← The Importance of Being Earnest: A Trivial Comedy for Serious People

The Importance of Being Earnest: A Trivial Comedy for Serious People — Page 7

English → It FIRST ACT SCENE Level 7/10

For Heaven's sake give me back my cigarette case. [Follows Algernon round the room.]

Per amor del cielo, restituiscimi il mio portasigarette. [Segue Algernon in giro per la stanza.]

ALGERNON.

Yes. But why does your aunt call you her uncle? 'From little Cecily, with her fondest love to her dear Uncle Jack.' There is no objection, I admit, to an aunt being a small aunt, but why an aunt, no matter what her size may be, should call her own nephew her uncle, I can't quite make out.

Sì. Ma perché tua zia ti chiama suo zio? 'Dalla piccola Cecily, con tutto il suo affetto al suo caro zio Jack.' Non ho nulla in contrario, lo ammetto, a che una zia sia una zia piccola, ma perché una zia, qualunque sia la sua taglia, dovrebbe chiamare il proprio nipote suo zio, proprio non riesco a capirlo.

Besides, your name isn't Jack at all; it is Ernest.

Inoltre, il tuo nome non è affatto Jack; è Ernest.

JACK.

It isn't Ernest; it's Jack.

Non è Ernest; è Jack.

ALGERNON.

You have always told me it was Ernest.

Mi hai sempre detto che era Ernest.

I have introduced you to every one as Ernest.

Ti ho presentato a tutti come Ernest.

You answer to the name of Ernest.

Rispondi al nome di Ernest.

You look as if your name was Ernest.

Hai l'aria di uno che si chiama Ernest.

You are the most earnest-looking person I ever saw in my life.

Sei la persona dall'aspetto più serio che abbia mai visto in vita mia.

It is perfectly absurd your saying that your name isn't Ernest.

È perfettamente assurdo che tu dica che il tuo nome non è Ernest.

It's on your cards. Here is one of them. [Taking it from case.]

È sui tuoi biglietti da visita. Eccone uno. [Prendendolo dall'astuccio.]

'Mr. Ernest Worthing, B. 4, The Albany.' I'll keep this as a proof that your name is Ernest if ever you attempt to deny it to me, or to Gwendolen, or to any one else. [Puts the card in his pocket.]

'Signor Ernest Worthing, B. 4, The Albany.' Lo terrò come prova che il tuo nome è Ernest, nel caso in cui tu tentassi mai di negarlo a me, o a Gwendolen, o a chiunque altro. [Mette il biglietto in tasca.]

JACK.

Well, my name is Ernest in town and Jack in the country, and the cigarette case was given to me in the country.

Ebbene, il mio nome è Ernest in città e Jack in campagna, e il portasigarette mi è stato regalato in campagna.

ALGERNON.

