Jane Eyre: An Autobiography — Page 1

English → Spanish BY THE AUTHOR PREFACE Level 7/10

A preface to the first edition of "Jane Eyre" being unnecessary, I gave none: this second edition demands a few words both of acknowledgment and miscellaneous remark.

Al no ser necesario un prefacio para la primera edición de «Jane Eyre», no proporcioné ninguno: esta segunda edición exige unas pocas palabras tanto de reconocimiento como de observaciones varias.

My thanks are due in three quarters.

Mi agradecimiento se dirige a tres destinatarios.

To the Public, for the indulgent ear it has inclined to a plain tale with few pretensions.

Al Público, por el oído indulgente que ha prestado a un relato sencillo y de pocas pretensiones.

To the Press, for the fair field its honest suffrage has opened to an obscure aspirant.

A la Prensa, por el terreno favorable que su honesto apoyo ha abierto a una aspirante desconocida.

To my Publishers, for the aid their tact, their energy, their practical sense and frank liberality have afforded an unknown and unrecommended Author.

A mis Editores, por la ayuda que su tacto, su energía, su sentido práctico y su franca generosidad han brindado a una Autora desconocida y sin recomendaciones.

The Press and the Public are but vague personifications for me, and I must thank them in vague terms; but my Publishers are definite: so are certain generous critics who have encouraged me as only large-hearted and high-minded men know how to encourage a struggling stranger; to them, _i.e._, to my Publishers and the select Reviewers, I say cordially, Gentlemen, I thank you from my heart.

La Prensa y el Público no son para mí más que vagas personificaciones, y debo agradecerles en términos igualmente vagos; pero mis Editores son concretos: al igual que ciertos generosos críticos que me han alentado como solo los hombres de gran corazón y elevada mente saben alentar a un desconocido que lucha por abrirse camino; a ellos, es decir, a mis Editores y a los selectos Críticos, les digo cordialmente: Señores, les agradezco de todo corazón.

Having thus acknowledged what I owe those who have aided and approved me, I turn to another class; a small one, so far as I know, but not, therefore, to be overlooked.

Habiendo reconocido así lo que debo a quienes me han ayudado y apoyado, me dirijo ahora a otra clase; una pequeña, hasta donde yo sé, pero que no por ello debe pasarse por alto.

I mean the timorous or carping few who doubt the tendency of such books as "Jane Eyre:" in whose eyes whatever is unusual is wrong; whose ears detect in each protest against bigotry—that parent of crime—an insult to piety, that regent of God on earth.

Me refiero a esos pocos tímidos o criticones que dudan de la tendencia de libros como «Jane Eyre»: a cuyos ojos todo lo inusual es incorrecto; cuyos oídos detectan en cada protesta contra el fanatismo —ese padre del crimen— un insulto a la piedad, esa regente de Dios en la tierra.

