Leviathan — Page 3

English → Fr Preface Level 9/10

Neither Thomas Hobbes nor his typesetters seem to have had many inhibitions about spelling and punctuation.

Thomas Hobbes ni ses typographes ne semblent avoir eu beaucoup d'inhibitions concernant l'orthographe et la ponctuation.

I have tried to reproduce both exactly, with the exception of the introduction of quotation marks.

J'ai essayé de reproduire les deux exactement, à l'exception de l'introduction des guillemets.

In preparing the text, I have found that it has much more meaning if I read it with sub-vocalization, or aloud, rather than trying to read silently.

En préparant le texte, j'ai constaté qu'il a beaucoup plus de sens si je le lis avec sous-vocalisation, ou à voix haute, plutôt que d'essayer de le lire silencieusement.

Hobbes' use of emphasis and his eccentric punctuation and construction seem then to work.

L'utilisation de l'emphase par Hobbes et sa ponctuation et construction excentriques semblent alors fonctionner.

TO MY MOST HONOR'D FRIEND Mr. FRANCIS GODOLPHIN of GODOLPHIN

À MON AMI LE PLUS HONORÉ M. FRANCIS GODOLPHIN DE GODOLPHIN

HONOR'D SIR.

MONSIEUR HONORÉ.

Your most worthy Brother Mr SIDNEY GODOLPHIN, when he lived, was pleas'd to think my studies something, and otherwise to oblige me, as you know, with reall testimonies of his good opinion, great in themselves, and the greater for the worthinesse of his person.

Votre très digne frère M. SIDNEY GODOLPHIN, de son vivant, daignait considérer mes études comme quelque chose, et m'obliger par ailleurs, comme vous le savez, par de véritables témoignages de sa bonne opinion, grands en eux-mêmes, et d'autant plus grands par la dignité de sa personne.

For there is not any vertue that disposeth a man, either to the service of God, or to the service of his Country, to Civill Society, or private Friendship, that did not manifestly appear in his conversation, not as acquired by necessity, or affected upon occasion, but inhaerent, and shining in a generous constitution of his nature.

Car il n'est aucune vertu qui dispose un homme, soit au service de Dieu, soit au service de son pays, à la Société Civile, ou à l'Amitié privée, qui ne se soit manifestement manifestée dans sa conversation, non comme acquise par nécessité, ou affectée selon les circonstances, mais inhérente, et brillant dans une généreuse constitution de sa nature.

Therefore in honour and gratitude to him, and with devotion to your selfe, I humbly Dedicate unto you this my discourse of Common-wealth.

C'est pourquoi, en l'honneur et en gratitude envers lui, et avec dévotion envers vous-même, je vous dédie humblement ce mon discours sur la République.

I know not how the world will receive it, nor how it may reflect on those that shall seem to favour it.

Je ne sais pas comment le monde le recevra, ni comment cela pourra rejaillir sur ceux qui sembleront lui être favorables.

