← 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 → Pt 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.

Mas com a devida deferência a um amigo tão excelente, e a um patriota tão merecedor, não posso concordar inteiramente com os seus sentimentos; pois quanto aos machos, o meu conhecido americano me assegurou, por frequente experiência, que a sua carne era geralmente dura e magra, como a dos nossos estudantes, pelo exercício contínuo, e o seu sabor desagradável, e que engordá-los não compensaria o custo.

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.

Quanto então às fêmeas, seria, penso eu, com humilde submissão, uma perda para o público, porque em breve se tornariam elas próprias reprodutoras: e além disso, não é improvável que algumas pessoas escrupulosas pudessem ser levadas a censurar tal prática, (embora de facto muito injustamente) como algo que beira a crueldade, o que, confesso, sempre foi para mim a mais forte objeção contra qualquer projeto, por melhor que fosse a intenção.

Vocabulary

Mas: mahss — Conjunction meaning 'but', used to contrast ideas.
com: kong — Preposition meaning 'with'.
a: ah — Definite article or preposition meaning 'the' or 'to'.
devida: deh-VEE-dah — Meaning 'due' or 'proper', as in due respect.
deferência: deh-feh-REN-syah — Respectful submission or courteous regard toward someone.
um: oong — Indefinite article meaning 'a' or 'one'.
amigo: ah-MEE-goo — Noun meaning 'friend'.
tão: towng — Adverb meaning 'so' or 'such', intensifying adjectives.
excelente: eh-seh-LEN-teh — Adjective meaning 'excellent' or 'outstanding'.
e: eh — Conjunction meaning 'and'.
patriota: pah-tree-OH-tah — Noun meaning 'patriot', one devoted to their country.
merecedor: meh-reh-seh-DOR — Adjective meaning 'deserving' or 'worthy'.
não: nowng — Negation word meaning 'no' or 'not'.
posso: POH-soo — First-person singular of 'poder', meaning 'I can'.
concordar: kong-kor-DAR — Verb meaning 'to agree' or 'to concur'.
inteiramente: in-tay-rah-MEN-teh — Adverb meaning 'entirely' or 'completely'.
os: oosh — Masculine plural definite article meaning 'the'.
seus: SAY-oosh — Possessive pronoun meaning 'his', 'her', or 'your' (plural).
sentimentos: sen-tee-MEN-toosh — Noun meaning 'feelings' or 'sentiments'.
pois: poysh — Conjunction meaning 'for', 'because', or 'since'.
quanto: KWAN-too — Pronoun or adverb meaning 'how much' or 'as for'.
aos: owsh — Contraction of 'a' and 'os', meaning 'to the' (masculine plural).
machos: MAH-shoosh — Noun meaning 'males', referring to male animals or persons.
o: oo — Masculine singular definite article meaning 'the'.
meu: MAY-oo — Possessive pronoun meaning 'my' (masculine singular).
conhecido: ko-nyeh-SEE-doo — Noun or adjective meaning 'acquaintance' or 'known'.
americano: ah-meh-ree-KAH-noo — Adjective or noun meaning 'American'.
me: meh — First-person singular object pronoun meaning 'me'.
assegurou: ah-seh-goo-ROH — Past tense of 'assegurar', meaning 'assured' or 'guaranteed'.
por: por — Preposition meaning 'by', 'for', or 'through'.
frequente: freh-KWEN-teh — Adjective meaning 'frequent' or 'recurring'.
experiência: esh-peh-ree-EN-syah — Noun meaning 'experience'.
que: keh — Conjunction or pronoun meaning 'that', 'which', or 'who'.
sua: SOO-ah — Possessive pronoun meaning 'his', 'her', 'its', or 'your'.
carne: KAR-neh — Noun meaning 'meat' or 'flesh'.
era: EH-rah — Imperfect tense of 'ser', meaning 'was' or 'used to be'.
geralmente: zheh-ral-MEN-teh — Adverb meaning 'generally' or 'usually'.
dura: DOO-rah — Adjective meaning 'hard' or 'tough'.
magra: MAH-grah — Adjective meaning 'lean' or 'thin', lacking fat.
como: KOH-moo — Conjunction or adverb meaning 'like', 'as', or 'how'.
dos: doosh — Contraction of 'de' and 'os', meaning 'of the' (masculine plural).
nossos: NOH-soosh — Possessive pronoun meaning 'our' (masculine plural).
estudantes: esh-too-DAN-tesh — Noun meaning 'students'.
pelo: PEH-loo — Contraction of 'por' and 'o', meaning 'by the' or 'through the'.
exercício: eh-zer-SEE-syoo — Noun meaning 'exercise' or 'physical activity'.
contínuo: kon-TEE-noo-oo — Adjective meaning 'continuous' or 'ongoing'.
seu: SAY-oo — Possessive pronoun meaning 'his', 'her', 'its', or 'your'.
