← 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 12

English → It Full Text Level 9/10

It would encrease the care and tenderness of mothers towards their children, when they were sure of a settlement for life to the poor babes, provided in some sort by the publick, to their annual profit instead of expence.

Ciò aumenterebbe la cura e la tenerezza delle madri verso i loro figli, quando fossero sicure di una sistemazione a vita per i poveri bambini, garantita in qualche modo dal pubblico, a loro vantaggio annuale invece che a loro spesa.

We should soon see an honest emulation among the married women, which of them could bring the fattest child to the market.

Vedremmo presto un'onesta emulazione tra le donne sposate, su quale di loro potesse portare il bambino più grasso al mercato.

Men would become as fond of their wives, during the time of their pregnancy, as they are now of their mares in foal, their cows in calf, or sows when they are ready to farrow; nor offer to beat or kick them (as is too frequent a practice) for fear of a miscarriage.

Gli uomini diventerebbero tanto affezionati alle loro mogli, durante il periodo della gravidanza, quanto lo sono ora delle loro cavalle gravide, delle loro vacche in attesa di vitello, o delle scrofe quando sono pronte a figliare; né si permetterebbero di picchiarle o calpestarle (come è pratica troppo frequente) per paura di un aborto.

Many other advantages might be enumerated.

Molti altri vantaggi potrebbero essere enumerati.

For instance, the addition of some thousand carcasses in our exportation of barrel'd beef: the propagation of swine's flesh, and improvement in the art of making good bacon, so much wanted among us by the great destruction of pigs, too frequent at our tables; which are no way comparable in taste or magnificence to a well grown, fat yearling child, which roasted whole will make a considerable figure at a Lord Mayor's feast, or any other publick entertainment.

Per esempio, l'aggiunta di alcune migliaia di carcasse nella nostra esportazione di manzo in barile: la propagazione della carne di maiale, e il miglioramento nell'arte di fare del buon prosciutto, di cui abbiamo tanto bisogno a causa della grande distruzione di maiali, troppo frequente sulle nostre tavole; i quali non sono in alcun modo paragonabili per gusto o magnificenza a un bambino ben cresciuto e grasso di un anno, che arrostito intero farà una figura considerevole al banchetto di un Lord Mayor, o a qualsiasi altro intrattenimento pubblico.

But this, and many others, I omit, being studious of brevity.

Ma questo, e molti altri, li ometto, essendo studioso della brevità.

