← A Modest Proposal: For preventing the children of poor people in Ireland, from being a burden on their parents or country, and for making them beneficial to the publick

A Modest Proposal: For preventing the children of poor people in Ireland, from being a burden on their parents or country, and for making them beneficial to the publick — Page 8

English → Spanish Full Text Level 9/10

But with due deference to so excellent a friend, and so deserving a patriot, I cannot be altogether in his sentiments; for as to the males, my American acquaintance assured me from frequent experience, that their flesh was generally tough and lean, like that of our schoolboys, by continual exercise, and their taste disagreeable, and to fatten them would not answer the charge.

Pero con el debido respeto hacia tan excelente amigo y tan meritorio patriota, no puedo estar del todo de acuerdo con sus opiniones; pues en cuanto a los varones, mi conocido americano me aseguró, por frecuente experiencia, que su carne era generalmente dura y magra, como la de nuestros escolares, debido al ejercicio continuo, y su sabor desagradable, y que cebarlos no compensaría el gasto.

Then as to the females, it would, I think, with humble submission, be a loss to the publick, because they soon would become breeders themselves: and besides, it is not improbable that some scrupulous people might be apt to censure such a practice, (although indeed very unjustly) as a little bordering upon cruelty, which, I confess, hath always been with me the strongest objection against any project, how well soever intended.

En cuanto a las hembras, creo, con toda humildad, que sería una pérdida para el público, porque pronto se convertirían ellas mismas en criadoras; y además, no es improbable que algunas personas escrupulosas pudieran estar inclinadas a censurar tal práctica, (aunque ciertamente de manera muy injusta) como algo que roza un poco la crueldad, la cual, confieso, ha sido siempre para mí la más fuerte objeción contra cualquier proyecto, por bien intencionado que esté.

