The Importance of Being Earnest: A Trivial Comedy for Serious People — Page 6
It is a very ungentlemanly thing to read a private cigarette case.
Es una cosa muy poco caballerosa leer una cigarrera privada.
Oh! it is absurd to have a hard and fast rule about what one should read and what one shouldn't.
¡Oh! Es absurdo tener una regla estricta sobre lo que uno debería leer y lo que no debería.
More than half of modern culture depends on what one shouldn't read.
Más de la mitad de la cultura moderna depende de lo que uno no debería leer.
I am quite aware of the fact, and I don't propose to discuss modern culture.
Soy muy consciente de ello, y no me propongo discutir sobre la cultura moderna.
It isn't the sort of thing one should talk of in private.
No es el tipo de cosa de la que uno debería hablar en privado.
I simply want my cigarette case back.
Simplemente quiero que me devuelvan mi cigarrera.
Yes; but this isn't your cigarette case.
Sí; pero esta no es tu cigarrera.
This cigarette case is a present from some one of the name of Cecily, and you said you didn't know any one of that name.
Esta cigarrera es un regalo de alguien de nombre Cecily, y dijiste que no conocías a nadie con ese nombre.
Well, if you want to know, Cecily happens to be my aunt.
Bueno, si quieres saberlo, resulta que Cecily es mi tía.
Your aunt!
¡Tu tía!
Yes. Charming old lady she is, too. Lives at Tunbridge Wells. Just give it back to me, Algy.
Sí. Es una dama anciana de lo más encantadora. Vive en Tunbridge Wells. Devuélvemela, Algy.
[Retreating to back of sofa.] But why does she call herself little Cecily if she is your aunt and lives at Tunbridge Wells?
[Retrocediendo hacia el respaldo del sofá.] Pero ¿por qué se llama a sí misma la pequeña Cecily si es tu tía y vive en Tunbridge Wells?
[Reading.] 'From little Cecily with her fondest love.'
[Leyendo.] «De la pequeña Cecily con todo su cariño.»
[Moving to sofa and kneeling upon it.] My dear fellow, what on earth is there in that?
[Moviéndose hacia el sofá y arrodillándose sobre él.] Mi querido amigo, ¿qué tiene eso de particular?
Some aunts are tall, some aunts are not tall.
Algunas tías son altas, otras tías no lo son.
That is a matter that surely an aunt may be allowed to decide for herself.
Eso es algo que sin duda una tía debería poder decidir por sí misma.
You seem to think that every aunt should be exactly like your aunt!
¡Pareces creer que toda tía debería ser exactamente como tu tía!
That is absurd!
¡Eso es absurdo!
Vocabulary
- cosa
- A thing, object, or matter
- poco
- Little, few; a small amount or degree
- caballerosa
- Gentlemanly, chivalrous; courteous and honorable in behavior
- leer
- To read; the infinitive form of the verb
- cigarrera
- A cigarette case or a woman who makes cigars
- privada
- Private; belonging to or for one person only
- absurdo
- Absurd; ridiculously unreasonable or illogical
- regla
- A rule, regulation, or principle to be followed
- estricta
- Strict; rigidly enforced or followed without exception
- debería
- Should; conditional form expressing obligation or recommendation
- mitad
- Half; one of two equal parts of something
- cultura
- Culture; the arts, customs, and achievements of a society
- moderna
- Modern; relating to the present or recent times
- depende
- It depends; third person singular of 'depender'
- consciente
- Aware, conscious; fully informed or mindful of something
- ello
- It; neutral third person pronoun referring to a concept
- propongo
- I propose or intend; first person singular of 'proponer'
- discutir
- To discuss or argue; infinitive verb for debating
- tipo
- Type, kind, or sort of something or someone
- privado
- Private; not public, restricted to certain persons
- Simplemente
- Simply, just; adverb indicating something is plain or basic
- devuelvan
- Return it (plural command); subjunctive/imperative of 'devolver'
- regalo
- A gift or present given to someone
- alguien
- Someone, somebody; indefinite pronoun referring to a person
- nombre
- Name; the word used to identify a person or thing
- dijiste
- You said; second person singular preterite of 'decir'
- conocías
- You knew (imperfect); second person singular of 'conocer'
- nadie
- Nobody, no one; indefinite pronoun indicating absence of people
- saberlo
- To know it; infinitive 'saber' with attached pronoun 'lo'
- resulta
- It turns out; third person singular of 'resultar'
- tía
- Aunt; a parent's sister or colloquial term for a woman
- dama
- A lady; a woman of refinement or high social status
- anciana
- An elderly woman; an old lady
- encantadora
- Charming, delightful; a woman who is enchanting and lovely
- Devuélvemela
- Give it back to me; imperative of 'devolver' with pronouns
- Retrocediendo
- Moving backward, retreating; gerund of 'retroceder'
- hacia
- Toward; preposition indicating direction or movement
- respaldo
- The back of a chair or sofa; support or backing
- sofá
- A sofa, couch; upholstered seating furniture for multiple people
- misma
- Herself, itself; reflexive intensifier emphasizing identity
- pequeña
- Small, little; feminine adjective describing small size
- Leyendo
- Reading; gerund of 'leer' indicating ongoing action
- cariño
- Affection, love, darling; warm feeling or term of endearment
- Moviéndose
- Moving oneself; reflexive gerund of 'moverse'
- arrodillándose
- Kneeling down; reflexive gerund of 'arrodillarse'
- querido
- Dear, beloved; affectionate adjective used in address
- particular
- Particular, special; something specific or distinctive
- Algunas
- Some (feminine plural); indefinite adjective indicating a few
- tías
- Aunts; plural of 'tía', a parent's sisters
- altas
- Tall (feminine plural); adjective describing great height
- algo
- Something; indefinite pronoun referring to an unspecified thing
- sin
- Without; preposition indicating the absence of something
- duda
- Doubt; uncertainty about the truth of something
- decidir
- To decide; to make a choice or reach a conclusion
- Pareces
- You seem or appear; second person singular of 'parecer'
- creer
- To believe or think; infinitive expressing belief or opinion
- exactamente
- Exactly, precisely; adverb emphasizing accuracy or correctness
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