Vocabulary

Ciò: cho — That, this; demonstrative pronoun referring to something mentioned.
aumenterebbe: ow-men-teh-REB-beh — It would increase; conditional tense of aumentare.
la: lah — The; feminine singular definite article.
cura: KOO-rah — Care, attention, or treatment given to someone.
e: eh — And; basic coordinating conjunction.
tenerezza: teh-neh-RET-tsah — Tenderness, gentleness, or affectionate warmth.
delle: DEL-leh — Of the; feminine plural preposition-article contraction.
madri: MAH-dree — Mothers; plural of madre.
verso: VER-soh — Toward, towards; preposition indicating direction or relation.
i: ee — The; masculine plural definite article.
loro: LOH-roh — Their, they, them; third-person plural pronoun or adjective.
figli: FEE-lyee — Children, sons; plural of figlio.
quando: KWAHN-doh — When; temporal conjunction or adverb.
fossero: FOS-seh-roh — Were; imperfect subjunctive of essere, third person plural.
sicure: see-KOO-reh — Sure, certain, secure; feminine plural adjective.
di: dee — Of, from; very common Italian preposition.
una: OO-nah — A, an; feminine singular indefinite article.
sistemazione: see-steh-mah-TSYOH-neh — Arrangement, settlement, or provision for living situation.
a: ah — At, to; fundamental Italian preposition.
vita: VEE-tah — Life; existence or lifetime.
per: pehr — For, by, through; common Italian preposition.
poveri: POH-veh-ree — Poor; masculine plural adjective or noun.
bambini: bahm-BEE-nee — Children, babies; plural of bambino.
garantita: gah-rahn-TEE-tah — Guaranteed; feminine past participle of garantire.
in: een — In, into; basic Italian preposition of location.
qualche: KWAHL-keh — Some, any; indefinite adjective indicating an unspecified amount.
modo: MOH-doh — Way, manner, mode; how something is done.
dal: dahl — From the; masculine singular preposition-article contraction.
pubblico: POOB-blee-koh — Public; relating to the community or state.
vantaggio: vahn-TAH-djoh — Advantage, benefit, gain.
annuale: ahn-noo-AH-leh — Annual, yearly; occurring once per year.
invece: een-VEH-cheh — Instead, rather; used to contrast two alternatives.
che: keh — That, which, who; conjunction or relative pronoun.
spesa: SPEH-zah — Expense, cost, expenditure.
Vedremmo: veh-DREM-moh — We would see; conditional of vedere, first person plural.
presto: PRES-toh — Soon, quickly, early.
onesta: oh-NES-tah — Honest, upright; feminine adjective indicating integrity.
tra: trah — Between, among; preposition indicating position or relation.
le: leh — The; feminine plural definite article.
donne: DON-neh — Women; plural of donna.
sposate: spoh-ZAH-teh — Married; feminine plural past participle of sposare.
su: soo — On, upon, about; Italian preposition of position.
quale: KWAH-leh — Which, who; relative or interrogative pronoun.
potesse: poh-TES-seh — Could; imperfect subjunctive of potere, third person singular.
portare: por-TAH-reh — To bring, to carry, to take.
il: eel — The; masculine singular definite article.
bambino: bahm-BEE-noh — Child, baby, infant.
più: pyoo — More, most; comparative or superlative adverb.
grasso: GRAHS-soh — Fat, plump; adjective describing excess body weight.
al: ahl — To the, at the; masculine singular preposition-article contraction.
mercato: mer-KAH-toh — Market; place where goods are bought and sold.
Gli: lyee — The; masculine plural definite article before vowels or certain consonants.
uomini: WOH-mee-nee — Men; plural of uomo.
diventerebbero: dee-ven-teh-REB-beh-roh — They would become; conditional of diventare, third person plural.
tanto: TAHN-toh — So much, as much; adverb or adjective of quantity.
affezionati: ahf-feh-tsyoh-NAH-tee — Fond, attached, affectionate; masculine plural adjective.
mogli: MOH-lyee — Wives; plural of moglie.
durante: doo-RAHN-teh — During; preposition indicating a period of time.
periodo: peh-REE-oh-doh — Period, time span, phase.
della: DEL-lah — Of the; feminine singular preposition-article contraction.
gravidanza: grah-vee-DAHN-tsah — Pregnancy; the state of carrying a developing fetus.
quanto: KWAHN-toh — How much, as much; comparative or interrogative word.
lo: loh — Him, it; masculine singular direct object pronoun.
sono: SOH-noh — Are, am; present tense of essere.
ora: OH-rah — Now; at the present moment.
vacche: VAHK-keh — Cows; plural of vacca.
attesa: aht-TEH-zah — Waiting, expectation; in attesa means awaiting.
vitello: vee-TEL-loh — Calf; young cow, or veal as food.
pronte: PRON-teh — Ready; feminine plural adjective.
né: neh — Nor, neither; negative conjunction linking two clauses.
si: see — Oneself, themselves; reflexive pronoun.
