The Importance of Being Earnest: A Trivial Comedy for Serious People — Page 1
Morning-room in Algernon's flat in Half-Moon Street. The room is luxuriously and artistically furnished. The sound of a piano is heard in the adjoining room.
Salotto mattutino nell'appartamento di Algernon in Half-Moon Street. La stanza è arredata sontuosamente e artisticamente. Si sente il suono di un pianoforte nella stanza adiacente.
[Lane is arranging afternoon tea on the table, and after the music has ceased, Algernon enters.]
[Lane sta preparando il tè pomeridiano sul tavolo, e dopo che la musica è cessata, entra Algernon.]
Did you hear what I was playing, Lane?
Ha sentito cosa stavo suonando, Lane?
I didn't think it polite to listen, sir.
Non ho ritenuto educato ascoltare, signore.
I'm sorry for that, for your sake. I don't play accurately—any one can play accurately—but I play with wonderful expression. As far as the piano is concerned, sentiment is my forte. I keep science for Life.
Me ne dispiace, per lei. Non suono con precisione — chiunque può suonare con precisione — ma suono con una meravigliosa espressione. Per quanto riguarda il pianoforte, il sentimento è il mio forte. Riservo la scienza per la Vita.
Yes, sir.
Sì, signore.
And, speaking of the science of Life, have you got the cucumber sandwiches cut for Lady Bracknell?
E, a proposito della scienza della Vita, ha preparato i tramezzini al cetriolo per Lady Bracknell?
Yes, sir. [Hands them on a salver.]
Sì, signore. [Li porge su un vassoio.]
[Inspects them, takes two, and sits down on the sofa.] Oh! . by the way, Lane, I see from your book that on Thursday night, when Lord Shoreman and Mr. Worthing were dining with me, eight bottles of champagne are entered as having been consumed.
[Li ispeziona, ne prende due e si siede sul divano.] Oh! A proposito, Lane, vedo dal suo registro che giovedì sera, quando Lord Shoreman e il signor Worthing cenavano da me, risultano consumate otto bottiglie di champagne.
Yes, sir; eight bottles and a pint.
Sì, signore; otto bottiglie e una pinta.
Why is it that at a bachelor's establishment the servants invariably drink the champagne? I ask merely for information.
Come mai in una casa di scapolo i domestici bevono invariabilmente lo champagne? Lo chiedo solo per sapere.
I attribute it to the superior quality of the wine, sir. I have often observed that in married households the champagne is rarely of a first-rate brand.
Lo attribuisco alla qualità superiore del vino, signore. Ho spesso osservato che nelle case di famiglie sposate lo champagne è raramente di una marca di prima qualità.
Good heavens! Is marriage so demoralising as that?
Cielo! Il matrimonio è così demoralizzante?
I believe it _is_ a very pleasant state, sir.
Credo che sia davvero uno stato molto piacevole, signore.
Vocabulary
- Salotto
- sa-LOT-to — Living room or sitting room in a home
- mattutino
- mat-tu-TI-no — Relating to the morning; morning time
- nell'
- nel — Contraction of 'in the' before a vowel
- appartamento
- ap-par-ta-MEN-to — A flat or apartment dwelling
- di
- di — Of; preposition indicating possession or origin
- in
- in — In; basic preposition of location
- La
- la — The; feminine definite article in Italian
- stanza
- STAN-tsa — A room within a building or apartment
- è
- è — Is; third person singular of 'essere'
- arredata
- ar-re-DA-ta — Furnished; decorated with furniture and objects
- sontuosamente
- son-tu-o-sa-MEN-te — Sumptuously; in a luxurious and lavish manner
- e
- e — And; basic coordinating conjunction
- artisticamente
- ar-tis-ti-ca-MEN-te — Artistically; in a creative or tasteful manner
- Si
- si — Reflexive pronoun; oneself or one another
- sente
- SEN-te — One hears or feels; third person singular
- il
- il — The; masculine singular definite article
- suono
- SWO-no — Sound; an audible noise or musical tone
- un
- un — A; masculine singular indefinite article
- pianoforte
- pia-no-FOR-te — A piano; keyboard musical instrument
