← Pride and Prejudice

Pride and Prejudice — Page 2

English → Fr Preface Level 7/10

To some the delightful freshness and humour of_ Northanger Abbey, _its completeness, finish, and_ entrain, _obscure the undoubted critical facts that its scale is small, and its scheme, after all, that of burlesque or parody, a kind in which the first rank is reached with difficulty.

Pour certains, la fraîcheur délicieuse et l'humour de Northanger Abbey, sa complétude, sa finition et son entrain, occultent les faits critiques indéniables que son échelle est modeste, et son dessein, après tout, celui du burlesque ou de la parodie, un genre dans lequel le premier rang est atteint avec difficulté.

Persuasion, _relatively faint in tone, and not enthralling in interest, has devotees who exalt above all the others its exquisite delicacy and keeping.

Persuasion, relativement terne dans son ton et peu captivant dans son intérêt, a des adeptes qui exaltent par-dessus tous les autres sa délicatesse exquise et sa cohérence.

The catastrophe of_ Mansfield Park _is admittedly theatrical, the hero and heroine are insipid, and the author has almost wickedly destroyed all romantic interest by expressly admitting that Edmund only took Fanny because Mary shocked him, and that Fanny might very likely have taken Crawford if he had been a little more assiduous;

La catastrophe de Mansfield Park est certes théâtrale, le héros et l'héroïne sont insipides, et l'auteure a presque malicieusement détruit tout intérêt romanesque en admettant expressément qu'Edmund n'a choisi Fanny que parce que Mary l'avait choqué, et que Fanny aurait très probablement choisi Crawford s'il avait été un peu plus assidu ;

yet the matchless rehearsal-scenes and the characters of Mrs. Norris and others have secured, I believe, a considerable party for it.

pourtant les scènes de répétition sans pareilles et les personnages de Mme Norris et d'autres lui ont assuré, je crois, un parti considérable.

Sense and Sensibility _has perhaps the fewest out-and-out admirers; but it does not want them.

Raison et Sentiments compte peut-être le moins d'admirateurs inconditionnels ; mais il ne leur fait pas défaut.

_I suppose, however, that the majority of at least competent votes would, all things considered, be divided between_ Emma _and the present book;

Je suppose, cependant, que la majorité des suffrages au moins compétents se partagerait, toutes choses considérées, entre Emma et le présent livre ;

and perhaps the vulgar verdict (if indeed a fondness for Miss Austen be not of itself a patent of exemption from any possible charge of vulgarity) would go for_ Emma.

et peut-être que le verdict populaire (si tant est qu'un attachement pour Miss Austen ne constitue pas en soi un brevet d'exemption de toute accusation possible de vulgarité) pencherait pour Emma.