permetterebbero: per-met-teh-REB-beh-roh — They would allow; conditional of permettere, third person plural.
come: KOH-meh — As, like, how; conjunction or adverb of comparison.
è: eh — Is; third person singular present of essere.
pratica: PRAH-tee-kah — Practice, habit, custom; something done regularly.
troppo: TROP-poh — Too much, too; adverb indicating excess.
frequente: freh-KWEN-teh — Frequent, common; occurring often.
paura: pah-OO-rah — Fear, fright; strong emotion of being afraid.
un: oon — A, an; masculine singular indefinite article.
aborto: ah-BOR-toh — Abortion, miscarriage; termination of pregnancy.
Molti: MOL-tee — Many; masculine plural adjective or pronoun of quantity.
altri: AHL-tree — Other, others; masculine plural adjective or pronoun.
vantaggi: vahn-TAH-djee — Advantages, benefits; plural of vantaggio.
potrebbero: poh-TREB-beh-roh — They could; conditional of potere, third person plural.
essere: ES-seh-reh — To be; fundamental auxiliary and copular verb.
esempio: eh-ZEM-pyoh — Example; instance used to illustrate a point.
aggiunta: ahd-JOON-tah — Addition, supplement; something added to a group.
alcune: ahl-KOO-neh — Some, a few; feminine plural indefinite adjective.
migliaia: mee-LYAH-yah — Thousands; plural noun indicating thousands of something.
nella: NEL-lah — In the; feminine singular preposition-article contraction.
nostra: NOS-trah — Our; feminine singular possessive adjective.
esportazione: es-por-tah-TSYOH-neh — Export, exportation; sending goods to another country.
manzo: MAHN-tsoh — Beef, ox; meat from cattle.
barile: bah-REE-leh — Barrel; cylindrical container for liquids or goods.
carne: KAR-neh — Meat, flesh; animal tissue used as food.
maiale: mah-YAH-leh — Pig, pork; animal or its meat.
miglioramento: mee-lyoh-rah-MEN-toh — Improvement, betterment; the act of making something better.
nell': nel — In the; elided form before a vowel.
arte: AR-teh — Art, skill, craft; creative or technical ability.
fare: FAH-reh — To do, to make; fundamental Italian verb.
buon: bwon — Good; masculine singular adjective before certain consonants.
prosciutto: proh-SHOOT-toh — Prosciutto, cured ham; Italian dry-cured salted ham.
cui: kwee — Of which, whom; relative pronoun indicating possession or relation.
abbiamo: ahb-BYAH-moh — We have; first person plural present of avere.
bisogno: bee-ZON-nyoh — Need, necessity; something required or lacking.
causa: KOW-zah — Cause, reason; what produces an effect.
grande: GRAHN-deh — Great, large, big; adjective of size or importance.
distruzione: dee-stroo-TSYOH-neh — Destruction; the act of destroying or demolishing something.
maiali: mah-YAH-lee — Pigs; plural of maiale.
sulle: SOOL-leh — On the; feminine plural preposition-article contraction.
nostre: NOS-treh — Our; feminine plural possessive adjective.
tavole: TAH-voh-leh — Tables; plural of tavola, dining or work surfaces.
quali: KWAH-lee — Which, who; relative or interrogative plural pronoun.
non: non — Not; basic Italian negation adverb.
alcun: ahl-KOON — Any; masculine singular indefinite adjective in negative context.
gusto: GOOS-toh — Taste, flavor, relish; sensory or aesthetic appreciation.
ben: ben — Well; adverb, shortened form of bene.
cresciuto: kreh-SHOO-toh — Grown, raised; past participle of crescere.
anno: AHN-noh — Year; period of twelve months.
arrostito: ahr-ros-TEE-toh — Roasted; past participle of arrostire, cooked by dry heat.
intero: een-TEH-roh — Whole, entire, complete.
farà: fah-RAH — Will make, will do; future tense of fare, third person singular.
figura: fee-GOO-rah — Figure, impression, appearance; how something presents itself.
considerevole: kon-see-deh-REH-voh-leh — Considerable, significant, noteworthy.
banchetto: bahn-KET-toh — Banquet, feast; formal large celebratory meal.
qualsiasi: kwahl-SYAH-zee — Any, whatever, whichever; indefinite adjective of any type.
altro: AHL-troh — Other, another, else; masculine singular adjective or pronoun.
intrattenimento: een-traht-teh-nee-MEN-toh — Entertainment, amusement; activity providing enjoyment.
Ma: mah — But; basic adversative conjunction.
questo: KWES-toh — This; masculine singular demonstrative adjective or pronoun.
molti: MOL-tee — Many; masculine plural adjective or pronoun.
li: lee — Them; masculine plural direct object pronoun.
ometto: oh-MET-toh — I omit; first person singular present of omettere.
essendo: es-SEN-doh — Being; gerund of essere, used in subordinate clauses.
studioso: stoo-DYOH-zoh — Studious, scholar; devoted to study or brevity here ironically.
brevità: breh-vee-TAH — Brevity, conciseness; quality of being brief or short.

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