Vocabulary

Al: Contraction of 'a' and 'el', meaning 'to the'
no: Negation word meaning 'no' or 'not'
ser: To be (permanent or inherent characteristics)
necesario: Necessary; required or essential for something
un: Indefinite article meaning 'a' or 'an'
prefacio: Preface; introductory section of a book
para: Preposition meaning 'for' or 'in order to'
la: Definite article 'the' for feminine nouns
primera: First; feminine form of ordinal number one
edición: Edition; a particular version of a published work
de: Preposition meaning 'of' or 'from'
proporcioné: I provided or supplied something to someone
ninguno: None; not any; used to negate existence of something
esta: This; feminine demonstrative adjective or pronoun
segunda: Second; feminine ordinal number following first
exige: Demands or requires something; third person singular
unas: Some; indefinite article for feminine plural nouns
pocas: Few; a small number of feminine plural things
palabras: Words; units of spoken or written language
tanto: As much; so much; to such a degree
reconocimiento: Recognition; acknowledgment of someone's contribution or merit
como: As; like; used for comparison or similarity
observaciones: Observations; remarks or comments about something noticed
varias: Several; various feminine plural things or people
Mi: My; first person singular possessive adjective
agradecimiento: Gratitude; thankfulness expressed toward others
se: Reflexive pronoun used with third person verbs
dirige: Is directed toward; aims at someone or something
a: Preposition meaning 'to' or 'at'
tres: Three; the cardinal number between two and four
destinatarios: Recipients; those to whom something is addressed
Público: Public; general audience or readership of a work
por: For; by; because of; through; preposition with many uses
el: Definite article 'the' for masculine singular nouns
oído: Ear; the sense of hearing; attentive listening
indulgente: Indulgent; lenient; tolerant of faults or shortcomings
que: That; which; who; relative or subordinating conjunction
ha: Has; auxiliary verb for present perfect tense
prestado: Lent; given temporarily; past participle of prestar
relato: Story; narrative account of events or experiences
sencillo: Simple; straightforward; without complexity or pretension
y: And; coordinating conjunction joining words or clauses
pretensiones: Pretensions; claims to importance or social status
A: Preposition meaning 'to' or 'at'
Prensa: Press; newspapers and media publishing industry
terreno: Ground; terrain; favorable space or opportunity
favorable: Favorable; positive and supportive toward something
su: His; her; its; your; their possessive adjective
honesto: Honest; truthful and straightforward in actions
apoyo: Support; backing; assistance given to someone
abierto: Open; openly given or expressed without concealment
una: Indefinite article 'a' or 'an' for feminine nouns
aspirante: Aspiring person; candidate seeking to achieve something
desconocida: Unknown; unfamiliar woman not yet recognized publicly
mis: My; first person plural possessive adjective
Editores: Publishers; editors who manage and publish written works
ayuda: Help; assistance offered to someone in need
tacto: Tact; sensitivity and skill in dealing with others
energía: Energy; vigor and drive applied to tasks
sentido: Sense; judgment; practical understanding of situations
práctico: Practical; useful and effective in real situations
franca: Frank; open and direct in speech or expression
generosidad: Generosity; willingness to give freely to others
han: Have; third person plural auxiliary verb, present perfect
brindado: Offered; provided; past participle of brindar
Autora: Author; female writer of a literary work
sin: Without; lacking something specified
recomendaciones: Recommendations; endorsements or supporting references from others
La: Definite article 'the' for feminine singular nouns
son: Are; third person plural of verb ser
mí: Me; first person singular pronoun used after prepositions
más: More; most; comparative adverb indicating greater degree
vagas: Vague; imprecise; lacking clarity or specific detail
personificaciones: Personifications; abstract ideas represented as human figures
debo: I must; I owe; first person of deber
agradecerles: To thank them; express gratitude to specific people
en: In; at; on; preposition indicating location or manner
términos: Terms; words or expressions used in a context
igualmente: Equally; likewise; in the same manner or degree
vagos: Vague; imprecise; also means lazy in other contexts
pero: But; however; conjunction introducing a contrast
concretos: Concrete; specific and definite rather than vague
al: Contraction of 'a' and 'el' meaning 'to the'
igual: Equal; same; similar in degree or quality
ciertos: Certain; some specific people or things mentioned
generosos: Generous; giving and kind toward others
críticos: Critics; people who review and evaluate literary works
me: Me; first person singular object pronoun
alentado: Encouraged; given courage or motivation to continue
solo: Only; alone; just; without others
los: The; definite article for masculine plural nouns
hombres: Men; adult male human beings
gran: Great; large; significant in magnitude or importance
corazón: Heart; emotional center; courage and compassion
elevada: Elevated; lofty; raised in quality or moral standing
mente: Mind; intellectual faculty for thinking and reasoning
saben: They know; third person plural of saber
alentar: To encourage; to inspire someone to keep going
desconocido: Unknown person; someone not yet recognized or famous
lucha: Struggle; fight; effort to overcome difficulty
abrirse: To open oneself; to carve out a path forward
camino: Path; road; way forward toward a goal
ellos: They; third person masculine plural subject pronoun
es: Is; third person singular present tense of ser
decir: To say; to tell; also used in 'es decir' (that is)
selectos: Select; chosen; distinguished among a larger group
Críticos: Critics; reviewers who assess literary or artistic works
les: To them; indirect object pronoun for third person plural
digo: I say; first person singular present of decir
cordialmente: Cordially; warmly and sincerely in manner
Señores: Gentlemen; sirs; respectful plural address for men
agradezco: I am grateful; I thank; first person of agradecer
todo: Everything; all; the totality of something
Habiendo: Having; gerund of haber used in perfect constructions
reconocido: Recognized; acknowledged; past participle of reconocer
así: Thus; so; in this way or manner
lo: It; him; neuter article used before adjectives
quienes: Who; those who; relative pronoun for people
ayudado: Helped; assisted; past participle of ayudar
apoyado: Supported; backed; past participle of apoyar
dirijo: I direct; I address; first person of dirigir
ahora: Now; at this present moment in time
otra: Other; another; a different one of something
clase: Class; category; type or kind of people
pequeña: Small; little; few in number or size
hasta: Until; up to; as far as a limit
donde: Where; relative adverb indicating place
yo: I; first person singular subject pronoun
sé: I know; first person singular present of saber
ello: It; neuter third person pronoun referring to an idea
debe: Must; should; third person singular of deber
pasarse: To pass over; to overlook or ignore something
alto: High; tall; in 'pasarse por alto' means to overlook
Me: Me; first person singular reflexive or object pronoun
refiero: I refer; I mean; first person of referirse
esos: Those; masculine plural demonstrative adjective
pocos: Few; a small number of people or things
tímidos: Timid; shy; lacking confidence in social situations
o: Or; conjunction presenting an alternative option
criticones: Fault-finders; overly critical nitpicking people
dudan: They doubt; they are uncertain about something
tendencia: Tendency; inclination or trend toward something
libros: Books; written or printed works bound together
cuyos: Whose; relative possessive adjective for masculine plural
ojos: Eyes; organs of sight; gaze or attention
inusual: Unusual; not common; outside normal expectations
incorrecto: Incorrect; wrong; not proper or appropriate
oídos: Ears; hearing; the organs or sense of hearing
detectan: They detect; they notice or discover something
cada: Each; every; used before singular nouns
protesta: Protest; objection or complaint against something
contra: Against; in opposition to someone or something
fanatismo: Fanaticism; extreme and unreasonable devotion to beliefs
ese: That; masculine singular demonstrative adjective
padre: Father; male parent; source or origin of something
del: Contraction of 'de' and 'el' meaning 'of the'
crimen: Crime; serious wrongdoing or immoral act
insulto: Insult; offensive remark that disrespects someone
piedad: Piety; devout religious devotion; also mercy or compassion
esa: That; feminine singular demonstrative adjective
regente: Regent; ruler acting in place of another authority
Dios: God; the supreme divine being in monotheistic religion
tierra: Earth; land; ground; the world we live on

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