On the Method of Zadig: Essay #1 from "Science and Hebrew Tradition" — Page 5

Vocabulary

ai

ay — First person singular of 'avoir' (to have)

remarqué

ruh-mar-kay — Noticed or observed something

trace

trahs — A mark, track, or trail left behind

animal

ah-nee-mahl — A living creature; an animal

sable

sah-bluh — Sand, a granular material found on beaches

était

ay-tay — Imperfect tense of 'être'; was or used to be

facile

fah-seel — Easy, not difficult to do or understand

voir

vwahr — To see or to observe something

celle

sell — Demonstrative pronoun meaning 'that one' (feminine)

petit

puh-tee — Small or little in size

chien

shyehn — A dog, common domestic animal

longues

lohng — Feminine plural adjective meaning 'long'

traînées

treh-nay — Trails, streaks, or drag marks left on a surface

légères

lay-zhair — Light in weight or delicate; feminine plural form

petites

puh-teet — Small or little; feminine plural form

élévations

ay-lay-vah-syohn — Raised areas or small hills on a surface

entre

ahn-truh — Preposition meaning 'between' or 'among'

empreintes

ahm-prehnt — Footprints or impressions left by feet or paws

convainquirent

kohn-veh-keer — Convinced or persuaded; third person plural past tense

chienne

shyen — A female dog; a bitch

mamelles

mah-mel — Mammary glands or teats of a female animal

pendantes

pahn-dahnt — Hanging or drooping downward; feminine plural form

montrant

mohn-trahn — Showing or revealing; present participle of 'montrer'

avait

ah-vay — Imperfect tense of 'avoir'; had or used to have

dû

doo — Past participle of 'devoir'; must have or had to

avoir

ah-vwahr — To have; an essential auxiliary verb in French

chiots

shyoh — Puppies; young dogs recently born

peu

puh — A little, few, or not much

jours

zhoor — Days; plural of 'jour'

auparavant

oh-pah-rah-vahn — Before, previously, or earlier in time

autres

oh-truh — Others or other; plural form of 'autre'

grattages

grah-tazh — Scratchings or scraping marks on a surface

trouvaient

troo-vay — Imperfect tense of 'trouver'; were found or located

toujours

too-zhoor — Always or still; an adverb of time

près

pray — Near or close to something

marques

mark — Marks, signs, or traces left on a surface

pattes

pat — Paws or legs of an animal

devant

duh-vahn — In front of or before something

indiquaient

an-dee-kay — Indicated or pointed to; imperfect tense of 'indiquer'

oreilles

oh-ray — Ears; the organs of hearing

comme

kohm — Like, as, or since; a conjunction or preposition

empreinte

ahm-prehnt — A single footprint or impression left behind

patte

pat — A paw or leg of an animal

plus

ploo — More; comparative adverb used in comparisons

légère

lay-zhair — Light in weight or delicate; feminine singular form

celles

sell — Demonstrative pronoun meaning 'those ones' (feminine plural)

trois

twah — The number three

jugeai

zhoo-zhay — Past tense of 'juger'; judged or concluded something

auguste

oh-goost — Majestic or venerable; commanding great respect

Reine

rehn — Queen; a female monarch or ruler

si

see — If or so; a conjunction or intensifier

puis

pwee — Then or next; an adverb indicating sequence

permettre

pair-met-ruh — To permit or allow something to happen

dire

deer — To say or to tell something

boiteuse

bwah-tuhz — Lame or limping; feminine form of 'boiteux'

Concernant

kohn-sair-nahn — Concerning or regarding a particular subject

cheval

shuh-val — A horse; a large domesticated animal

Roi

rwah — King; a male monarch or ruler

Rois

rwah — Kings; plural of 'roi,' male monarchs

permettez-

pair-meh-tay — Allow or permit; second person plural imperative form

observer

ohb-sair-vay — To observe or watch carefully

errant

air-ahn — Wandering or roaming without a fixed destination

travers

trah-vair — Across or through; used in the phrase 'à travers'

sentiers

sahn-tyay — Paths or trails through nature or woods

traversent

trah-vairs — Cross or go through; third person plural present tense

bois

bwah — Woods or forest; also means wood as material

fers

fair — Horseshoes; iron shoes fitted to a horse's hooves

étaient

ay-tay — Imperfect tense of 'être'; were or used to be

tous

too — All or every; masculine plural form

équidistants

ay-kwee-dee-stahn — Equally spaced apart at the same distance

dis-

dee — Said; imperative or past tense form of 'dire'

voilà

vwah-lah — There it is; used to present or point something out

fameux

fah-muh — Famous or well-known; also can mean notorious

galopeur

gah-loh-pur — A galloper; a horse or person that gallops

allée

ah-lay — An alley or path, often lined with trees

étroite

ay-trwaht — Narrow or tight; feminine singular form of 'étroit'

large

larzh — Wide or broad in measurement

seulement

suhl-mahn — Only or just; limiting adverb

sept

set — The number seven

pieds

pyay — Feet; unit of measurement or body parts

poussière

poo-syair — Dust; fine dry particles on a surface

troncs

trohn — Tree trunks; the main woody stems of trees

arbres

ar-bruh — Trees; woody perennial plants

légèrement

lay-zhair-mahn — Slightly or lightly; in a gentle or mild manner

perturbée

pair-tur-bay — Disturbed or disrupted; feminine past participle

demi

duh-mee — Half; indicating one of two equal parts

milieu

meel-yuh — Middle or center of something

sentier

sahn-tyay — A path or trail, especially through nature

queue

kuh — A tail of an animal or a waiting line

longue

lohng — Long; feminine singular form of 'long'

fouettant

fweh-tahn — Whipping or lashing; present participle of 'fouetter'

côté

koh-tay — Side; one of two lateral parts

autre

oh-truh — Other or another; an adjective or pronoun

balayé

bah-lay-ay — Swept or brushed away; past participle of 'balayer'