sabor: sah-BOR — Noun meaning 'flavor' or 'taste'.
desagradável: deh-zah-grah-DAH-vel — Adjective meaning 'unpleasant' or 'disagreeable'.
engordá-los: en-gor-DAH-loosh — Verb phrase meaning 'to fatten them', to make them gain weight.
compensaria: kom-pen-sah-REE-ah — Conditional tense of 'compensar', meaning 'would compensate'.
custo: KOOSH-too — Noun meaning 'cost' or 'expense'.
Quanto: KWAN-too — Adverb meaning 'as for' or 'regarding', introducing new topic.
então: en-TOWNG — Adverb meaning 'then' or 'so', used for transitions.
às: ahsh — Contraction of 'a' and 'as', meaning 'to the' (feminine plural).
fêmeas: FEH-mee-ahsh — Noun meaning 'females', referring to female animals.
seria: seh-REE-ah — Conditional of 'ser', meaning 'would be'.
penso: PEN-soo — First-person singular of 'pensar', meaning 'I think'.
eu: EH-oo — First-person singular pronoun meaning 'I'.
humilde: oo-MEEL-deh — Adjective meaning 'humble' or 'modest'.
submissão: soob-mee-SOWNG — Noun meaning 'submission' or 'surrender to authority'.
uma: OO-mah — Feminine indefinite article meaning 'a' or 'one'.
perda: PER-dah — Noun meaning 'loss'.
para: PAH-rah — Preposition meaning 'for', 'to', or 'toward'.
público: POO-blee-koo — Noun or adjective meaning 'public' or 'the public'.
porque: por-KEH — Conjunction meaning 'because'.
em: eng — Preposition meaning 'in', 'at', or 'on'.
breve: BREH-veh — Adjective meaning 'brief' or 'short'; 'em breve' means 'soon'.
se: seh — Reflexive pronoun meaning 'oneself' or 'themselves'.
tornariam: tor-nah-REE-owng — Conditional of 'tornar', meaning 'would become'.
elas: EH-lahsh — Third-person feminine plural pronoun meaning 'they'.
próprias: PROH-pree-ahsh — Adjective meaning 'own' or 'themselves' (feminine plural).
reprodutoras: reh-proh-doo-TOH-rahsh — Noun meaning 'breeders' or 'reproducing females'.
além: ah-LENG — Adverb meaning 'beyond' or 'furthermore'; 'além disso' means 'moreover'.
disso: DEE-soo — Contraction of 'de' and 'isso', meaning 'of that' or 'from that'.
é: eh — Third-person singular of 'ser', meaning 'is'.
improvável: im-pro-VAH-vel — Adjective meaning 'unlikely' or 'improbable'.
algumas: al-GOO-mahsh — Indefinite pronoun meaning 'some' (feminine plural).
pessoas: peh-SOH-ahsh — Noun meaning 'people' or 'persons'.
escrupulosas: esh-kroo-poo-LOH-zahsh — Adjective meaning 'scrupulous' or 'morally careful' (feminine plural).
pudessem: poo-DEH-seng — Imperfect subjunctive of 'poder', meaning 'could' or 'might be able'.
ser: ser — Infinitive verb meaning 'to be'.
levadas: leh-VAH-dahsh — Past participle of 'levar', meaning 'led' or 'taken' (feminine plural).
censurar: sen-soo-RAR — Verb meaning 'to censure' or 'to criticize'.
tal: tal — Adjective meaning 'such' or 'such a'.
prática: PRAH-tee-kah — Noun meaning 'practice' or 'custom'.
embora: em-BOH-rah — Conjunction meaning 'although' or 'even though'.
de: deh — Preposition meaning 'of', 'from', or 'by'.
facto: FAK-too — Noun meaning 'fact'; 'de facto' means 'in fact'.
muito: MWEE-too — Adverb or adjective meaning 'very' or 'much'.
injustamente: in-zhoosh-tah-MEN-teh — Adverb meaning 'unjustly' or 'unfairly'.
algo: AL-goo — Pronoun or adverb meaning 'something' or 'somewhat'.
beira: BAY-rah — Noun meaning 'edge' or 'brink'; 'à beira de' means 'on the verge of'.
crueldade: kroo-el-DAH-deh — Noun meaning 'cruelty'.
confesso: kon-FEH-soo — First-person singular of 'confessar', meaning 'I confess'.
sempre: SEM-preh — Adverb meaning 'always'.
foi: foy — Past tense of 'ser/ir', meaning 'was' or 'went'.
mim: meeng — First-person singular prepositional pronoun meaning 'me'.
mais: mahysh — Adverb meaning 'more' or 'most'.
forte: FOR-teh — Adjective meaning 'strong' or 'powerful'.
objeção: ob-zheh-SOWNG — Noun meaning 'objection' or 'opposition'.
contra: KON-trah — Preposition meaning 'against'.
qualquer: kwal-KER — Pronoun or adjective meaning 'any' or 'whatever'.
projeto: pro-ZHEH-too — Noun meaning 'project' or 'plan'.
melhor: meh-LYOR — Adjective or adverb meaning 'better' or 'best'.
fosse: FOH-seh — Imperfect subjunctive of 'ser/ir', meaning 'were' or 'might be'.
intenção: in-ten-SOWNG — Noun meaning 'intention' or 'purpose'.

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