Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, an American Slave — Page 1

Vocabulary

Narrazione

Account or narrative of events or experiences

della

Contraction of 'di' and 'la', meaning 'of the'

Vita

Life; one's existence or biography

di

Preposition meaning 'of' or 'by'

UNO

Indefinite article or number meaning 'a' or 'one'

SCHIAVO

A person legally owned by another; slave

AMERICANO

Relating to or from America; American

SCRITTA

Written; past participle of 'scrivere'

DA

Preposition meaning 'by' or 'from'

LUI

Third-person singular pronoun meaning 'him' or 'he'

STESSO

Himself; same; used for emphasis or identity

PUBBLICATO

Published; past participle of 'pubblicare'

PRESSO

Preposition meaning 'at', 'near', or 'by'

L'

Elided definite article meaning 'the'

UFFICIO

Office; a place of administrative work

ANTI-SCHIAVITÙ

Against the institution of slavery; abolitionist

REGISTRATO

Registered; officially recorded by an authority

CONFORMEMENTE

In conformity with; in accordance with a rule

ALL'

Contraction of 'a' and 'l'', meaning 'to the'

ATTO

Act; official legislative or legal document

DEL

Contraction of 'di' and 'il', meaning 'of the'

CONGRESSO

Congress; national legislative governing body

NELL'

Contraction of 'in' and 'l'', meaning 'in the'

ANNO

Year; a period of twelve calendar months

CANCELLIERE

Clerk or chancellor of a court or institution

TRIBUNALE

Court of law; judicial institution

DISTRETTUALE

Relating to a district; district-level adjective

Nota

Note; a brief written remark or annotation

dal

Contraction of 'da' and 'il', meaning 'from the'

file

Digital file; borrowed from English computing term

originale

Original; the first or primary version of something

Questo

Demonstrative pronoun or adjective meaning 'this'

libro

Book; a written or printed literary work

elettronico

Electronic; relating to digital or electronic technology

viene

Third-person singular of 'venire'; comes or is being

pubblicato

Published; released for public distribution or reading

in

Preposition meaning 'in' or 'into'

questo

Demonstrative adjective meaning 'this'

momento

Moment; a brief or specific point in time

per

Preposition meaning 'for', 'in order to', or 'through'

onorare

To honor; to show respect or tribute to someone

il

Definite article meaning 'the' (masculine singular)

compleanno

Birthday; the anniversary of one's birth

Nato

Born; past participle of 'nascere'

gennaio

January; the first month of the year

Celebrato

Celebrated; honored with a formal observance or event

ufficialmente

Officially; in an authorized or formal manner

Indice

Index or table of contents of a book

PREFAZIONE

Preface; introductory section of a book

LETTERA

Letter; a written message or correspondence

DI

Preposition meaning 'of' or 'by'

CAPITOLO

Chapter; a main division of a book

APPENDICE

Appendix; supplementary material at end of book

UNA

Indefinite article meaning 'a' or 'an' (feminine)

PARODIA

Parody; a humorous or satirical imitation of something

Nel

Contraction of 'in' and 'il', meaning 'in the'

mese

Month; one of the twelve divisions of a year

agosto

August; the eighth month of the year

del

Contraction of 'di' and 'il', meaning 'of the'

partecipai

I participated; first-person past tense of 'partecipare'

a

Preposition meaning 'to', 'at', or 'in'

una

Indefinite article meaning 'a' or 'an' (feminine)

convenzione

Convention; a formal assembly or meeting of people

anti-schiavitù

Anti-slavery; opposing the institution of human slavery

nella

Contraction of 'in' and 'la', meaning 'in the'

quale

Which; a relative pronoun referring to something mentioned

ebbi

I had; first-person past tense of 'avere'

la

Definite article meaning 'the' (feminine singular)

fortuna

Fortune or luck; good chance or favorable circumstance

fare

To do or to make; common Italian infinitive verb

conoscenza

Knowledge or acquaintance; familiarity with someone

l'

