teeth

Washroom, French: W.C. (pron. vey-sey) / Doorbell/

Vaysay watercloset Zvonock Russian: zvonok/doorbell
toilet Bellpull
Veck Guy Russian: chelovyek/person, man Zvook Sound Russian: zvuk/sound

A particular Invented slang: Amphetamine

Vellocet (Speed - from English 'velocity'?)/
drug Cocaine?
Veshch Thing Russian: vesch/thing

Viddy To see Russian: vidyet/to see

Voloss Hair Russian: volos/hair

Von Smell (n.) Russian: von/stench

Vred To Harm Russian: vred/to harm

Warble Song English: sing, a bird's song

Yahma Hole Russian: yama/hole, pit

Yahoody Jew Semitic: Jewish

Yahzick Tongue Russian: yazik/tongue

Russian: yabloki/apples (cf.
Yarbles Balls, testicles marbles)
Yeckate To Drive Russian: yekhat/to go
Russian: zamechatelniyi/
Zammechat Remarkable remarkable

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