Piccolissima — Page 1
Produced by Charles Franks and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team. HTML version by Al Haines.
Produit par Charles Franks et l'équipe de correction en ligne distribuée. Version HTML par Al Haines.
PICCOLISSIMA
PICCOLISSIMA
BY MRS. FOLLEN
PAR MME FOLLEN
With illustrations by Gammatt Billings and others
Avec des illustrations de Gammatt Billings et autres
PREFACE.
PRÉFACE.
This little story I have translated from the French of Mademoiselle Montgolfier.
Cette petite histoire, je l'ai traduite du français de Mademoiselle Montgolfier.
If children enjoy it as much as I have, and think it as pretty, they will not regret that I have preferred it to any thing I could write for them.
Si les enfants l'apprécient autant que moi, et la trouvent aussi jolie, ils ne regretteront pas que je l'aie préférée à tout ce que j'aurais pu écrire pour eux.
Mademoiselle Montgolfier says in her preface to the little book, "Notwithstanding the fanciful character of this story, it is, in fact, simply a little lesson in Natural History," and that "she would engage for the truth of all that Piccolissima relates of the manners and customs of the insects with whom she makes acquaintance."
Mademoiselle Montgolfier dit dans sa préface au petit livre : « Malgré le caractère fantaisiste de cette histoire, c'est, en fait, simplement une petite leçon d'Histoire Naturelle », et qu'« elle se porterait garante de la vérité de tout ce que Piccolissima rapporte des mœurs et des coutumes des insectes avec lesquels elle fait connaissance. »
It may also interest our young, and, perhaps, our more advanced readers, to know, that Mademoiselle Montgolfier is the daughter of the celebrated Montgolfier who invented balloons, and made the first ascension.
Il peut également intéresser nos jeunes lecteurs, et peut-être nos lecteurs plus avancés, de savoir que Mademoiselle Montgolfier est la fille du célèbre Montgolfier qui inventa les ballons et effectua la première ascension.
I had, when in France, the pleasure of seeing this very interesting lady, and know her affection for children; and I am sure that it will please her to know that her tiny naturalist is welcomed by the American children.
J'ai eu, lors de mon séjour en France, le plaisir de rencontrer cette dame fort intéressante, et je connais son affection pour les enfants ; et je suis certaine qu'il lui plaira de savoir que sa minuscule naturaliste est accueillie par les enfants américains.
I therefore feel a particular pleasure in introducing the wonderfully small Piccolissima to their acquaintance, and recommending her to their affectionate regard.
J'éprouve donc un plaisir particulier à présenter la merveilleusement petite Piccolissima à leur connaissance, et à la recommander à leur affectueux attachement.
E. L. F.
E. L. F.
BROOKLINE, October, 1857.
BROOKLINE, octobre 1857.
PICCOLISSIMA.
PICCOLISSIMA.
Piccolissima was descended on the father's side from the famous Tom Thumb, so well known to all children.
Piccolissima descendait du côté paternel du célèbre Tom Pouce, si bien connu de tous les enfants.