- nella
- NEL-la — In the; feminine singular prepositional contraction
- adiacente
- a-dia-CHEN-te — Adjacent; neighboring or next to something
- sta
- sta — Is; auxiliary for present progressive tense
- preparando
- pre-pa-RAN-do — Preparing; gerund of 'preparare'
- tè
- tè — Tea; a hot beverage made from leaves
- pomeridiano
- po-me-ri-DIA-no — Afternoon; relating to the afternoon hours
- sul
- sul — On the; masculine singular prepositional contraction
- tavolo
- TA-vo-lo — Table; a piece of furniture with flat surface
- dopo
- DO-po — After; following in time or sequence
- che
- ke — That; conjunction or relative pronoun
- la
- la — The; feminine singular definite article
- musica
- MU-si-ca — Music; organized sound for artistic expression
- cessata
- ces-SA-ta — Stopped; ceased from continuing or sounding
- entra
- EN-tra — Enters; comes or goes into a space
- Ha
- a — Has; third person singular of 'avere'
- sentito
- sen-TI-to — Heard; past participle of 'sentire'
- cosa
- CO-sa — What; interrogative pronoun or thing
- stavo
- STA-vo — I was; imperfect of 'stare'
- suonando
- suo-NAN-do — Playing; gerund of 'suonare', to play music
- Non
- non — Not; basic negation word in Italian
- ho
- o — I have; first person singular of 'avere'
- ritenuto
- ri-te-NU-to — Considered; deemed or thought to be something
- educato
- e-du-CA-to — Polite; well-mannered or courteous in behavior
- ascoltare
- as-col-TA-re — To listen; to pay attention to sounds
- signore
- si-NYO-re — Sir or mister; respectful title for a man
- Me
- me — Me; stressed first person singular pronoun
- ne
- ne — Of it; partitive or reflexive particle
- dispiace
- dis-PIA-ce — Sorry; expresses regret or apology
- per
- per — For; preposition of purpose or benefit
- lei
- lei — Her or you; pronoun for formal address
- con
- con — With; preposition indicating accompaniment
- precisione
- pre-ci-SIO-ne — Precision; accuracy and exactness in doing something
- chiunque
- ki-UN-kwe — Anyone; whoever, any person at all
- può
- pwò — Can; third person singular of 'potere'
- suonare
- suo-NA-re — To play an instrument or to ring
- ma
- ma — But; coordinating conjunction of contrast
- una
- U-na — A; feminine singular indefinite article
- meravigliosa
- me-ra-vi-LYO-sa — Wonderful; marvelous, amazing, or splendid
- espressione
- es-pres-SIO-ne — Expression; manner of conveying feeling or meaning
- Per
- per — For; regarding or as concerns something
- quanto
- KWAN-to — As much; how much or as far as
- riguarda
- ri-GWAR-da — Regards; concerns or relates to something
- sentimento
- sen-ti-MEN-to — Feeling; emotion or sentiment experienced inwardly
- mio
- MIO — My; first person singular possessive adjective
- forte
- FOR-te — Strong; powerful, intense, or forceful
- Riservo
- ri-SER-vo — I reserve; to keep something for specific use
- scienza
- SHEN-tsa — Science; systematic knowledge through study and observation
- Vita
- VI-ta — Life; the state of being alive
- Sì
- sì — Yes; affirmative response or agreement
- E
- e — And; coordinating conjunction linking elements
- a
- a — To or at; basic preposition of direction
- proposito
- pro-PO-si-to — Purpose; subject or point of discussion
- della
- DEL-la — Of the; feminine singular prepositional contraction
- ha
- a — Has; third person singular of 'avere'
- preparato
- pre-pa-RA-to — Prepared; made ready in advance
- i
- i — The; masculine plural definite article
- tramezzini
- tra-med-ZI-ni — Small sandwiches made with soft crustless bread
- al
- al — To the; masculine singular prepositional contraction
- cetriolo
- ce-trio-LO — Cucumber; a long green vegetable
- Li
- li — Them; masculine plural direct object pronoun
- porge
- POR-je — Hands over; offers or presents something to someone
- su
- su — On; preposition indicating position above something
- vassoio
- vas-SOI-o — Tray; a flat surface for carrying items
- ispeziona
- is-pe-TSiO-na — Inspects; examines something carefully and closely
