Pride and Prejudice — Page 12

English → It 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.

Non ammetterò che un solo discorso o una sola azione di quest'uomo inestimabile sia incapace di essere riconciliata con la realtà, e non mi stupirei se molte di queste parole e azioni fossero storicamente vere.

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.

Ma la grandezza del signor Collins non avrebbe potuto essere esibita in modo così soddisfacente se la sua creatrice non avesse adattato così abilmente a lui le figure del signor Bennet e di Lady Catherine de Bourgh.

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

Quest'ultima, come lo stesso signor Collins, è stata accusata di esagerazione.

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

Vi è forse un'ombra molto tenue di fondamento nell'accusa, ma mi sembra davvero molto tenue.

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.

Ancora oggi non credo che sarebbe impossibile trovare persone, specialmente donne, non necessariamente di nascita nobile, altrettanto prepotenti, altrettanto egocentriche, altrettanto incuranti delle buone maniere, quanto 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.

Cento anni fa, la figlia di un conte, la gran signora potente (se non proprio generosa) di una parrocchia di campagna fuori mano, ricca, da lungo tempo libera dall'autorità maritale, e così via, aveva opportunità di sviluppare queste gradevoli caratteristiche che oggi si presentano di rado.

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.

Quanto al signor Bennet, la signorina Austen, il signor Darcy e persino la stessa signorina Elizabeth furono, sono incline a pensare, piuttosto severi nei suoi confronti per la «scorrettezza» della sua condotta.

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.

Sua moglie era evidentemente, e doveva essere sempre stata, una sciocca del tutto incorreggibile; e a meno che non avesse sparato a lei o a se stesso, non c'era altra via d'uscita per un uomo di senno e di spirito se non quella ironica.

