← Gulliver's Travels into Several Remote Nations of the World

Gulliver's Travels into Several Remote Nations of the World — Page 1

English → Fr RICHARD SYMPSON. Level 8/10

RICHARD SYMPSON.

RICHARD SYMPSON.

A LETTER FROM CAPTAIN GULLIVER TO HIS COUSIN SYMPSON.

LETTRE DU CAPITAINE GULLIVER À SON COUSIN SYMPSON.

Written in the Year 1727.

Écrite en l'année 1727.

I hope you will be ready to own publicly, whenever you shall be called to it, that by your great and frequent urgency you prevailed on me to publish a very loose and uncorrect account of my travels, with directions to hire some young gentleman of either university to put them in order, and correct the style, as my cousin Dampier did, by my advice, in his book called "A Voyage round the world."

J'espère que vous serez prêt à reconnaître publiquement, chaque fois que vous en serez requis, que c'est par vos instances grandes et fréquentes que vous m'avez persuadé de publier un récit fort décousu et incorrect de mes voyages, avec instruction d'engager quelque jeune gentilhomme de l'une ou l'autre université pour les mettre en ordre et en corriger le style, comme mon cousin Dampier le fit, sur mon conseil, dans son livre intitulé « Un Voyage autour du monde ».

But I do not remember I gave you power to consent that any thing should be omitted, and much less that any thing should be inserted; therefore, as to the latter, I do here renounce every thing of that kind; particularly a paragraph about her majesty Queen Anne, of most pious and glorious memory; although I did reverence and esteem her more than any of human species.

Mais je ne me souviens pas de vous avoir donné le pouvoir de consentir à ce que quoi que ce soit fût omis, et encore moins à ce que quoi que ce soit fût inséré ; en conséquence, quant à ce dernier point, je renonce ici à tout ce qui est de cette nature ; notamment un paragraphe concernant Sa Majesté la reine Anne, de très pieuse et glorieuse mémoire ; bien que je lui portasse plus de révérence et d'estime qu'à aucun autre être de l'espèce humaine.

But you, or your interpolator, ought to have considered, that it was not my inclination, so was it not decent to praise any animal of our composition before my master Houyhnhnm: And besides, the fact was altogether false; for to my knowledge, being in England during some part of her majesty's reign, she did govern by a chief minister; nay even by two successively, the first whereof was the lord of Godolphin, and the second the lord of Oxford; so that you have made me say the thing that was not.

Mais vous, ou votre interpolateur, auriez dû considérer qu'il n'était pas dans mes intentions, et qu'il n'était pas non plus convenable, de louer quelque animal de notre composition devant mon maître Houyhnhnm : et de plus, le fait était entièrement faux ; car à ma connaissance, me trouvant en Angleterre durant une partie du règne de Sa Majesté, elle gouvernait bien par un premier ministre ; que dis-je, même par deux successivement, dont le premier était le lord de Godolphin, et le second le lord d'Oxford ; de sorte que vous m'avez fait dire ce qui n'était pas.