Vocabulary
- Produit
- pro-dwee — Produced or created by someone
- par
- par — By or through; common preposition in French
- et
- ay — And; basic coordinating conjunction in French
- l'
- l — Contracted definite article before vowel sounds
- équipe
- ay-keep — A team or group working together
- de
- duh — Of or from; very common French preposition
- correction
- ko-rek-syon — The act of fixing or correcting errors
- en
- ahn — In or on; common French preposition
- ligne
- leen-yuh — Line; also used in 'en ligne' meaning online
- distribuée
- dis-tree-bwee — Distributed or spread across multiple locations
- Version
- ver-syon — A particular form or edition of something
- PAR
- par — By; preposition indicating authorship or agency
- MME
- ma-dam — Abbreviation for Madame, title for a woman
- Avec
- a-vek — With; preposition indicating accompaniment
- des
- day — Some; plural indefinite article in French
- illustrations
- ee-lus-tra-syon — Pictures or images accompanying a text
- autres
- oh-truh — Others; referring to additional people or things
- PRÉFACE
- pray-fas — A preface or introductory section of a book
- Cette
- set — This; feminine demonstrative adjective in French
- petite
- puh-teet — Small or little; feminine adjective describing size
- histoire
- ees-twar — Story or history; a narrative account
- je
- zhuh — I; first person singular subject pronoun
- ai
- ay — Have; first person singular of avoir
- traduite
- tra-dweet — Translated; past participle of traduire
- du
- dew — Of the; contracted article combining de and le
- français
- frahn-say — French language or relating to France
- Mademoiselle
- mad-mwa-zel — Miss; title for an unmarried woman in French
- Si
- see — If; conditional conjunction used in French clauses
- les
- lay — The; plural definite article in French
- enfants
- ahn-fahn — Children; young boys and girls
- apprécient
- a-pray-see-ahn — Appreciate or enjoy; third person plural present
- autant
- oh-tahn — As much or as many; expresses equivalence
- que
- kuh — That or than; conjunction or relative pronoun
- moi
- mwa — Me; stressed first person singular pronoun
- la
- la — The; feminine singular definite article
- trouvent
- troov — Find; third person plural present of trouver
- aussi
- oh-see — Also or too; adverb expressing addition
- jolie
- zho-lee — Pretty or lovely; feminine adjective
- ils
- eel — They; masculine plural subject pronoun
- ne
- nuh — Not; used in negation with pas or jamais
- regretteront
- ruh-gret-rohn — Will regret; future tense of regretter
- pas
- pa — Not; part of the standard French negation
- aie
- ay — Have; subjunctive or imperative of avoir
- préférée
- pray-fay-ray — Preferred or favorite; feminine past participle
- à
- a — To or at; very common French preposition
- tout
- too — All or everything; common French adjective/pronoun
- ce
- suh — This or that; masculine demonstrative pronoun
- j'
- zh — I; contracted form before a vowel sound
- aurais
- o-ray — Would have; conditional of avoir
- pu
- pew — Been able to; past participle of pouvoir
- écrire
- ay-kreer — To write; common French infinitive verb
- pour
- poor — For; preposition indicating purpose or recipient
- eux
- uh — Them; stressed masculine plural pronoun
- dit
- dee — Says or said; third person of dire
- dans
- dahn — In or inside; common French preposition
- sa
- sa — His or her; feminine possessive adjective
- préface
- pray-fas — Preface; introductory remarks before main text
- au
- oh — To the; contracted form of à and le
- petit
- puh-tee — Small or little; masculine adjective of size
- livre
- lee-vruh — Book; a written and published work
- Malgré
- mal-gray — Despite or in spite of; concessive preposition
- le
- luh — The; masculine singular definite article
- caractère
- ka-rak-tair — Character or nature; defining quality of something
- fantaisiste
- fahn-tay-zeest — Fanciful or whimsical; imaginative and playful
- cette
- set — This; feminine singular demonstrative adjective
- c'
- s — It; contracted form of ce before vowel
- est
- ay — Is; third person singular of être
- fait
- fay — Done or made; past participle of faire
- simplement
- sahn-pluh-mahn — Simply or merely; adverb of manner
- une
- ewn — A or an; feminine indefinite article
- leçon
- luh-sohn — Lesson; an educational unit or teaching
- d'
- d — Of; contracted article before a vowel
- Histoire
- ees-twar — History or story; narrative of past events
- Naturelle
- na-tew-rel — Natural; used in 'Histoire Naturelle' meaning natural history
- qu'
- k — That; contracted relative pronoun before vowel
- elle
- el — She or her; third person feminine pronoun
- se
- suh — Herself or itself; reflexive pronoun
