The Importance of Being Earnest: A Trivial Comedy for Serious People — Page 8
Yes, but that does not account for the fact that your small Aunt Cecily, who lives at Tunbridge Wells, calls you her dear uncle.
Oui, mais cela n'explique pas le fait que votre petite tante Cécily, qui habite à Tunbridge Wells, vous appelle son cher oncle.
Come, old boy, you had much better have the thing out at once.
Allons, mon vieux, vous feriez bien mieux de tout déballer immédiatement.
My dear Algy, you talk exactly as if you were a dentist.
Mon cher Algy, vous parlez exactement comme si vous étiez dentiste.
It is very vulgar to talk like a dentist when one isn't a dentist.
C'est très vulgaire de parler comme un dentiste quand on n'est pas dentiste.
It produces a false impression.
Cela produit une fausse impression.
Well, that is exactly what dentists always do.
Eh bien, c'est exactement ce que les dentistes font toujours.
Now, go on! Tell me the whole thing.
Allez, continuez ! Racontez-moi tout.
I may mention that I have always suspected you of being a confirmed and secret Bunburyist; and I am quite sure of it now.
Je dois mentionner que j'ai toujours soupçonné que vous étiez un Bunburyiste invétéré et secret ; et j'en suis tout à fait certain maintenant.
Bunburyist? What on earth do you mean by a Bunburyist?
Bunburyiste ? Mais qu'entendez-vous donc par Bunburyiste ?
I'll reveal to you the meaning of that incomparable expression as soon as you are kind enough to inform me why you are Ernest in town and Jack in the country.
Je vous révélerai la signification de cette expression incomparable dès que vous aurez la gentillesse de m'informer pourquoi vous êtes Ernest en ville et Jack à la campagne.
Well, produce my cigarette case first.
Eh bien, produisez d'abord mon étui à cigarettes.
Here it is. [Hands cigarette case.]
Le voici. [Tend l'étui à cigarettes.]
Now produce your explanation, and pray make it improbable. [Sits on sofa.]
Maintenant donnez votre explication, et je vous en prie, faites en sorte qu'elle soit improbable. [S'assoit sur le canapé.]
My dear fellow, there is nothing improbable about my explanation at all.
Mon cher ami, il n'y a absolument rien d'improbable dans mon explication.
In fact it's perfectly ordinary.
En fait, elle est parfaitement ordinaire.
Old Mr. Thomas Cardew, who adopted me when I was a little boy, made me in his will guardian to his grand-daughter, Miss Cecily Cardew.
Le vieux M. Thomas Cardew, qui m'a adopté quand j'étais petit garçon, m'a désigné dans son testament comme tuteur de sa petite-fille, Mlle Cécily Cardew.
Vocabulary
- Oui
- Yes; an affirmative response.
- mais
- But; conjunction expressing contrast or opposition.
- cela
- That; demonstrative pronoun referring to something mentioned.
- explique
- Explains; third-person singular of 'expliquer'.
- pas
- Not; negation particle used with 'ne'.
- le
- The; masculine singular definite article.
- fait
- Fact; an established truth or occurrence.
- que
- That; conjunction or relative pronoun.
- votre
- Your; possessive adjective for formal or plural you.
- petite
- Little/small; feminine adjective describing small size.
- tante
- Aunt; female relative, parent's sister.
- qui
- Who/which; relative or interrogative pronoun.
- habite
- Lives/resides; third-person singular of 'habiter'.
- à
- At/in/to; versatile preposition indicating location or direction.
- vous
- You; formal or plural second-person pronoun.
- appelle
- Calls; third-person singular of 'appeler'.
- son
- His/her/its; possessive adjective for singular noun.
- cher
- Dear/expensive; term of endearment or high cost.
- oncle
- Uncle; male relative, parent's brother.
- Allons
- Come on/let's go; exclamation urging action.
- mon
- My; masculine singular possessive adjective.
- vieux
- Old/old fellow; adjective or informal term of address.
- feriez
- Would do; second-person plural conditional of 'faire'.
- bien
- Well/good; adverb indicating quality or degree.
- mieux
- Better; comparative adverb of 'bien'.
- de
- Of/from; preposition indicating origin or possession.
- tout
- Everything/all; pronoun or adjective meaning entirety.
- déballer
- To unpack/to reveal; disclose everything at once.
- immédiatement
- Immediately; adverb meaning right away without delay.
- Mon
- My; masculine singular possessive adjective.
- parlez
- Speak; second-person plural imperative of 'parler'.
- exactement
- Exactly; adverb expressing precision or agreement.
- comme
- Like/as; conjunction or preposition showing comparison.
- si
- If/as if; conjunction introducing a conditional clause.
- étiez
- Were; second-person plural imperfect of 'être'.
- dentiste
- Dentist; healthcare professional treating teeth.
- est
- Is; third-person singular present of 'être'.
- très
- Very; adverb intensifying an adjective or adverb.
- vulgaire
- Vulgar/common; adjective meaning crude or tasteless.
- parler
- To speak; infinitive of the verb 'to talk'.
- un
- A/one; masculine indefinite article or number.
- quand
- When; conjunction or adverb of time.
- on
- One/we/people; indefinite subject pronoun.
- Cela
- That; demonstrative pronoun referring to something.