- prende
- PREN-de — Takes; picks up or grabs something
- due
- DU-e — Two; the number two
- si
- si — Reflexive particle; himself, herself, or oneself
- siede
- SIE-de — Sits; takes a seated position
- divano
- di-VA-no — Sofa; an upholstered seat for multiple people
- A
- a — To or at; basic preposition
- vedo
- VE-do — I see; first person singular of 'vedere'
- dal
- dal — From the; masculine singular prepositional contraction
- suo
- SUO — His, her, or your; third person possessive adjective
- registro
- re-GIS-tro — Register or record; a formal written account
- giovedì
- jo-ve-DÌ — Thursday; the fifth day of the week
- sera
- SE-ra — Evening; the latter part of the day
- quando
- KWAN-do — When; at the time that something occurred
- signor
- si-NYOR — Mister; respectful title before a man's name
- cenavano
- ce-NA-va-no — Were dining; imperfect of 'cenare', to dine
- da
- da — At or by; preposition of location or origin
- me
- me — Me; stressed first person singular pronoun
- risultano
- ri-SUL-ta-no — Result; it appears or turns out to be
- consumate
- con-su-MA-te — Consumed; used up or finished entirely
- otto
- OT-to — Eight; the number eight
- bottiglie
- bot-TI-lye — Bottles; containers typically used for liquids
- champagne
- sham-PA-nye — Champagne; sparkling wine from France
- pinta
- PIN-ta — Pint; a unit of liquid measurement
- Come
- CO-me — How; interrogative adverb of manner
- mai
- mai — Ever; or never depending on context
- casa
- CA-sa — House; a residential building or home
- scapolo
- SCA-po-lo — Bachelor; an unmarried man living alone
- domestici
- do-MES-ti-ci — Servants; household staff or domestic workers
- bevono
- BE-vo-no — Drink; third person plural of 'bere'
- invariabilmente
- in-va-ria-bil-MEN-te — Invariably; always, without exception or variation
- lo
- lo — It or him; masculine singular direct object pronoun
- Lo
- lo — It; masculine singular direct object pronoun
- chiedo
- KIE-do — I ask; first person singular of 'chiedere'
- solo
- SO-lo — Only or alone; just, merely, or by oneself
- sapere
- sa-PE-re — To know; to have knowledge or information
- attribuisco
- at-tri-BWI-sko — I attribute; I assign a cause or quality
- alla
- AL-la — To the; feminine singular prepositional contraction
- qualità
- kwa-li-TÀ — Quality; the standard or degree of excellence
- superiore
- su-pe-RIO-re — Superior; higher in quality or rank
- del
- del — Of the; masculine singular prepositional contraction
- vino
- VI-no — Wine; an alcoholic drink made from grapes
- Ho
- o — I have; first person singular of 'avere'
- spesso
- SPES-so — Often; frequently, many times
- osservato
- os-ser-VA-to — Observed; noticed or watched carefully
- nelle
- NEL-le — In the; feminine plural prepositional contraction
- case
- CA-se — Houses; plural of 'casa', residential buildings
- famiglie
- fa-MI-lye — Families; groups of related people living together
- sposate
- spo-SA-te — Married; united in matrimony
- raramente
- ra-ra-MEN-te — Rarely; seldom or not very often
- marca
- MAR-ca — Brand or label; a named type of product
- prima
- PRI-ma — First or before; in terms of quality or time
- Cielo
- CHIE-lo — Heavens; sky or exclamation of surprise
- Il
- il — The; masculine singular definite article
- matrimonio
- ma-tri-MO-nio — Marriage; the union of two people as spouses
- così
- co-SÌ — So or thus; in this way or to this degree
- demoralizzante
- de-mo-ra-lid-ZAN-te — Demoralizing; causing loss of confidence or spirit
- Credo
- CRE-do — I believe; first person singular of 'credere'
- sia
- SI-a — Is; subjunctive form of 'essere'
- davvero
- dav-VE-ro — Really; truly, indeed, in fact
- uno
- U-no — One; masculine singular indefinite article or number
- stato
- STA-to — State; a condition or situation of being
- molto
- MOL-to — Very or much; a high degree of something
- piacevole
- pia-CHE-vo-le — Pleasant; agreeable, enjoyable, or pleasing
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