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Pride and Prejudice — Page 12

English → De Preface Level 7/10

I will not admit that one speech or one action of this inestimable man is incapable of being reconciled with reality, and I should not wonder if many of these words and actions are historically true.

Ich werde nicht zugeben, dass eine einzige Rede oder eine einzige Handlung dieses unschätzbaren Mannes nicht mit der Wirklichkeit in Einklang gebracht werden kann, und es würde mich nicht wundern, wenn viele dieser Worte und Handlungen historisch wahr sind.

But the greatness of Mr. Collins could not have been so satisfactorily exhibited if his creatress had not adjusted so artfully to him the figures of Mr. Bennet and of Lady Catherine de Bourgh.

Aber die Größe von Mr. Collins hätte nicht so befriedigend zur Geltung kommen können, wenn seine Schöpferin ihm nicht so kunstvoll die Gestalten von Mr. Bennet und Lady Catherine de Bourgh zugeordnet hätte.

The latter, like Mr. Collins himself, has been charged with exaggeration.

Letztere ist, wie Mr. Collins selbst, des Übertreibens bezichtigt worden.

There is, perhaps, a very faint shade of colour for the charge; but it seems to me very faint indeed.

Es gibt vielleicht einen sehr schwachen Anschein von Berechtigung für diesen Vorwurf; aber er erscheint mir in der Tat sehr schwach.

Even now I do not think that it would be impossible to find persons, especially female persons, not necessarily of noble birth, as overbearing, as self-centred, as neglectful of good manners, as Lady Catherine.

Noch heute glaube ich nicht, dass es unmöglich wäre, Personen zu finden, besonders weibliche Personen, nicht notwendigerweise von adeliger Herkunft, die ebenso anmaßend, ebenso ichbezogen und ebenso rücksichtslos gegenüber guten Manieren sind wie Lady Catherine.

A hundred years ago, an earl's daughter, the Lady Powerful (if not exactly Bountiful) of an out-of-the-way country parish, rich, long out of marital authority, and so forth, had opportunities of developing these agreeable characteristics which seldom present themselves now.

Vor hundert Jahren hatte die Tochter eines Grafen, die mächtige Dame (wenn auch nicht gerade die freigebige) einer abgelegenen Landpfarrei, reich, seit langem keiner ehelichen Autorität unterworfen, und so weiter, Gelegenheiten zur Entfaltung dieser angenehmen Eigenschaften, die sich heute selten bieten.

As for Mr. Bennet, Miss Austen, and Mr. Darcy, and even Miss Elizabeth herself, were, I am inclined to think, rather hard on him for the "impropriety" of his conduct.

Was Mr. Bennet betrifft, so waren Miss Austen, Mr. Darcy und sogar Miss Elizabeth selbst, wie ich geneigt bin zu glauben, ihm gegenüber wegen der „Unziemlichkeit" seines Verhaltens etwas zu hart.

His wife was evidently, and must always have been, a quite irreclaimable fool; and unless he had shot her or himself there was no way out of it for a man of sense and spirit but the ironic.

Seine Frau war offensichtlich, und muss es immer gewesen sein, eine völlig unheilbare Törin; und sofern er nicht sie oder sich selbst erschossen hätte, gab es für einen Mann von Verstand und Geist keinen anderen Ausweg als die Ironie.