Vocabulary

Non: non — Negation word meaning 'not' in Italian.
ammetterò: ammetterò — I will admit or concede something.
che: che — That, which, or who; a common conjunction.
un: un — Indefinite article meaning 'a' or 'an'.
solo: solo — Alone, only, or just; single.
discorso: discorso — A speech, discourse, or conversation.
o: o — Or; a conjunction indicating alternatives.
una: una — Feminine indefinite article meaning 'a' or 'an'.
sola: sola — Alone or only; feminine form of solo.
azione: azione — An action, act, or deed performed.
di: di — Of, from; a very common Italian preposition.
quest': quest' — This; short form of questo/questa before vowels.
uomo: uomo — A man; an adult male human being.
inestimabile: inestimabile — Inestimable; of value too great to measure.
sia: sia — Subjunctive form of 'essere', meaning 'may be'.
incapace: incapace — Incapable or unable to do something.
essere: essere — To be; the fundamental Italian infinitive of being.
riconciliata: riconciliata — Reconciled; brought into agreement or harmony.
con: con — With; a basic Italian preposition.
la: la — The; feminine definite article in Italian.
realtà: realtà — Reality; the state of things as they exist.
e: e — And; a basic coordinating conjunction in Italian.
mi: mi — Me or myself; first-person singular pronoun.
stupirei: stupirei — I would be surprised or astonished.
se: se — If; a conditional conjunction in Italian.
molte: molte — Many; a large number of, feminine plural.
queste: queste — These; feminine plural demonstrative adjective.
parole: parole — Words; units of spoken or written language.
azioni: azioni — Actions; plural of azione, deeds or acts.
fossero: fossero — Were; third-person plural imperfect subjunctive of essere.
storicamente: storicamente — Historically; from a historical point of view.
vere: vere — True; feminine plural adjective meaning truthful or real.
Ma: ma — But; a coordinating conjunction showing contrast.
grandezza: grandezza — Greatness or grandeur; the quality of being great.
del: del — Of the; contraction of 'di' and 'il'.
signor: signor — Mister or Mr.; a respectful title for a man.
avrebbe: avrebbe — He/she would have; conditional tense of avere.
potuto: potuto — Been able to; past participle of potere.
esibita: esibita — Exhibited or displayed; feminine past participle.
in: in — In, into; a common Italian preposition of place.
modo: modo — Way, manner, or mode of doing something.
così: così — So, thus, in this way.
soddisfacente: soddisfacente — Satisfactory; meeting expectations adequately.
sua: sua — His, her, its; feminine possessive adjective.
creatrice: creatrice — Creator; feminine noun for one who creates.
avesse: avesse — Had; third-person singular imperfect subjunctive of avere.
adattato: adattato — Adapted or adjusted; past participle of adattare.
abilmente: abilmente — Skillfully, cleverly, with great ability.
a: a — To, at; a very common Italian preposition.
lui: lui — Him or he; third-person masculine singular pronoun.
le: le — The (plural feminine) or to her; article or pronoun.
figure: figure — Figures or characters; shapes or notable persons.
ultima: ultima — Last; feminine adjective meaning the final one.
come: come — As, like, how; a versatile Italian conjunction.
lo: lo — Him or it; masculine singular direct object pronoun.
stesso: stesso — Same or himself; used for emphasis or identity.
è: è — Is; third-person singular present of essere.
stata: stata — Been; feminine past participle of essere.
accusata: accusata — Accused; feminine past participle of accusare.
esagerazione: esagerazione — Exaggeration; overstating or amplifying beyond truth.
Vi: vi — There is, or you; adverb or pronoun in Italian.
forse: forse — Perhaps, maybe; expressing uncertainty or possibility.
un': un' — A, an; feminine indefinite article before vowels.
ombra: ombra — Shadow or shade; a hint or trace of something.
molto: molto — Very, much, a lot; an intensifying adverb.
tenue: tenue — Faint, slight, thin; barely perceptible.
fondamento: fondamento — Foundation, basis; the underlying ground or reason.
nell': nell' — In the; contraction of 'in' and 'l'' before vowels.
accusa: accusa — Accusation or charge; a claim of wrongdoing.
ma: ma — But; contrast conjunction, same as 'Ma' above.
sembra: sembra — It seems or appears; third-person singular of sembrare.
davvero: davvero — Really, truly, indeed; affirming sincerity.
Ancora: ancora — Still, yet, again; indicating continuation or repetition.
oggi: oggi — Today; the current day.
credo: credo — I believe or think; first-person singular of credere.
sarebbe: sarebbe — It would be; conditional tense of essere.
impossibile: impossibile — Impossible; not able to occur or be done.
trovare: trovare — To find or discover something or someone.
persone: persone — People; plural of persona, human individuals.
specialmente: specialmente — Especially, particularly; above other things.
donne: donne — Women; plural of donna.
necessariamente: necessariamente — Necessarily; in an unavoidable or required manner.
nascita: nascita — Birth; the event of being born.
nobile: nobile — Noble; belonging to the aristocracy or upper class.