Vocabulary

Pour
Preposition meaning 'for' or 'in order to'
certains
Some people; certain individuals
fraîcheur
Freshness, coolness, or lively charm
délicieuse
Delicious, delightful, or highly pleasing
humour
Humor; comedic quality or wit
complétude
Completeness; quality of being fully finished
finition
Finishing; quality of final polish or refinement
entrain
Liveliness, enthusiasm, or spirited energy
occultent
To obscure or hide from view or notice
faits
Facts; established truths or realities
critiques
Critical; involving careful judgment or analysis
indéniables
Undeniable; impossible to deny or dispute
échelle
Scale, ladder, or level of magnitude
modeste
Modest, humble, or limited in scope
dessein
Design, intention, or deliberate purpose
après
Preposition meaning 'after' or 'following'
tout
All, everything, or entirely
celui
Demonstrative pronoun meaning 'that one' or 'the one'
burlesque
Burlesque; comic imitation or exaggerated parody
parodie
Parody; humorous imitation of a style or work
genre
Genre; category or type of artistic work
lequel
Relative pronoun meaning 'which' or 'in which'
premier
First; foremost or leading in rank
rang
Rank, row, or position in a hierarchy
atteint
Reached or achieved a goal or level
difficulté
Difficulty; a challenging or hard circumstance
relativement
Relatively; comparatively speaking
terne
Dull, lackluster, or without brightness
ton
Tone; overall mood or manner of expression
peu
Little, few, or not very much
captivant
Captivating, gripping, or highly engaging
intérêt
Interest; attention or curiosity toward something
adeptes
Devotees, fans, or enthusiastic followers
exaltent
To extol, praise highly, or elevate with enthusiasm
dessus
Above; on top of something
tous
All; every one of a group
autres
Others; remaining or different ones
délicatesse
Delicacy; subtlety and refinement of touch or feeling
exquise
Exquisite; supremely fine or beautifully refined
cohérence
Coherence; logical consistency and unity of thought
catastrophe
Catastrophe; a sudden disastrous event or outcome
certes
Certainly, admittedly, or to be sure
théâtrale
Theatrical; dramatic or relating to the theater
héros
Hero; the main male protagonist of a story
héroïne
Heroine; the main female protagonist of a story
insipides
Insipid; lacking character, dull, or flavorless
auteure
Female author; a woman who writes literary works
presque
Almost, nearly, or virtually
malicieusement
Mischievously or with playful cunning
détruit
Destroyed; to have broken down or ruined something
romanesque
Romantic; fanciful or novelistic in character
admettant
Admitting; acknowledging openly as true
expressément
Expressly; explicitly and clearly stated
choisi
Chosen; selected as a preference or decision
choqué
Shocked; offended or disturbed by something
aurait
Conditional form of 'avoir' meaning 'would have'
probablement
Probably; with high likelihood or expectation
été
Past participle of 'être'; also 'summer'
plus
More; in greater quantity or degree
assidu
Assiduous, diligent, or persistently attentive
pourtant
However, yet, or nevertheless
scènes
Scenes; segments of a play, film, or novel
répétition
Rehearsal; practice session before a performance
sans
Preposition meaning 'without'
pareilles
Alike, similar, or having no equal; matchless
personnages
Characters; fictional persons in a literary work
Mme
Abbreviation for 'Madame,' title for a woman
lui
Personal pronoun meaning 'him,' 'her,' or 'to him/her'
assuré
Ensured or guaranteed a result or outcome
crois
Believe; first-person present of 'croire'
parti
Party, faction, or a chosen side or option
considérable
Considerable; notably large or significant in size
Raison
Reason; also part of 'Raison et Sentiments' (Sense)
Sentiments
Feelings or sentiments; also part of Austen novel title
compte
Counts or has; to account for something
être
To be; the infinitive of the verb 'to be'
moins
Less; in smaller quantity or degree
admirateurs
Admirers; those who regard something with admiration
inconditionnels
Unconditional; absolute and without reservation
leur
Pronoun or adjective meaning 'their' or 'to them'
fait
Does or makes; third-person singular of 'faire'
défaut
Fault, defect, or lack of something
suppose
Suppose; to assume or presume something to be true
cependant
However; nevertheless or yet
majorité
Majority; the greater part or number of something
suffrages
Votes or approval; expressions of support or preference
compétents
Competent; having sufficient skill or knowledge
partagerait
Would share or divide among parties
toutes
All; every one (feminine plural form)
choses
Things; objects or matters being considered
considérées
Considered; taken into account or weighed carefully
entre
Between; in the space or interval separating two things
présent
Present; current or the current moment in time
livre
Book; a written or printed literary work
verdict
Verdict; a final decision or judgment reached
populaire
Popular; widely liked or accepted by many people
si
Conjunction meaning 'if' or adverb 'so'
tant
So much; to such a degree or extent
attachement
Attachment; strong emotional bond or affection
constitue
Constitutes; forms or makes up something
soi
Oneself; reflexive pronoun referring to one's self
brevet
Patent or certificate; official proof of qualification
exemption
Exemption; freedom from an obligation or rule
toute
All or any; every part of something (feminine)
accusation
Accusation; a charge of wrongdoing against someone
possible
Possible; able to happen or be done
vulgarité
Vulgarity; lack of refinement or coarseness
pencherait
Would lean or incline toward a preference or opinion
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