← 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 2

English → It Full Text Level 9/10

But my intention is very far from being confined to provide only for the children of professed beggars: it is of a much greater extent, and shall take in the whole number of infants at a certain age, who are born of parents in effect as little able to support them, as those who demand our charity in the streets.

Ma la mia intenzione è ben lungi dall'essere limitata al solo provvedere ai figli dei mendicanti dichiarati: è di portata molto maggiore, e comprenderà l'intero numero di bambini ad una certa età, che sono nati da genitori di fatto altrettanto poco in grado di mantenerli, quanto coloro che chiedono la nostra carità per le strade.

As to my own part, having turned my thoughts for many years upon this important subject, and maturely weighed the several schemes of our projectors, I have always found them grossly mistaken in their computation.

Per quanto mi riguarda, avendo rivolto i miei pensieri per molti anni a questo importante argomento, e avendo soppesato con maturità i vari piani dei nostri progettisti, li ho sempre trovati grossolanamente in errore nei loro calcoli.

It is true, a child just dropt from its dam, may be supported by her milk, for a solar year, with little other nourishment: at most not above the value of two shillings, which the mother may certainly get, or the value in scraps, by her lawful occupation of begging; and it is exactly at one year old that I propose to provide for them in such a manner, as, instead of being a charge upon their parents, or the parish, or wanting food and raiment for the rest of their lives, they shall, on the contrary, contribute to the feeding, and partly to the clothing of many thousands.

È vero, un bambino appena nato dalla sua madre può essere nutrito dal suo latte, per un anno solare, con poco altro nutrimento: al massimo non più del valore di due scellini, che la madre può certamente procurarsi, o l'equivalente in avanzi, con la sua lecita occupazione di mendicante; ed è esattamente all'età di un anno che mi propongo di provvedere a loro in tale maniera che, invece di essere un peso per i loro genitori, o per la parrocchia, o di aver bisogno di cibo e vestiti per il resto della loro vita, essi contribuiranno, al contrario, al nutrimento, e in parte all'abbigliamento di molte migliaia di persone.

There is likewise another great advantage in my scheme, that it will prevent those voluntary abortions, and that horrid practice of women murdering their bastard children, alas!

Vi è inoltre un altro grande vantaggio nel mio piano, che impedirà quegli aborti volontari, e quella orribile pratica delle donne che uccidono i loro figli illegittimi, ahimè!