Vocabulary

werde
Future auxiliary verb form of 'werden' (will/become)
zugeben
To admit or concede something
einzige
Adjective meaning 'single' or 'only one'
Rede
Speech or discourse delivered to an audience
Handlung
An action or deed performed by someone
unschätzbaren
Adjective meaning invaluable or inestimable in worth
Wirklichkeit
Reality or actuality as experienced in life
Einklang
Harmony or agreement between things or ideas
gebracht
Past participle of 'bringen', meaning 'brought'
werden
To become; auxiliary verb for future or passive
würde
Subjunctive form of 'werden', meaning 'would'
wundern
To surprise or astonish someone
historisch
Adjective meaning historically accurate or factual
Größe
Greatness, size, or magnitude of something
hätte
Subjunctive past form of 'haben', meaning 'would have'
befriedigend
Adjective meaning satisfying or adequately fulfilling
Geltung
Validity, effect, or prominence of something
Schöpferin
Female creator or originator of a work
kunstvoll
Adjective meaning artfully or skillfully crafted
Gestalten
Characters or figures in a literary work
zugeordnet
Past participle of 'zuordnen', meaning assigned or allocated
Letztere
Pronoun meaning 'the latter' referring to previously mentioned
selbst
Reflexive word meaning 'herself', 'himself', or 'itself'
Übertreibens
Genitive form of 'Übertreiben', meaning exaggerating
bezichtigt
Accused or charged with something
worden
Passive auxiliary past participle of 'werden'
vielleicht
Adverb meaning 'perhaps' or 'maybe'
schwachen
Adjective meaning weak or faint in degree
Anschein
Appearance or semblance of something
Berechtigung
Justification, authorization, or entitlement
Vorwurf
A reproach or accusation directed at someone
erscheint
Third person singular of 'erscheinen', meaning appears
Tat
A deed or act; 'in der Tat' means 'indeed'
schwach
Adjective meaning weak or feeble
Noch
Adverb meaning 'still' or 'yet'
unmöglich
Adjective meaning impossible or not feasible
wäre
Subjunctive form of 'sein', meaning 'would be'
besonders
Adverb meaning 'especially' or 'particularly'
weibliche
Adjective meaning female or feminine
notwendigerweise
Adverb meaning necessarily or inevitably
adeliger
Adjective meaning of noble or aristocratic descent
Herkunft
Origin or descent of a person
ebenso
Adverb meaning 'just as' or 'equally'
anmaßend
Adjective meaning presumptuous or arrogant in behavior
ichbezogen
Adjective meaning self-centered or egocentric
rücksichtslos
Adjective meaning inconsiderate or ruthless toward others
gegenüber
Preposition meaning 'towards' or 'opposite'
Manieren
Plural of 'Manier', meaning manners or social conduct
Tochter
Noun meaning daughter
Grafen
Genitive of 'Graf', meaning count or earl
mächtige
Adjective meaning powerful or mighty
Dame
A lady or woman of high social standing
gerade
Adverb meaning 'just', 'exactly', or 'straight'
freigebige
Adjective meaning generous or liberal in giving
abgelegenen
Adjective meaning remote or isolated in location
Landpfarrei
A rural parish or country parish church community
reich
Adjective meaning rich or wealthy
langem
Adjective form in phrase 'seit langem' meaning 'for a long time'
ehelichen
Adjective meaning marital or relating to marriage
Autorität
Authority or power over others
unterworfen
Past participle of 'unterwerfen', meaning subjected or subordinated
weiter
Adjective meaning further or additional
Gelegenheiten
Plural of 'Gelegenheit', meaning opportunities or occasions
Entfaltung
Development or unfolding of qualities or potential
angenehmen
Adjective meaning pleasant or agreeable
Eigenschaften
Plural of 'Eigenschaft', meaning qualities or characteristics
selten
Adverb meaning rarely or infrequently
bieten
To offer or provide something to someone
betrifft
Third person singular of 'betreffen', meaning 'concerns'
sogar
Adverb meaning 'even' emphasizing a surprising point
geneigt
Inclined or disposed to think or act a certain way
wegen
Preposition meaning 'because of' or 'due to'
Unziemlichkeit
Impropriety or unseemliness of behavior or conduct
Verhaltens
Genitive of 'Verhalten', meaning 'of the behavior'
hart
Adjective meaning hard or harsh
offensichtlich
Adverb or adjective meaning obviously or evidently
völlig
Adverb meaning completely or entirely
unheilbare
Adjective meaning incurable or irremediable
Törin
Feminine noun meaning a foolish woman or fool
sofern
Conjunction meaning 'provided that' or 'insofar as'
erschossen
Past participle of 'erschießen', meaning shot dead
Verstand
Intelligence, reason, or mental capacity
Geist
Mind, spirit, or intellect
Ausweg
A way out or solution to a difficult situation
Ironie
Irony as a literary or rhetorical device
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