Vocabulary

Pero: Conjunction meaning 'but,' introducing contrast or exception.
con: Preposition meaning 'with,' indicating accompaniment or manner.
el: Definite article 'the' for masculine singular nouns.
debido: Meaning 'due' or 'proper,' as in due respect.
respeto: Noun meaning 'respect,' regard shown toward someone.
hacia: Preposition meaning 'toward,' indicating direction or attitude.
tan: Adverb meaning 'so' or 'as,' used in comparisons.
excelente: Adjective meaning 'excellent,' of very high quality.
amigo: Noun meaning 'friend,' a person one knows well.
y: Conjunction meaning 'and,' connecting words or clauses.
meritorio: Adjective meaning 'meritorious,' deserving praise or reward.
patriota: Noun meaning 'patriot,' one devoted to their country.
no: Adverb meaning 'no' or 'not,' expressing negation.
puedo: First-person singular of 'poder,' meaning 'I can.'
estar: Verb meaning 'to be,' used for states or conditions.
del: Contraction of 'de' and 'el,' meaning 'of the.'
todo: Adjective or pronoun meaning 'all,' 'every,' or 'whole.'
de: Preposition meaning 'of' or 'from,' indicating origin or belonging.
acuerdo: Noun meaning 'agreement'; 'de acuerdo' means 'in agreement.'
sus: Possessive adjective meaning 'his,' 'her,' 'their,' or 'your.'
opiniones: Noun meaning 'opinions,' personal views or judgments.
pues: Conjunction meaning 'well,' 'since,' or 'therefore' in context.
en: Preposition meaning 'in' or 'on,' indicating location or time.
cuanto: 'En cuanto a' means 'as for' or 'regarding' something.
a: Preposition meaning 'to' or 'at,' indicating direction or goal.
los: Definite article 'the' for masculine plural nouns.
varones: Noun meaning 'males' or 'men,' referring to male persons.
mi: Possessive adjective meaning 'my,' indicating belonging to speaker.
conocido: Noun or adjective meaning 'acquaintance' or 'known person.'
americano: Adjective or noun meaning 'American,' relating to the Americas.
me: Reflexive or indirect object pronoun meaning 'me' or 'to me.'
aseguró: Past tense of 'asegurar,' meaning 'he/she assured' someone.
por: Preposition meaning 'by,' 'for,' or 'through' in various contexts.
frecuente: Adjective meaning 'frequent,' occurring often or repeatedly.
experiencia: Noun meaning 'experience,' knowledge gained through practice.
que: Conjunction or pronoun meaning 'that,' 'which,' or 'who.'
carne: Noun meaning 'meat' or 'flesh,' food from animal bodies.
era: Imperfect tense of 'ser,' meaning 'it was' or 'he/she was.'
generalmente: Adverb meaning 'generally' or 'usually,' in most cases.
dura: Adjective meaning 'tough' or 'hard,' not tender or soft.
magra: Adjective meaning 'lean,' having little fat content in meat.
como: Conjunction or adverb meaning 'like,' 'as,' or 'how.'
la: Definite article 'the' for feminine singular nouns.
nuestros: Possessive adjective meaning 'our,' for masculine plural nouns.
escolares: Noun or adjective meaning 'schoolchildren' or 'school-related.'
al: Contraction of 'a' and 'el,' meaning 'to the.'
ejercicio: Noun meaning 'exercise' or 'physical activity,' exertion of body.
continuo: Adjective meaning 'continuous' or 'constant,' without interruption.
sabor: Noun meaning 'flavor' or 'taste,' sensation perceived by tongue.
desagradable: Adjective meaning 'unpleasant' or 'disagreeable,' causing discomfort.
cebarlos: Infinitive 'cebar' plus pronoun; means 'to fatten them up.'
compensaría: Conditional of 'compensar,' meaning 'it would compensate' or offset.
gasto: Noun meaning 'expense' or 'cost,' money spent on something.
En: Preposition meaning 'in' or 'on,' indicating location or time.
las: Definite article 'the' for feminine plural nouns.
hembras: Noun meaning 'females,' referring to female animals or persons.
creo: First-person singular of 'creer,' meaning 'I believe' or think.
toda: Adjective meaning 'all' or 'entire,' feminine singular form.
humildad: Noun meaning 'humility,' the quality of being modest.
sería: Conditional of 'ser,' meaning 'it would be' in hypothetical context.
una: Indefinite article meaning 'a' or 'an' for feminine nouns.
pérdida: Noun meaning 'loss,' something no longer possessed or available.
para: Preposition meaning 'for' or 'in order to,' indicating purpose.
público: Noun or adjective meaning 'public,' the general population.
porque: Conjunction meaning 'because,' introducing a reason or cause.
pronto: Adverb meaning 'soon' or 'quickly,' in a short time.
se: Reflexive pronoun meaning 'himself,' 'herself,' 'itself,' or 'themselves.'
convertirían: Conditional of 'convertirse,' meaning 'they would become' something.
ellas: Subject pronoun meaning 'they,' referring to a feminine group.
mismas: Reflexive adjective meaning 'themselves,' emphasizing the subject itself.
criadoras: Noun meaning 'breeders,' females who raise or produce offspring.
además: Adverb meaning 'furthermore' or 'besides,' adding additional information.
es: Third-person singular of 'ser,' meaning 'it is' or 'he/she is.'
improbable: Adjective meaning 'improbable' or 'unlikely,' not expected to happen.
algunas: Adjective meaning 'some,' referring to an unspecified feminine group.
personas: Noun meaning 'persons' or 'people,' individual human beings.
escrupulosas: Adjective meaning 'scrupulous,' having strong moral principles or qualms.
pudieran: Imperfect subjunctive of 'poder,' meaning 'they might be able.'
inclinadas: Adjective meaning 'inclined' or 'disposed,' tending toward something.
censurar: Verb meaning 'to censure' or 'criticize,' to express disapproval.
tal: Adjective meaning 'such' or 'such a,' referring to something mentioned.
práctica: Noun meaning 'practice,' a habitual or customary action performed.
aunque: Conjunction meaning 'although' or 'even though,' introducing concession.
ciertamente: Adverb meaning 'certainly' or 'surely,' expressing strong affirmation.
manera: Noun meaning 'manner' or 'way,' a method or mode of action.
muy: Adverb meaning 'very,' intensifying the adjective or adverb following.
injusta: Adjective meaning 'unjust' or 'unfair,' not morally right.
algo: Pronoun or adverb meaning 'something' or 'somewhat,' indefinite reference.
roza: Verb 'rozar' meaning 'to border on' or 'graze,' nearly touch.
un: Indefinite article meaning 'a' or 'an' for masculine nouns.
poco: Adverb or adjective meaning 'a little' or 'a bit,' small amount.
crueldad: Noun meaning 'cruelty,' willful causing of pain or suffering.
cual: Relative pronoun meaning 'which' or 'who,' referring to prior noun.
confieso: First-person of 'confesar,' meaning 'I confess' or admit openly.
ha: Third-person singular of 'haber,' auxiliary verb meaning 'has.'
sido: Past participle of 'ser,' meaning 'been,' used in perfect tenses.
mí: Prepositional pronoun meaning 'me,' used after prepositions like 'para.'
más: Adverb or adjective meaning 'more,' indicating greater degree or quantity.
fuerte: Adjective meaning 'strong' or 'powerful,' having great force or intensity.
objeción: Noun meaning 'objection,' a reason given in opposition to something.
contra: Preposition meaning 'against,' indicating opposition or contrast.
cualquier: Adjective meaning 'any' or 'whatever,' referring to an unspecified item.
proyecto: Noun meaning 'project' or 'plan,' a proposed scheme or undertaking.
bien: Adverb or noun meaning 'well' or 'good,' indicating positive quality.
intencionado: Adjective meaning 'well-intentioned,' having good or benevolent intentions.
esté: Present subjunctive of 'estar,' meaning 'that it be' or 'is.'

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