Vocabulary

Ma: ma — Conjunction meaning 'but,' introducing a contrast.
la: la — Definite article or pronoun meaning 'the' or 'her.'
mia: mia — Possessive adjective meaning 'my' (feminine singular).
intenzione: in-ten-tsyo-ne — Noun meaning a plan or purpose one has in mind.
è: è — Third-person singular of 'essere,' meaning 'is.'
ben: ben — Adverb meaning 'well' or 'far' (before lungi).
lungi: lun-ji — Adverb meaning 'far' from something, often archaic.
dall': dall — Contraction of 'da' and 'la,' meaning 'from the.'
essere: es-se-re — Infinitive of the verb 'to be.'
limitata: li-mi-ta-ta — Adjective meaning restricted or confined in scope.
al: al — Contraction of 'a' and 'il,' meaning 'to the.'
solo: so-lo — Adjective or adverb meaning 'only' or 'alone.'
provvedere: prov-ve-de-re — Verb meaning to provide or make arrangements for someone.
ai: ai — Contraction of 'a' and 'i,' meaning 'to the' (plural).
figli: fi-lyi — Noun meaning 'children' or 'sons' of someone.
dei: de-i — Contraction of 'di' and 'i,' meaning 'of the' (plural).
mendicanti: men-di-kan-ti — Noun meaning beggars who ask for charity publicly.
dichiarati: di-kya-ra-ti — Adjective meaning declared or officially recognized as such.
di: di — Preposition meaning 'of' or 'from.'
portata: por-ta-ta — Noun meaning scope, range, or extent of something.
molto: mol-to — Adverb or adjective meaning 'very' or 'much.'
maggiore: mad-jo-re — Adjective meaning greater, larger, or more significant.
comprenderà: kom-pren-de-rà — Future tense of 'comprendere,' meaning 'will include.'
l': l — Elided definite article meaning 'the' before a vowel.
intero: in-te-ro — Adjective meaning whole, entire, or complete.
numero: nu-me-ro — Noun meaning a number or quantity of things.
bambini: bam-bi-ni — Noun meaning young children or kids (plural).
ad: ad — Preposition 'a' used before vowels, meaning 'at' or 'to.'
una: u-na — Indefinite article meaning 'a' or 'one' (feminine).
certa: cher-ta — Adjective meaning 'a certain' or particular, unspecified.
età: e-tà — Noun meaning age, a stage of life.
che: ke — Conjunction or pronoun meaning 'that,' 'which,' or 'who.'
sono: so-no — First or third-person plural of 'essere,' meaning 'are.'
nati: na-ti — Past participle of 'nascere,' meaning 'born.'
da: da — Preposition meaning 'from,' 'by,' or 'since.'
genitori: je-ni-to-ri — Noun meaning parents, a mother and father.
fatto: fat-to — Past participle of 'fare,' meaning 'done' or 'made.'
altrettanto: al-tret-tan-to — Adverb meaning 'equally' or 'just as much.'
poco: po-ko — Adjective or adverb meaning 'little' or 'not much.'
in: in — Preposition meaning 'in' or 'into.'
grado: gra-do — Noun meaning degree or ability; 'in grado di' means 'able to.'
mantenerli: man-te-ner-li — Verb with pronoun meaning 'to maintain them' or support them.
quanto: kwan-to — Conjunction or adverb meaning 'as much as' or 'how much.'
coloro: ko-lo-ro — Pronoun meaning 'those' people or those ones.
chiedono: kye-do-no — Third-person plural of 'chiedere,' meaning 'they ask.'
nostra: nos-tra — Possessive adjective meaning 'our' (feminine singular).
carità: ka-ri-tà — Noun meaning charity, generosity, or almsgiving.
per: per — Preposition meaning 'for,' 'through,' or 'in order to.'
le: le — Definite article meaning 'the' (feminine plural).
strade: stra-de — Noun meaning streets or roads (plural).
mi: mi — Reflexive or indirect object pronoun meaning 'me' or 'myself.'
riguarda: ri-gwar-da — Verb meaning 'concerns' or 'regards'; 'per quanto mi riguarda' means 'as far as I'm concerned.'
avendo: a-ven-do — Gerund of 'avere,' meaning 'having.'
rivolto: ri-vol-to — Past participle of 'rivolgere,' meaning 'turned' or 'directed.'
i: i — Definite article meaning 'the' (masculine plural).
miei: mye-i — Possessive adjective meaning 'my' (masculine plural).
pensieri: pen-sye-ri — Noun meaning thoughts or ideas (plural).
molti: mol-ti — Adjective meaning 'many' (masculine plural).
anni: an-ni — Noun meaning 'years' (plural).
a: a — Preposition meaning 'to,' 'at,' or 'in.'
questo: kwes-to — Demonstrative adjective meaning 'this' (masculine singular).
importante: im-por-tan-te — Adjective meaning significant or of great importance.
argomento: ar-go-men-to — Noun meaning subject, topic, or argument under discussion.
soppesato: sop-pe-sa-to — Past participle of 'soppesare,' meaning carefully weighed or considered.
con: kon — Preposition meaning 'with.'
maturità: ma-tu-ri-tà — Noun meaning maturity, thoughtfulness, or careful deliberation.
vari: va-ri — Adjective meaning 'various' or several different (plural).
piani: pya-ni — Noun meaning plans or schemes (plural).
nostri: nos-tri — Possessive adjective meaning 'our' (masculine plural).
progettisti: pro-jet-tis-ti — Noun meaning planners, designers, or project makers (plural).
li: li — Direct object pronoun meaning 'them' (masculine plural).
ho: o — First-person singular of 'avere,' meaning 'I have.'
sempre: sem-pre — Adverb meaning 'always' or 'ever.'
trovati: tro-va-ti — Past participle of 'trovare,' meaning 'found' (plural).
grossolanamente: gros-so-la-na-men-te — Adverb meaning grossly, crudely, or roughly in error.
errore: er-ro-re — Noun meaning mistake, error, or incorrect calculation.
nei: ne-i — Contraction of 'in' and 'i,' meaning 'in the' (plural).
loro: lo-ro — Pronoun or possessive meaning 'their' or 'them.'