Elided definite article meaning 'the'

autore

Author; person who writes a book or text

seguente

Following; the next or subsequent item or text

Era

He/she was; third-person past tense of 'essere'

sconosciuto

Unknown; not recognized or familiar to others

quasi

Almost; nearly but not entirely or completely

ogni

Every; each individual member of a group

membro

Member; a person belonging to a group or organization

quella

Demonstrative adjective meaning 'that' (feminine singular)

assemblea

Assembly; a gathering of people for a common purpose

ma

But; conjunction indicating contrast or opposition

avendo

Having; gerund of 'avere' used in compound structures

recentemente

Recently; not long ago; in the near past

fatto

Done or made; past participle of 'fare'

sua

His/her/its; possessive adjective (feminine singular)

fuga

Escape or flight; act of fleeing from captivity

dalla

Contraction of 'da' and 'la', meaning 'from the'

prigione

Prison; a place of confinement or captivity

meridionale

Southern; relating to the south of a region

schiavitù

Slavery; the state of being owned by another person

e

Conjunction meaning 'and'; connects words or clauses

sentendo

Feeling or hearing; gerund of 'sentire'

curiosità

Curiosity; desire to know or learn something new

eccitata

Excited or aroused; past participle of 'eccitare'

nel

Contraction of 'in' and 'il', meaning 'in the'

voler

Wanting to; infinitive 'volere' used before another verb

conoscere

To know or meet; to become acquainted with someone

i

Definite article meaning 'the' (masculine plural)

principi

Principles; fundamental beliefs or rules guiding behavior

le

Definite article meaning 'the' (feminine plural)

misure

Measures; actions or steps taken toward a goal

degli

Contraction of 'di' and 'gli', meaning 'of the'

abolizionisti

Abolitionists; people who campaigned to end slavery

dei

Contraction of 'di' and 'i', meaning 'of the'

quali

Which or whom; relative pronoun (plural form)

aveva

He/she had; third-person past imperfect of 'avere'

sentito

Heard or felt; past participle of 'sentire'

descrizione

Description; an account explaining the nature of something

alquanto

Somewhat; rather; to a certain degree or extent

vaga

Vague; unclear or imprecise in meaning

mentre

While; conjunction indicating simultaneous actions

era

Was; third-person singular imperfect of 'essere'

schiavo

Slave; a person legally owned by another

fu

Was; third-person singular past tense of 'essere'

indotto

Induced or led; past participle of 'indurre'

presenziare

To attend or be present at an event or meeting

all'

Contraction of 'a' and 'l'', meaning 'at the'

occasione

Occasion; a particular event or opportunity

menzionata

Mentioned; referred to previously in the text

sebbene

Although; even though; concessive conjunction

quel

Demonstrative adjective meaning 'that' (masculine singular)

fosse

Was; subjunctive past tense of 'essere'

residente

Resident; a person living in a particular place

Fortunata

Fortunate; lucky; blessed with good circumstances

fortunatissima

Very fortunate; superlative of 'fortunata'

circostanza

Circumstance; a condition or fact affecting a situation

fortunata

Fortunate; lucky; having good fortune

milioni

Millions; a very large number of people or things

suoi

His/her/their; possessive adjective (masculine plural)

fratelli

Brothers; male siblings or fellow members of a group

catene

Chains; metal links used as physical restraints

ancora

Still; yet; continuing up to the present moment

anelanti

Yearning; longing intensely for something desired

alla

Contraction of 'a' and 'la', meaning 'to the'

liberazione

Liberation; the act of being freed from oppression

loro

Their or them; third-person plural pronoun or adjective

terribile

Terrible; causing great fear, distress, or suffering

causa

Cause; a principle or movement one supports or fights for

dell'

Contraction of 'di' and 'l'', meaning 'of the'

emancipazione

Emancipation; the freeing of people from oppression

neri

Black people; plural adjective referring to Black individuals

libertà

Freedom; the state of being free from oppression

universale

Universal; applying to all people everywhere without exception