Vocabulary

ni: Neither, nor; used in negative constructions.
ses: His, her, its; third-person singular possessive adjective plural.
typographes: Typesetters or printers who arrange text for publication.
ne: Negative particle used with pas, jamais, etc.
semblent: Seem or appear; third-person plural of sembler.
avoir: To have; fundamental auxiliary and lexical verb.
eu: Had; past participle of avoir.
beaucoup: A lot, much, many; common adverb of quantity.
d': Of, from; elided preposition de before vowel.
inhibitions: Inhibitions; psychological restraints or blocks.
concernant: Concerning, regarding; preposition indicating the subject.
l': The; elided definite article before vowel.
orthographe: Spelling; the correct way to write words.
et: And; basic coordinating conjunction.
la: The; feminine singular definite article.
ponctuation: Punctuation; marks used to structure written text.
J': I; elided first-person singular subject pronoun.
ai: Have; first-person singular present of avoir.
essayé: Tried, attempted; past participle of essayer.
de: Of, from; very common French preposition.
reproduire: To reproduce or replicate something exactly.
les: The; plural definite article for all genders.
deux: Two; the number two.
exactement: Exactly, precisely; adverb expressing perfect accuracy.
à: To, at, in; very common French preposition.
exception: Exception; something excluded from a general rule.
introduction: Introduction; bringing something new into use.
des: Some, of the; plural indefinite or partitive article.
guillemets: Quotation marks; French typographic marks « ».
En: In, while; preposition or gerund-forming particle.
préparant: Preparing; present participle of préparer.
le: The; masculine singular definite article.
texte: Text; written or printed words.
j': I; elided first-person singular subject pronoun.
constaté: Noticed, found, observed; past participle of constater.
qu': That; elided conjunction or relative pronoun.
il: He, it; third-person masculine singular pronoun.
a: Has; third-person singular present of avoir.
plus: More; comparative adverb indicating greater degree.
sens: Sense, meaning; comprehensibility or significance.
si: If; conditional conjunction.
je: I; first-person singular subject pronoun.
lis: Read; first-person singular present of lire.
avec: With; preposition indicating accompaniment or manner.
sous-vocalisation: Subvocalization; silent inner speech while reading.
ou: Or; disjunctive coordinating conjunction.
voix: Voice; sound produced by the vocal cords.
haute: High, loud; feminine adjective describing elevated level.
plutôt: Rather, instead; adverb expressing preference.
que: That, than, as; conjunction or relative pronoun.
essayer: To try, attempt; common verb of effort.
lire: To read; common verb for reading text.
silencieusement: Silently, quietly; adverb describing absence of sound.
L': The; elided definite article before vowel.
utilisation: Use, usage; the act of using something.
emphase: Emphasis; stress or prominence given to something.
par: By, through, per; common French preposition.
sa: His, her, its; third-person singular feminine possessive adjective.
construction: Construction; the way something is built or structured.
excentriques: Eccentric, unusual; deviating from normal conventions.
alors: Then, so; adverb or conjunction indicating consequence.
fonctionner: To function, work; to operate properly.
À: To, at; preposition used in dedications.
MON: My; first-person singular masculine possessive adjective.
AMI: Friend; masculine noun for a male friend.
LE: The; masculine singular definite article.
PLUS: Most; superlative marker with adjectives.
HONORÉ: Honored, esteemed; past participle used as adjective.
M.: Mr.; abbreviation for Monsieur, a title of respect.
DE: Of, from; preposition indicating origin or belonging.
MONSIEUR: Mister, Sir; formal title of address for men.
Votre: Your; second-person plural or formal possessive adjective.
très: Very; adverb intensifying adjectives and adverbs.
digne: Worthy, dignified; deserving of respect or honor.
frère: Brother; male sibling.
son: His, her, its; third-person singular possessive adjective.
vivant: Living, alive; present participle used as adjective.
daignait: Deigned, condescended; imperfect of daigner.
considérer: To consider, regard; to view in a certain way.
mes: My; first-person singular plural possessive adjective.
études: Studies; academic or intellectual pursuits.
comme: As, like; conjunction or preposition of comparison.
quelque: Some, a few; indefinite adjective or adverb.
chose: Thing; a general noun for any object or matter.
m': Me; elided first-person singular object pronoun.
obliger: To oblige, compel; to require or bind someone.
ailleurs: Elsewhere, moreover; adverb indicating another place.
vous: You; second-person plural or formal pronoun.
savez: Know; second-person plural present of savoir.
véritables: True, genuine, real; adjective emphasizing authenticity.
témoignages: Testimonies, proofs; signs or evidence of something.
bonne: Good; feminine form of bon.
opinion: Opinion; a personal view or judgment.
grands: Great, large; masculine plural adjective.
en: In, of them; preposition or pronoun.
eux-mêmes: Themselves; emphatic third-person masculine plural pronoun.
autant: As much, as many; adverb of equal quantity.
dignité: Dignity; quality of being worthy of respect.
personne: Person; an individual human being.
Car: For, because; causal coordinating conjunction.
n': Not; elided negative particle ne.
est: Is; third-person singular present of être.
aucune: No, none; negative indefinite adjective, feminine.
vertu: Virtue; a positive moral quality or excellence.
qui: Who, which; relative or interrogative pronoun.
dispose: Disposes, inclines; predisposes someone toward something.
un: A, one; masculine singular indefinite article or numeral.
homme: Man; an adult male human being.
soit: Be; subjunctive form of être; whether.
au: To the, at the; contraction of à + le.
service: Service; the act of serving or assisting.
Dieu: God; the supreme deity.
pays: Country, nation; one's homeland or native land.
Société: Society; an organized community of people.
Civile: Civil; relating to citizens or organized society.
Amitié: Friendship; a close and affectionate relationship.
privée: Private; personal, not public; feminine adjective.
se: Himself, herself, itself; reflexive pronoun.
manifestement: Manifestly, obviously; clearly evident to all.
manifestée: Manifested, shown; past participle of manifester.
dans: In, inside; preposition indicating location or time.
conversation: Conversation; informal spoken exchange between people.
non: No, not; negation or refusal.
acquise: Acquired; past participle of acquérir, feminine form.
nécessité: Necessity; something that is required or unavoidable.
affectée: Affected, feigned; not natural or sincere.
selon: According to, depending on; preposition of reference.
circonstances: Circumstances; the conditions surrounding an event.
mais: But; adversative coordinating conjunction.
inhérente: Inherent; naturally and permanently present in something.
brillant: Brilliant, shining; adjective meaning bright or outstanding.
une: A; feminine singular indefinite article.
généreuse: Generous; giving freely, kind-hearted; feminine adjective.
constitution: Constitution; the natural makeup or character of something.
nature: Nature; the innate character or qualities of something.
C': It is; elided demonstrative pronoun ce.
pourquoi: Why, that is why; adverb of reason.
honneur: Honor; great respect and high regard.
gratitude: Gratitude; thankfulness for kindness received.
envers: Toward, with regard to; preposition of relation.
lui: Him, to him; third-person singular pronoun.
dévotion: Devotion; deep loyalty or dedication to someone.
vous-même: Yourself; emphatic second-person singular/formal pronoun.
dédie: Dedicate; first-person singular present of dédier.
humblement: Humbly; in a modest and respectful manner.
ce: This, that; demonstrative pronoun or adjective.
mon: My; first-person singular masculine possessive adjective.
discours: Discourse, treatise; a formal piece of writing or speech.
sur: On, about; preposition indicating topic or position.
République: Republic, commonwealth; a form of democratic government.
Je: I; first-person singular subject pronoun.
sais: Know; first-person singular present of savoir.
pas: Not; negative particle used with ne.
comment: How; interrogative or relative adverb of manner.
monde: World; the earth or the public at large.
recevra: Will receive; third-person singular future of recevoir.
cela: That; demonstrative pronoun referring to something mentioned.
pourra: Will be able to; third-person singular future of pouvoir.
rejaillir: To reflect upon, rebound; to have a repercussion on.
ceux: Those, those who; masculine plural demonstrative pronoun.
sembleront: Will seem; third-person plural future of sembler.
être: To be; fundamental auxiliary and lexical verb.
favorables: Favorable; supportive or approving of something.

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