calcoli: kal-ko-li — Noun meaning calculations or computations (plural).
È: è — Third-person singular of 'essere,' meaning 'it is.'
vero: ve-ro — Adjective meaning true, real, or genuine.
un: un — Indefinite article meaning 'a' or 'one' (masculine).
bambino: bam-bi-no — Noun meaning a young child or baby.
appena: ap-pe-na — Adverb meaning 'just,' 'barely,' or 'as soon as.'
nato: na-to — Past participle of 'nascere,' meaning 'born.'
dalla: dal-la — Contraction of 'da' and 'la,' meaning 'from the' (feminine).
sua: su-a — Possessive adjective meaning 'his,' 'her,' or 'its' (feminine).
madre: ma-dre — Noun meaning mother.
può: pwò — Third-person singular of 'potere,' meaning 'can' or 'is able.'
nutrito: nu-tri-to — Past participle of 'nutrire,' meaning nourished or fed.
dal: dal — Contraction of 'da' and 'il,' meaning 'from the' (masculine).
suo: su-o — Possessive adjective meaning 'his,' 'her,' or 'its' (masculine).
latte: lat-te — Noun meaning milk.
anno: an-no — Noun meaning year.
solare: so-la-re — Adjective meaning solar; 'anno solare' means calendar year.
altro: al-tro — Adjective or pronoun meaning 'other' or 'another.'
nutrimento: nu-tri-men-to — Noun meaning nourishment or food sustaining life.
massimo: mas-si-mo — Adjective or noun meaning maximum or at most.
non: non — Adverb of negation meaning 'not.'
più: pyù — Adverb meaning 'more' or 'no longer' (with negation).
del: del — Contraction of 'di' and 'il,' meaning 'of the' (masculine).
valore: va-lo-re — Noun meaning value, worth, or monetary amount.
due: du-e — Number meaning 'two.'
certamente: cher-ta-men-te — Adverb meaning certainly, surely, or without doubt.
procurarsi: pro-ku-rar-si — Reflexive verb meaning to obtain or procure for oneself.
equivalente: e-kwi-va-len-te — Adjective or noun meaning equivalent or equal in value.
avanzi: a-van-tsi — Noun meaning leftovers, scraps, or remains of food.
lecita: le-chi-ta — Adjective meaning lawful, permitted, or legitimate.
occupazione: ok-ku-pa-tsyo-ne — Noun meaning occupation, job, or employment.
mendicante: men-di-kan-te — Noun meaning a beggar who solicits charity from others.
ed: ed — Conjunction meaning 'and,' used before vowels.
esattamente: e-zat-ta-men-te — Adverb meaning exactly, precisely, or in just that way.
all': all — Contraction of 'a' and 'la,' meaning 'to the' before a vowel.
propongo: pro-pon-go — First-person singular of 'proporre,' meaning 'I propose.'
tale: ta-le — Adjective meaning 'such' or 'of this kind.'
maniera: ma-nye-ra — Noun meaning manner, way, or method of doing something.
invece: in-ve-che — Adverb meaning 'instead' or 'on the contrary.'
peso: pe-so — Noun meaning weight or burden placed on someone.
parrocchia: par-rok-kya — Noun meaning parish, a local church administrative district.
aver: a-ver — Infinitive of 'avere' (shortened), meaning 'to have.'
bisogno: bi-zo-nyo — Noun meaning need or necessity; 'aver bisogno' means 'to need.'
cibo: chi-bo — Noun meaning food or nourishment.
vestiti: ves-ti-ti — Noun meaning clothes or garments (plural).
il: il — Definite article meaning 'the' (masculine singular).
resto: res-to — Noun meaning remainder or rest of something.
della: del-la — Contraction of 'di' and 'la,' meaning 'of the' (feminine).
vita: vi-ta — Noun meaning life or lifetime.
essi: es-si — Third-person plural pronoun meaning 'they' (formal/literary).
contribuiranno: kon-tri-bwi-ran-no — Future tense meaning 'they will contribute' to something.
contrario: kon-tra-ryo — Adjective or noun meaning contrary, opposite, or reverse.
parte: par-te — Noun meaning part, share, or portion of something.
abbigliamento: ab-bi-lya-men-to — Noun meaning clothing, attire, or garments collectively.
molte: mol-te — Adjective meaning 'many' (feminine plural).
migliaia: mi-lya-ya — Noun meaning thousands (plural of 'migliaio').
persone: per-so-ne — Noun meaning people or persons (plural).
Vi: vi — Pronoun or adverb meaning 'there' or 'there is/are.'
inoltre: in-ol-tre — Adverb meaning 'furthermore' or 'in addition.'
grande: gran-de — Adjective meaning large, great, or significant.
vantaggio: van-tad-jo — Noun meaning advantage or benefit gained from something.
nel: nel — Contraction of 'in' and 'il,' meaning 'in the' (masculine).
mio: mi-o — Possessive adjective meaning 'my' (masculine singular).
piano: pya-no — Noun meaning plan, scheme, or strategy.
impedirà: im-pe-di-rà — Future tense of 'impedire,' meaning 'will prevent.'
quegli: kwel-yi — Demonstrative adjective meaning 'those' (masculine plural).
aborti: a-bor-ti — Noun meaning abortions or miscarriages (plural).
volontari: vo-lon-ta-ri — Adjective meaning voluntary or intentional (plural).
quella: kwel-la — Demonstrative adjective meaning 'that' (feminine singular).
orribile: or-ri-bi-le — Adjective meaning horrible, dreadful, or horrifying.
pratica: pra-ti-ka — Noun meaning practice or custom regularly performed.
delle: del-le — Contraction of 'di' and 'le,' meaning 'of the' (feminine plural).
donne: don-ne — Noun meaning women (plural).
uccidono: ut-chi-do-no — Third-person plural of 'uccidere,' meaning 'they kill.'
illegittimi: il-le-jit-ti-mi — Adjective meaning illegitimate children, born outside marriage.
ahimè: a-i-mè — Exclamation expressing sorrow or regret, meaning 'alas.'

← Previous Next →

Unlock audio playback, vocabulary games, and reading progress tracking.

Create free account →