On the Method of Zadig: Essay #1 from "Science and Hebrew Tradition" — Page 2

Vocabulary

Ciò

cho — That which; referring to something previously mentioned

che

ke — That, which, who; common conjunction and relative pronoun

ci

chi — Us, there, here; reflexive and locative pronoun

interessa

in-te-RES-sa — Interests, concerns; third person singular of interessare

di

dee — Of, from; very common Italian preposition

una

OO-na — A, an; indefinite article feminine singular

luce

LOO-che — Light; illumination from a source

è

eh — Is; third person singular of essere (to be)

mostri

MOS-tree — Shows, reveals; subjunctive of mostrare

la

la — The; definite article feminine singular

via

VEE-a — Way, path, road; direction to follow

non

non — Not; standard Italian negation word

se

se — If, whether; conditional conjunction

sia

SEE-a — Be; subjunctive of essere, whether it may be

lampada

LAM-pa-da — Lamp; electric or oil light fixture

o

oh — Or; conjunction expressing alternatives

candela

kan-DE-la — Candle; wax stick burned for light

cera

CHE-ra — Wax; substance used for candles or polishing

Il

eel — The; definite article masculine singular

nostro

NOS-tro — Our; first person plural possessive adjective

unico

OO-nee-ko — Only, unique; sole or singular thing

vero

VE-ro — True, real; something factual or genuine

interesse

in-te-RES-se — Interest; something that engages attention or curiosity

per

pehr — For, through, by; multipurpose Italian preposition

risiede

ri-ZYE-de — Resides, lies in; is located or found

nelle

NEL-le — In the; preposition di combined with le

concezioni

kon-che-TSYO-nee — Conceptions, ideas; ways of understanding something

cui

kwee — Which, whom; relative pronoun used after prepositions

egli

EL-yee — He; third person masculine singular subject pronoun

presunto

pre-ZOON-to — Presumed, supposed; assumed without certain proof

padre

PA-dre — Father; male parent or paternal figure

biografo

byo-GRA-fo — Biographer; person who writes another's life story

esposte

es-POS-te — Exposed, set forth; presented or explained clearly

con

kon — With; preposition indicating accompaniment or manner

tale

TA-le — Such, so great; of that kind or degree

chiarezza

kya-RET-tsa — Clarity; quality of being clear and understandable

vivace

vee-VA-che — Vivid, lively; animated and energetic in style

illustrazione

il-lus-tra-TSYO-ne — Illustration; example or depiction clarifying a point

difficilmente

dif-fi-chil-MEN-te — With difficulty, hardly; not easily accomplished

dobbiamo

dob-BYA-mo — We must, we have to; obligation in first plural

sentire

sen-TEE-re — To feel, to hear; perceive through senses or emotion

dolore

do-LO-re — Pain, sorrow; physical or emotional suffering

anche

AN-ke — Also, even, too; additive or inclusive adverb

ricerca

ri-CHER-ka — Research, search; systematic investigation or inquiry

critica

KREE-ti-ka — Critical; relating to analysis and scholarly evaluation

dovesse

do-VES-se — Should, were to; imperfect subjunctive of dovere

dimostrare

di-mos-TRA-re — To demonstrate, prove; show something to be true

re

reh — King; male monarch or ruler of a kingdom

tutto

TOOT-to — All, everything, whole; complete or entire amount

resto

RES-to — Rest, remainder; what is left over

della

DEL-la — Of the; combined preposition di with la

storia

STO-rya — Story, history; narrative or account of events

storici

STO-ri-chi — Historical; relating to history or past events

ridurre

ri-DOOR-re — To reduce, bring down; diminish or lower something

stesso

STES-so — Same, himself; indicating identity or emphasis

alla

AL-la — To the; combined preposition a with la

condizione

kon-di-TSYO-ne — Condition, state; situation or circumstance of something

mito

MEE-to — Myth; traditional story or legendary narrative

solare

so-LA-re — Solar; relating to the sun

racconta

rak-KON-ta — Tells, recounts; narrates a story or event

disincantato

dis-in-kan-TA-to — Disillusioned, disenchanted; no longer naively optimistic

vita

VEE-ta — Life; the state of being alive

causa

KAW-za — Cause, reason; something producing an effect

varie

VA-rye — Various, several; a number of different things

disavventure

dis-av-ven-TOO-re — Misadventures, misfortunes; unfortunate or unlucky events

domestiche

do-MES-ti-ke — Domestic; relating to home or private life

si

see — Reflexive pronoun; oneself, himself, herself, themselves

ritirò

ri-ti-RO — Withdrew, retired; moved away from a place

dal

dal — From the; combined preposition da with il

tumulto

tu-MOOL-to — Tumult, uproar; noisy disorder and confusion

in

in — In, into; basic preposition of location

rifugio

ri-FOO-jo — Refuge, shelter; safe place of retreat

appartato

ap-par-TA-to — Secluded, isolated; set apart from others

sulle

SOOL-le — On the; combined preposition su with le

rive

REE-ve — Banks, shores; edges of a river or water body

dell'

del — Of the; combined preposition di with l'