altrettanto: altrettanto — Equally, just as much; the same degree.
prepotenti: prepotenti — Overbearing, bossy; excessively domineering people.
egocentriche: egocentriche — Self-centered; focused exclusively on oneself, feminine plural.
incuranti: incuranti — Heedless, careless; indifferent to others or rules.
delle: delle — Of the; contraction of 'di' and 'le', feminine plural.
buone: buone — Good; feminine plural adjective meaning fine or proper.
maniere: maniere — Manners; ways of behaving in social situations.
quanto: quanto — How much, as much as; expressing degree or quantity.
Cento: cento — One hundred; the number 100.
anni: anni — Years; plural of anno.
fa: fa — Ago; used with time expressions to indicate past.
figlia: figlia — Daughter; a female child in relation to parents.
conte: conte — Count; a noble title in the Italian aristocracy.
gran: gran — Great; short form of grande before a noun.
signora: signora — Lady or madam; a respectful title for a woman.
potente: potente — Powerful, mighty; having great authority or strength.
proprio: proprio — Own, really, exactly; emphasizing possession or truth.
generosa: generosa — Generous; willing to give freely, feminine form.
parrocchia: parrocchia — Parish; a local church district or community.
campagna: campagna — Countryside or country; rural area outside the city.
fuori: fuori — Outside, out of; beyond a place or boundary.
mano: mano — Hand; the body part at the end of an arm.
ricca: ricca — Rich, wealthy; having a lot of money, feminine.
da: da — From, by, since; a versatile Italian preposition.
lungo: lungo — Long; extending a great distance or time.
tempo: tempo — Time or weather; duration or atmospheric condition.
libera: libera — Free; unrestricted, feminine form of libero.
dall': dall' — From the; contraction of 'da' and 'l'' before vowels.
autorità: autorità — Authority; the power or right to give orders.
maritale: maritale — Marital; relating to a husband or marriage.
via: via — Away, street; indicating departure or a path.
aveva: aveva — Had; third-person singular imperfect of avere.
opportunità: opportunità — Opportunity; a favorable chance or occasion.
sviluppare: sviluppare — To develop or cultivate something over time.
gradevoli: gradevoli — Pleasant, agreeable; producing a pleasing impression.
caratteristiche: caratteristiche — Characteristics; distinctive features or qualities.
si: si — Oneself; reflexive pronoun or impersonal construction.
presentano: presentano — They present or appear; third-person plural of presentare.
rado: rado — Rare, sparse; seldom occurring; used in 'di rado'.
Quanto: quanto — As for, regarding; introducing a new topic.
al: al — To the; contraction of 'a' and 'il'.
signorina: signorina — Miss; a respectful title for an unmarried woman.
il: il — The; masculine singular definite article.
persino: persino — Even; used to emphasize an unexpected inclusion.
stessa: stessa — Herself or same; feminine form of stesso for emphasis.
furono: furono — Were; third-person plural past tense of essere.
sono: sono — I am or they are; present tense of essere.
incline: incline — Inclined, prone; tending toward something, plural.
pensare: pensare — To think or consider; reflect mentally.
piuttosto: piuttosto — Rather, quite, somewhat; indicating preference or degree.
severi: severi — Severe, strict, harsh; plural of severo.
nei: nei — In the; contraction of 'in' and 'i', masculine plural.
suoi: suoi — His, her, its; masculine plural possessive adjective.
confronti: confronti — Comparisons or regard; used in 'nei confronti di'.
per: per — For, through, by; a common Italian preposition.
scorrettezza: scorrettezza — Impropriety, incorrectness; lack of proper behavior.
della: della — Of the; contraction of 'di' and 'la', feminine.
condotta: condotta — Conduct, behavior; the way one acts or behaves.
Sua: sua — His, her; formal or possessive feminine adjective.
moglie: moglie — Wife; a married woman in relation to her husband.
era: era — Was; third-person singular imperfect of essere.
evidentemente: evidentemente — Evidently, obviously; in a clearly apparent manner.
doveva: doveva — Had to, was supposed to; imperfect of dovere.
sempre: sempre — Always, ever; at all times without exception.
sciocca: sciocca — Foolish, silly; lacking good sense, feminine form.
tutto: tutto — Everything, all; the entirety of something.
incorreggibile: incorreggibile — Incorrigible; impossible to correct or reform.
meno: meno — Less, minus; indicating a smaller degree.
sparato: sparato — Shot or fired; past participle of sparare.
lei: lei — She, her; third-person feminine singular pronoun.
c': c' — There is/are; short form of ci before vowels.
altra: altra — Other, another; feminine form of altro.
d': d' — Of; elided form of 'di' before a vowel.
uscita: uscita — Exit, way out; also used metaphorically for escape.
senno: senno — Wisdom, good sense; sound judgment or reason.
spirito: spirito — Spirit, wit; liveliness of mind or inner essence.
quella: quella — That; feminine singular demonstrative adjective or pronoun.
ironica: ironica — Ironic; using irony, tongue-in-cheek, feminine form.

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