- porterait
- por-tuh-ray — Would guarantee; conditional of porter
- garante
- ga-rahnt — Guarantor; someone who vouches for something
- vérité
- vay-ree-tay — Truth; the quality of being true
- rapporte
- ra-port — Reports or brings back; third person singular
- mœurs
- mur — Customs, morals, or habits of a society
- coutumes
- koo-tewm — Customs or traditions practiced in a community
- insectes
- an-sekt — Insects; small six-legged creatures
- avec
- a-vek — With; preposition indicating accompaniment
- lesquels
- lay-kel — With which; relative pronoun for things or people
- connaissance
- ko-nay-sahns — Knowledge or acquaintance; familiarity with something
- Il
- eel — He or it; masculine third person singular pronoun
- peut
- puh — Can or may; third person singular of pouvoir
- également
- ay-gal-mahn — Equally or also; adverb meaning likewise
- intéresser
- an-tay-reh-say — To interest or engage someone
- nos
- noh — Our; first person plural possessive adjective
- jeunes
- zhun — Young; adjective describing youth or age
- lecteurs
- lek-tur — Readers; people who read texts or books
- peut-être
- puh-teh-truh — Perhaps or maybe; expresses uncertainty or possibility
- plus
- plew — More; used in comparisons or negation
- avancés
- a-vahn-say — Advanced; further along in knowledge or skill
- savoir
- sa-vwar — To know; knowing facts or how to do something
- fille
- fee-yuh — Girl or daughter; young female person
- célèbre
- say-leh-bruh — Famous or celebrated; well-known to many people
- qui
- kee — Who or which; relative or interrogative pronoun
- inventa
- an-vahn-ta — Invented; past tense of inventer
- ballons
- ba-lohn — Balloons; inflatable spheres or air balloons
- effectua
- eh-fek-tew-a — Carried out or performed; past tense of effectuer
- première
- pruh-myair — First; feminine ordinal adjective
- ascension
- a-sahn-syon — Ascent or climb; rising upward into the air
- J'
- zh — I; contracted first person pronoun before vowel
- eu
- ew — Had; past participle of avoir
- lors
- lor — During or at the time of an event
- mon
- mohn — My; masculine singular possessive adjective
- séjour
- say-zhoor — Stay or sojourn; a temporary period of residence
- plaisir
- play-zeer — Pleasure or delight; enjoyable experience
- rencontrer
- rahn-kohn-tray — To meet or encounter someone
- dame
- dam — Lady or woman; a refined adult female
- fort
- for — Very or strong; intensifying adverb or adjective
- intéressante
- an-tay-reh-sahnt — Interesting; engaging or holding one's attention
- connais
- ko-nay — Know; first person singular of connaître
- son
- sohn — His, her, its; masculine possessive adjective
- affection
- a-fek-syon — Affection or fondness; warm feeling toward someone
- suis
- swee — Am; first person singular of être
- certaine
- ser-ten — Certain or sure; feminine adjective of certainty
- il
- eel — He or it; masculine third person singular pronoun
- lui
- lwee — Him or to him; indirect object pronoun
- plaira
- play-ra — Will please; future tense of plaire
- minuscule
- mee-news-kewl — Tiny or minuscule; extremely small in size
- naturaliste
- na-tew-ra-leest — Naturalist; person who studies natural history
- accueillie
- a-kuh-yee — Welcomed or received; past participle of accueillir
- américains
- a-may-ree-kan — Americans; people from the United States
- éprouve
- ay-proov — Feels or experiences; first person of éprouver
- donc
- dohnk — Therefore or so; logical conclusion conjunction
- un
- uhn — A or one; masculine indefinite article
- particulier
- par-tee-kew-lyay — Particular or special; specific and distinct
- présenter
- pray-zahn-tay — To present or introduce something to someone
- merveilleusement
- mer-vay-yuz-mahn — Marvelously or wonderfully; in an amazing manner
- leur
- lur — Their or to them; possessive or indirect pronoun
- recommander
- ruh-ko-mahn-day — To recommend or suggest something to someone
- affectueux
- a-fek-tew-uh — Affectionate; showing warmth and fondness
- attachement
- a-tash-mahn — Attachment or devotion; strong emotional bond
- octobre
- ok-to-bruh — October; the tenth month of the year
- descendait
- day-sahn-day — Descended or came down; imperfect of descendre
- côté
- koh-tay — Side; referring to a family line or direction
- paternel
- pa-ter-nel — Paternal; relating to the father's side
- Pouce
- poos — Thumb or inch; Tom Thumb is a tiny character
- si
- see — If or so; conditional or intensifying word
- bien
- byahn — Well or good; common French adverb
- connu
- ko-new — Known; past participle of connaître
- tous
- too — All or everyone; masculine plural adjective/pronoun
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