Vocabulary

LETTRE
A written message sent to someone.
DU
Contraction of 'de le', meaning 'of the'.
CAPITAINE
A military or naval officer of mid rank.
À
Preposition meaning 'to', 'at', or 'in'.
SON
Possessive adjective meaning 'his', 'her', or 'its'.
COUSIN
A relative who is a child of one's aunt or uncle.
Écrite
Past participle of 'écrire', meaning 'written'.
en
Preposition meaning 'in' or 'during' a time.
l'
Contracted definite article meaning 'the' before vowels.
année
A full calendar year, twelve months long.
J'
Contracted first-person singular subject pronoun meaning 'I'.
espère
To hope or expect something to happen.
que
Conjunction or pronoun meaning 'that' or 'which'.
vous
Second-person plural or formal pronoun meaning 'you'.
serez
Future tense of 'être', meaning 'you will be'.
prêt
Adjective meaning ready or prepared to do something.
à
Preposition meaning 'to', 'at', or 'in'.
reconnaître
To acknowledge, recognize, or admit something openly.
publiquement
Adverb meaning openly, in front of the public.
chaque
Adjective meaning 'each' or 'every' individual item.
fois
A time or instance of something occurring.
requis
Adjective meaning required, necessary, or demanded formally.
c'
Contracted demonstrative pronoun meaning 'it' or 'that'.
est
Third-person singular present of 'être', meaning 'is'.
par
Preposition meaning 'by', 'through', or 'per'.
vos
Possessive adjective meaning 'your' (plural or formal).
instances
Urgent requests or entreaties made to someone.
grandes
Adjective meaning large, great, or significant in size.
et
Coordinating conjunction meaning 'and'.
fréquentes
Adjective meaning happening often or repeatedly.
m'
Contracted first-person object pronoun meaning 'me'.
avez
Second-person plural present of 'avoir', meaning 'have'.
persuadé
Past participle meaning convinced or persuaded someone.
de
Preposition meaning 'of', 'from', or 'about'.
publier
To publish or release a work to the public.
un
Indefinite article or number meaning 'a' or 'one'.
récit
A narrative or account of events or experiences.
fort
Adverb meaning 'very' or 'greatly'; also a fortress.
décousu
Adjective meaning disjointed, incoherent, or rambling.
incorrect
Adjective meaning not correct, flawed, or inaccurate.
mes
Possessive adjective meaning 'my' (plural noun following).
voyages
Journeys or travels, especially long-distance ones.
avec
Preposition meaning 'with', expressing accompaniment or manner.
instruction
A directive or educational guidance given to someone.
d'
Contracted preposition 'de' used before vowels.
engager
To hire, engage, or enlist someone for a task.
quelque
Adjective meaning 'some' or 'a certain' unspecified one.
jeune
Adjective meaning young or youthful in age.
gentilhomme
A nobleman or gentleman of refined social standing.
une
Feminine indefinite article meaning 'a' or 'one'.
ou
Conjunction meaning 'or', presenting an alternative.
autre
Adjective or pronoun meaning 'other' or 'another'.
université
An institution of higher education and research.
pour
Preposition meaning 'for', 'in order to', or 'to'.
les
Definite plural article meaning 'the' (masc. or fem.).
mettre
To put, place, or set something somewhere.
ordre
Order, arrangement, or an instruction to do something.
corriger
To correct, fix, or improve errors in something.
le
Masculine singular definite article meaning 'the'.
style
A manner of writing, expression, or artistic form.
comme
Conjunction or adverb meaning 'as', 'like', or 'how'.
mon
Masculine possessive adjective meaning 'my'.
cousin
A relative who shares a grandparent or further ancestor.
fit
Simple past of 'faire', meaning 'did' or 'made'.
sur
Preposition meaning 'on', 'upon', or 'about'.
conseil
Advice, counsel, or a recommendation given to someone.
dans
Preposition meaning 'in', 'inside', or 'within'.
son
Possessive adjective meaning 'his', 'her', or 'its'.
livre
A book; also a unit of currency or weight.
intitulé
Past participle meaning titled or entitled, named as.
Un
Indefinite article or number meaning 'a' or 'one'.
Voyage
A journey or trip, especially a long one.
autour
Adverb or preposition meaning 'around' or 'surrounding'.
du
Contraction of 'de le', meaning 'of the'.
monde
The world; also 'people' in some contexts.
Mais
Conjunction meaning 'but', introducing a contrast.
je
First-person singular subject pronoun meaning 'I'.
ne
Negative particle used with 'pas' to negate verbs.
me
First-person singular object pronoun meaning 'me' or 'myself'.
souviens
To remember or recall something from the past.
pas
Negative particle completing negation with 'ne'.
avoir
To have; also auxiliary verb for compound tenses.
donné
Past participle of 'donner', meaning 'given'.
pouvoir