dove

DO-ve — Where; relative adverb of place

ingannava

in-gan-NA-va — Was deceiving, was cheating; imperfect of ingannare

sua

SOO-a — His, her; third person singular possessive adjective

solitudine

so-li-TOO-di-ne — Solitude; state of being alone and isolated

lo

lo — Him, it; masculine singular direct object pronoun

studio

STOO-dyo — Study; act of learning or investigating a subject

natura

na-TOO-ra — Nature; the natural world and its phenomena

Le

le — The; definite article feminine plural

molteplici

mol-TE-pli-chi — Multiple, manifold; many and varied in kind

meraviglie

me-ra-VEE-lye — Wonders, marvels; extraordinary and astonishing things

del

del — Of the; combined preposition di with il

mondo

MON-do — World; the earth and everything in it

avevano

a-VE-va-no — Had; third person plural imperfect of avere

un'

oon — A, an; indefinite article before vowel feminine

attrazione

at-tra-TSYO-ne — Attraction; power to draw interest or attention

particolare

par-ti-ko-LA-re — Particular, special; distinct from others

studioso

stoo-DYO-zo — Scholar, studious person; devoted to learning

solitario

so-li-TA-ryo — Solitary, lonely; living or existing alone

l'

l — The; elided definite article before vowel

osservazione

os-ser-va-TSYO-ne — Observation; act of watching carefully and attentively

incessante

in-ches-SAN-te — Incessant, unceasing; continuing without interruption

paziente

pa-TSYEN-te — Patient; enduring delay or difficulty without complaint

delle

DEL-le — Of the; combined preposition di with le

piante

PYAN-te — Plants; living organisms that grow in soil

degli

DEL-yee — Of the; combined preposition di with gli

animali

a-ni-MA-lee — Animals; living creatures other than humans

intorno

in-TOR-no — Around; in the surrounding area or vicinity

lui

lwee — Him, he; third person masculine pronoun

affinò

af-fi-NO — Refined, sharpened; improved or perfected over time

sue

SOO-e — His, her; feminine plural possessive adjective

naturalmente

na-tu-ral-MEN-te — Naturally; in a natural way, of course

buone

BWO-ne — Good; feminine plural of buono

capacità

ka-pa-chi-TA — Ability, capacity; skill or power to do something

ragionamento

ra-jo-na-MEN-to — Reasoning; process of logical thought and argumentation

finché

fin-KE — Until, as long as; up to the point that

fine

FEE-ne — End, purpose; conclusion or goal of something

acquisì

ak-kwi-ZEE — Acquired, gained; obtained something over time

perspicacia

per-spi-KA-cha — Perspicacity; sharp mental insight and keen perception

gli

lyee — Him, to him; indirect object pronoun masculine

consentì

kon-sen-TEE — Allowed, permitted; gave permission or ability

percepire

per-che-PEE-re — To perceive; become aware through senses or mind

infinite

in-FEE-ni-te — Infinite, countless; too many to be counted

minime

MEE-ni-me — Minimal, tiny; very small or slight in degree

differenze

dif-fe-REN-tse — Differences; ways in which things are not alike

tra

tra — Between, among; in the space separating things

oggetti

od-JET-tee — Objects, things; physical items that can be seen

agli

AL-yee — To the; combined preposition a with gli

occhi

OK-kee — Eyes; organs of sight

incolti

in-KOL-tee — Uncultivated, uneducated; lacking refinement or training

apparivano

ap-pa-REE-va-no — Appeared, seemed; imperfect of apparire

assolutamente

as-so-loo-ta-MEN-te — Absolutely, completely; without any exception

identici

i-DEN-ti-chi — Identical; exactly the same in every detail

Ci

chi — Us, there; reflexive or locative pronoun

sarebbe

sa-REB-be — Would be; conditional of essere

potuto

po-TOO-to — Been able to; past participle of potere

aspettare

as-pet-TA-re — To expect, wait for; anticipate something

questo

KWES-to — This; demonstrative pronoun or adjective nearby

ampliamento

am-plya-MEN-to — Enlargement, expansion; act of making broader or wider

facoltà

fa-kol-TA — Faculty, ability; mental or physical power

mente

MEN-te — Mind; the seat of thought and consciousness

patrimonio

pa-tri-MO-nyo — Patrimony, heritage; inherited wealth or cultural legacy

conoscenze

ko-no-SHEN-tse — Knowledge, acquaintances; things known or learned

naturali

na-tu-RA-lee — Natural; existing in or relating to nature

potesse

po-TES-se — Could, was able to; imperfect subjunctive of potere

tendere

TEN-de-re — To tend, aim; incline or strive toward something

ad

ad — To, toward; variant of a before vowels

altro

AL-tro — Other, else; something or someone different

all'

al — To the; combined preposition a with l'

aumento

a-oo-MEN-to — Increase, growth; rise in amount or level

benessere

be-NES-se-re — Wellbeing, welfare; state of being healthy and happy

proprio

PRO-pryo — Own, one's own; belonging to oneself

uomo

WO-mo — Man, human; adult male person

al

al — To the; combined preposition a with il

bene

BE-ne — Good, wellbeing; benefit or welfare of someone

dei

de-ee — Of the; combined preposition di with i

suoi

SWOY — His, her; masculine plural possessive adjective

simili

SEE-mi-lee — Peers, fellow human beings; those similar to oneself

Ma

ma — But; conjunction expressing contrast or opposition

era

E-ra — Was; third person singular imperfect of essere

destinato

des-ti-NA-to — Destined, fated; predetermined to experience something

sperimentare

spe-ri-men-TA-re — To experience, experiment; undergo or test something

vanità

va-ni-TA — Vanity, futility; emptiness or worthlessness of efforts

tali

TA-lee — Such; of that kind or degree

aspettative

as-pet-ta-TEE-ve — Expectations; things anticipated or hoped for