- produit
- Produces/creates; third-person singular of 'produire'.
- une
- A/an; feminine indefinite article.
- fausse
- False; feminine adjective meaning incorrect or misleading.
- impression
- Impression; feeling or image created in someone's mind.
- Eh
- Hey/well; interjection expressing surprise or prompting.
- ce
- This/that/it; demonstrative pronoun or adjective.
- les
- The; plural definite article for both genders.
- dentistes
- Dentists; plural of dentist, teeth healthcare professionals.
- font
- Do/make; third-person plural present of 'faire'.
- toujours
- Always/still; adverb of frequency or continuity.
- Allez
- Go on/come on; imperative urging someone forward.
- continuez
- Continue; second-person plural imperative of 'continuer'.
- Racontez
- Tell/recount; second-person plural imperative of 'raconter'.
- moi
- Me; stressed first-person singular pronoun.
- Je
- I; first-person singular subject pronoun.
- dois
- Must/owe; first-person singular of 'devoir'.
- mentionner
- To mention; to bring something up in conversation.
- ai
- Have; first-person singular present of 'avoir'.
- soupçonné
- Suspected; past participle of 'soupçonner'.
- invétéré
- Inveterate; deeply entrenched, habitual, long-established.
- et
- And; conjunction joining words or clauses.
- secret
- Secret; something kept hidden from others.
- en
- In/of it/some; preposition or pronoun with varied uses.
- suis
- Am/follow; first-person singular of 'être' or 'suivre'.
- certain
- Certain/sure; adjective expressing confidence or assurance.
- maintenant
- Now; adverb indicating the present moment.
- Mais
- But; conjunction expressing contrast or objection.
- entendez
- Understand/hear; second-person plural of 'entendre'.
- donc
- So/therefore; conjunction indicating consequence or emphasis.
- par
- By/through/per; preposition indicating means or agent.
- révélerai
- Will reveal; first-person singular future of 'révéler'.
- la
- The; feminine singular definite article.
- signification
- Meaning/significance; the sense conveyed by something.
- cette
- This/that; feminine singular demonstrative adjective.
- expression
- Expression; a word, phrase, or manner of speaking.
- incomparable
- Incomparable; without equal, peerless, uniquely excellent.
- dès
- As soon as/from; preposition indicating immediate timing.
- aurez
- Will have; second-person plural future of 'avoir'.
- gentillesse
- Kindness; the quality of being kind and considerate.
- informer
- To inform; to tell or notify someone about something.
- pourquoi
- Why; interrogative adverb asking for a reason.
- êtes
- Are; second-person plural present of 'être'.
- ville
- City/town; an urban populated settlement.
- campagne
- Countryside/country; rural area outside the city.
- produisez
- Produce; second-person plural present of 'produire'.
- abord
- First/at first; used in 'd'abord' meaning firstly.
- étui
- Case; a small decorative container for objects.
- cigarettes
- Cigarettes; small rolled tobacco products for smoking.
- Le
- The; masculine singular definite article.
- voici
- Here is/here are; presentative indicating nearby object.
- Tend
- Holds out/extends; third-person singular of 'tendre'.
- Maintenant
- Now; adverb referring to the current moment.
- donnez
- Give; second-person plural imperative of 'donner'.
- explication
- Explanation; a statement clarifying something unclear.
- je
- I; first-person singular subject pronoun.
- prie
- Beg/pray; used in 'je vous prie' meaning please.
- faites
- Make/do; second-person plural imperative of 'faire'.
- sorte
- Way/sort; used in 'faites sorte que' meaning ensure.
- elle
- She/it; third-person feminine singular subject pronoun.
- soit
- Be; third-person singular present subjunctive of 'être'.
- improbable
- Improbable/unlikely; not likely to be true or happen.
- assoit
- Sits; third-person singular of 's'asseoir'.
- sur
- On/upon; preposition indicating position on a surface.
- canapé
- Sofa/couch; upholstered seat for multiple people.
- ami
- Friend; a person one has a bond of affection with.
- il
- He/it; third-person masculine singular subject pronoun.
- y
- There/it; pronoun replacing a place or thing.
- a
- Has; third-person singular present of 'avoir'.
- absolument
- Absolutely; adverb meaning completely or without doubt.
- rien
- Nothing; pronoun used in negative constructions.
- dans
- In/inside; preposition indicating location within something.
- En
- In/of it; preposition or adverbial pronoun.
- parfaitement
- Perfectly; adverb meaning in a perfect manner.
- ordinaire
- Ordinary/common; adjective meaning usual or unremarkable.
- M.
- Mr.; abbreviation for 'Monsieur', male honorific title.
- adopté
- Adopted; past participle of 'adopter', legally taken in.
- étais
- Was; first-person singular imperfect of 'être'.
- petit
- Small/little; adjective describing small size or young age.
- garçon
- Boy/waiter; young male person or male server.
- désigné
- Designated/appointed; past participle of 'désigner'.
- testament
- Will/testament; legal document specifying inheritance wishes.
- tuteur
- Guardian/tutor; person legally responsible for another.
- sa
- His/her; feminine singular possessive adjective.
- fille
- Girl/daughter; young female or someone's female child.
- Mlle
- Miss; abbreviation for 'Mademoiselle', unmarried woman's title.
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