To be able to; also means 'power' as a noun.
consentir
To consent, agree, or give permission to something.
ce
Demonstrative adjective or pronoun meaning 'this' or 'that'.
quoi
Interrogative or relative pronoun meaning 'what'.
soit
Subjunctive of 'être', meaning 'be' or 'whether'.
fût
Imperfect subjunctive of 'être', meaning 'were' or 'be'.
omis
Past participle of 'omettre', meaning 'omitted' or 'left out'.
encore
Adverb meaning 'still', 'yet', or 'again'.
moins
Adverb meaning 'less' or 'fewer' in comparisons.
inséré
Past participle meaning inserted or included in text.
conséquence
A result or outcome following from an action.
quant
Used in 'quant à', meaning 'as for' or 'regarding'.
dernier
Adjective meaning last, final, or most recent.
point
A point, topic, or item under discussion.
renonce
To renounce, give up, or disclaim something formally.
ici
Adverb meaning 'here', indicating this place or text.
tout
Adjective or pronoun meaning 'all', 'every', or 'whole'.
qui
Relative or interrogative pronoun meaning 'who' or 'which'.
cette
Feminine demonstrative adjective meaning 'this' or 'that'.
nature
Nature; also character or kind of something.
notamment
Adverb meaning 'notably', 'particularly', or 'especially'.
paragraphe
A distinct section of text in a written document.
concernant
Preposition meaning 'concerning', 'regarding', or 'about'.
Sa
Possessive adjective meaning 'his', 'her', or 'its' (feminine).
Majesté
Title of respect used for a king or queen.
la
Feminine singular definite article meaning 'the'.
reine
A female monarch, the queen of a country.
très
Adverb meaning 'very', intensifying an adjective or adverb.
pieuse
Adjective meaning pious, devoutly religious, or faithful.
glorieuse
Adjective meaning glorious, celebrated, or of great renown.
mémoire
Memory; also a written memoir or dissertation.
bien
Adverb meaning 'well'; also adjective meaning 'good'.
lui
Third-person singular pronoun meaning 'him', 'her', or 'to him/her'.
plus
Adverb meaning 'more' or 'most' in comparisons.
révérence
Deep respect or esteem shown toward someone.
estime
Esteem, high regard, or respect for someone.
qu'
Contracted conjunction 'que' meaning 'than' or 'that'.
aucun
Adjective or pronoun meaning 'no', 'none', or 'any'.
être
To be; fundamental linking or auxiliary verb.
espèce
A species, kind, or type of being or thing.
humaine
Adjective meaning human, relating to humanity.
votre
Possessive adjective meaning 'your' (formal or plural).
auriez
Conditional of 'avoir', meaning 'you would have'.
dû
Past participle of 'devoir', meaning 'had to' or 'owed'.
considérer
To consider, think about, or regard something carefully.
il
Third-person masculine singular pronoun meaning 'he' or 'it'.
n'
Contracted negative particle 'ne' before a vowel.
était
Imperfect of 'être', meaning 'was' or 'were'.
intentions
Plans or aims one intends to carry out.
non
Adverb meaning 'no' or 'not', negating a statement.
convenable
Adjective meaning appropriate, suitable, or proper.
louer
To praise or to rent/hire something or someone.
animal
A living creature, member of the animal kingdom.
notre
Possessive adjective meaning 'our'.
composition
A written work or the act of composing something.
devant
Preposition meaning 'in front of' or 'before'.
maître
A master, teacher, or one in authority over others.
fait
A fact; past participle of 'faire' meaning 'done'.
entièrement
Adverb meaning entirely, completely, or wholly.
faux
Adjective meaning false, incorrect, or untrue.
car
Conjunction meaning 'because' or 'for', explaining reason.
ma
Feminine possessive adjective meaning 'my'.
connaissance
Knowledge or acquaintance with someone or something.
trouvant
Present participle of 'trouver', meaning 'finding' or 'being'.
Angleterre
The French name for England, country in Britain.
durant
Preposition meaning 'during' a period of time.
partie
A part, portion, or section of a larger whole.
règne
The reign or rule of a monarch over a country.
elle
Third-person feminine singular pronoun meaning 'she' or 'it'.
gouvernait
Imperfect of 'gouverner', meaning 'was governing' or 'ruled'.
premier
Adjective meaning first or primary; also prime minister.
ministre
A government minister or high-ranking political official.
même
Adjective or adverb meaning 'same', 'even', or 'itself'.
deux
The number two.
successivement
Adverb meaning successively, one after another in order.
dont
Relative pronoun meaning 'of which', 'whose', or 'from which'.
second
Adjective meaning second in order or position.
sorte
A sort, kind, or type; used in 'de sorte que'.
dire
To say or to tell; an infinitive verb.
← Previous Next →

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

Create free account →