The Expedition of Humphry Clinker — Page 1
I received yours in course of post, and shall be glad to treat with you for the M.S. which I have delivered to your friend Mr Behn; but can by no means comply with the terms proposed.
Ich habe Ihr Schreiben mit der Post erhalten und werde gerne mit Ihnen über das Manuskript verhandeln, das ich Ihrem Freund Herrn Behn übergeben habe; kann jedoch keineswegs den vorgeschlagenen Bedingungen zustimmen.
Those things are so uncertain--Writing is all a lottery--I have been a loser by the works of the greatest men of the age--I could mention particulars, and name names; but don't choose it--The taste of the town is so changeable.
Diese Dinge sind so ungewiss -- Schreiben ist alles eine Lotterie -- ich habe bei den Werken der größten Männer des Zeitalters verloren -- ich könnte Einzelheiten nennen und Namen benennen; aber ich möchte es nicht -- der Geschmack der Stadt ist so wandelbar.
Vocabulary
- habe
- First person singular present tense of 'haben' (to have)
- Ihr
- Formal possessive pronoun meaning 'your' (polite form)
- Schreiben
- Written letter or communication; also infinitive 'to write'
- Post
- Mail or postal service used to send correspondence
- erhalten
- To receive or obtain something; past participle here
- werde
- Future auxiliary verb form of 'werden' meaning 'will'
- gerne
- Adverb meaning 'gladly' or 'with pleasure'
- Ihnen
- Formal dative pronoun meaning 'to you' (polite)
- über
- Preposition meaning 'about,' 'over,' or 'concerning'
- Manuskript
- A manuscript or handwritten/typed unpublished document
- verhandeln
- To negotiate or discuss terms of an agreement
- Ihrem
- Formal dative possessive pronoun meaning 'your' (polite)
- Freund
- A male friend or close acquaintance
- Herrn
- Dative/accusative form of 'Herr,' meaning 'Mr.' or 'gentleman'
- übergeben
- To hand over or deliver something to someone
- kann
- First/third person singular of 'können,' meaning 'can'
- jedoch
- Conjunction or adverb meaning 'however' or 'nevertheless'
- keineswegs
- Adverb meaning 'by no means' or 'not at all'
- vorgeschlagenen
- Adjective meaning 'proposed' or 'suggested,' from 'vorschlagen'
- Bedingungen
- Plural noun meaning 'conditions' or 'terms' of agreement
- zustimmen
- To agree or consent to something proposed
- Diese
- Demonstrative pronoun or adjective meaning 'these' or 'this'
- Dinge
- Plural of 'Ding,' meaning 'things' or 'matters'
- ungewiss
- Adjective meaning 'uncertain' or 'unpredictable'
- alles
- Indefinite pronoun meaning 'everything' or 'all'
- Lotterie
- A lottery; a game of chance with uncertain outcome
- bei
- Preposition meaning 'at,' 'with,' or 'in the case of'
- Werken
- Plural of 'Werk,' meaning 'works' or 'literary/artistic pieces'
- größten
- Superlative adjective meaning 'greatest' or 'largest'
- Männer
- Plural of 'Mann,' meaning 'men'
- Zeitalters
- Genitive of 'Zeitalter,' meaning 'of the age/era'
- verloren
- Past participle of 'verlieren,' meaning 'lost'
- könnte
- Subjunctive II of 'können,' meaning 'could' or 'might'
- Einzelheiten
- Plural noun meaning 'details' or 'particulars'
- nennen
- To name or mention someone or something specifically
- Namen
- Plural or dative of 'Name,' meaning 'names'
- benennen
- To designate, label, or name something specifically
- möchte
- Subjunctive form of 'mögen,' meaning 'would like'
- Geschmack
- Noun meaning 'taste,' referring to aesthetic or culinary preference
- Stadt
- Noun meaning 'city' or 'town'
- wandelbar
- Adjective meaning 'changeable,' 'mutable,' or 'variable'
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