Vocabulary

Per: per — Preposition meaning 'for' or 'through'
amor: amor — Love; affection toward someone or something
del: del — Contraction of 'di' and 'il', meaning 'of the'
cielo: chee-EH-lo — Sky; heaven; used in exclamations
restituiscimi: res-tee-too-EES-chee-mee — Give back to me; return something to me
il: il — Masculine singular definite article meaning 'the'
mio: MEE-oh — Possessive adjective meaning 'my'
portasigarette: por-ta-see-ga-RET-teh — Cigarette case; small container for cigarettes
Segue: SEH-gweh — Follows; third person singular of 'seguire'
in: in — Preposition meaning 'in' or 'into'
giro: JEE-ro — Tour; circuit; going around a space
per: per — Preposition meaning 'for', 'through', or 'around'
la: la — Feminine singular definite article meaning 'the'
stanza: STAN-tsa — Room; enclosed space within a building
Sì: sì — Yes; affirmative response word
Ma: ma — But; conjunction introducing a contrast
perché: per-KÈH — Why; because; used for questions or reasons
tua: TOO-ah — Feminine possessive adjective meaning 'your'
zia: DZEE-ah — Aunt; female relative, parent's sister
ti: ti — Indirect/direct pronoun meaning 'you' or 'to you'
chiama: kee-AH-mah — Calls; third person singular of 'chiamare'
suo: SOO-oh — Possessive adjective meaning 'his', 'her', or 'its'
zio: DZEE-oh — Uncle; male relative, parent's brother
Dalla: DAL-la — Contraction of 'da' and 'la', meaning 'from the'
piccola: PEE-ko-la — Little; small; feminine adjective of size
con: kon — With; preposition indicating accompaniment
tutto: TOOT-toh — All; everything; entire amount or quantity
affetto: af-FET-toh — Affection; warm emotional feeling toward someone
al: al — Contraction of 'a' and 'il', meaning 'to the'
caro: KAH-ro — Dear; beloved; used as affectionate address
Non: non — Not; negation word used before verbs
ho: ò — I have; first person singular of 'avere'
nulla: NOOL-la — Nothing; absence of anything at all
contrario: kon-TRAH-ree-oh — Objection; opposite; contrary position or view
lo: lo — Direct object pronoun meaning 'it' or 'him'
ammetto: am-MET-toh — I admit; I acknowledge something to be true
a: a — Preposition meaning 'to', 'at', or 'in'
che: ke — That; which; who; conjunction or relative pronoun
una: OO-na — Feminine indefinite article meaning 'a' or 'one'
sia: SEE-ah — May be; subjunctive form of 'essere'
ma: ma — But; conjunction introducing a contrast or reservation
qualunque: kwa-LOON-kwe — Whatever; any; whichever one it may be
sua: SOO-ah — Feminine possessive meaning 'his', 'her', or 'its'
taglia: TAH-lyah — Size; dimension; cut of clothing or person
dovrebbe: do-VREB-beh — Should; ought to; conditional of 'dovere'
chiamare: kya-MAH-reh — To call; to name; to address someone
proprio: PRO-pree-oh — Own; exactly; really; one's very own
nipote: nee-POH-teh — Nephew, niece, or grandchild depending on context
non: non — Not; negation particle before verbs
riesco: ree-ES-ko — I manage; I succeed; first person of 'riuscire'
capirlo: ka-PEER-lo — To understand it; infinitive with object pronoun
Inoltre: in-OL-treh — Furthermore; moreover; in addition to that
tuo: TOO-oh — Masculine possessive adjective meaning 'your'
nome: NOH-meh — Name; the word by which someone is known
è: è — Is; third person singular present of 'essere'
affatto: af-FAT-toh — At all; not at all; used with negation
Mi: mi — Me; indirect/direct object pronoun first person
hai: ai — You have; second person singular of 'avere'
sempre: SEM-preh — Always; at all times; continuously
detto: DET-toh — Said; past participle of 'dire'
era: EH-ra — Was; third person singular imperfect of 'essere'
Ti: ti — You; reflexive/object pronoun second person singular
presentato: preh-zen-TAH-toh — Introduced; past participle of 'presentare'
tutti: TOOT-tee — Everyone; all people; masculine plural of 'tutto'
come: KOH-meh — As; like; how; conjunction or adverb
Rispondi: ris-PON-dee — Answer; imperative second person of 'rispondere'
di: di — Of; from; preposition indicating possession or origin
Hai: ai — You have; second person singular of 'avere'
l': l — Elided definite article before a vowel sound
aria: AH-ree-ah — Air; appearance; manner; look of a person
uno: OO-no — One; masculine indefinite article or numeral
si: si — Reflexive pronoun; oneself; third person reflexive
Sei: sei — You are; second person singular of 'essere'
persona: per-SOH-na — Person; individual human being
dall': dall — Elided contraction of 'da' and 'l'', meaning 'from the'
aspetto: as-PET-toh — Appearance; look; aspect of a person
più: pyù — More; most; comparative or superlative adverb
serio: SEH-ree-oh — Serious; grave; not joking or frivolous
abbia: AB-bee-ah — Have; first/third person subjunctive of 'avere'
mai: mai — Ever; never; used in negative or superlative contexts
visto: VEES-toh — Seen; past participle of 'vedere'
vita: VEE-ta — Life; the state or period of being alive
mia: MEE-ah — Feminine possessive adjective meaning 'my'
È: è — Is; third person singular of 'essere'
perfettamente: per-fet-ta-MEN-teh — Perfectly; completely; in an absolutely correct manner
assurdo: as-SOOR-doh — Absurd; ridiculous; completely unreasonable
tu: tu — You; second person singular subject pronoun
dica: DEE-ka — Say; third person subjunctive of 'dire'
sui: SOO-ee — Contraction of 'su' and 'i', meaning 'on the'
tuoi: TWOY — Masculine plural possessive meaning 'your'
biglietti: bil-YET-tee — Cards; tickets; small printed pieces of paper
da: da — From; by; since; preposition of origin or agent
visita: VEE-zee-ta — Visit; calling card; act of visiting someone
Eccone: ek-KOH-neh — Here is one of them; 'ecco' with partitive clitic
Prendendolo: pren-DEN-do-lo — Taking it; gerund of 'prendere' with object pronoun
astuccio: as-TOOT-choh — Case; small box or holder for objects
Signor: si-NYOR — Mister; formal title of address for a man
Lo: lo — It; masculine direct object pronoun third person
terrò: ter-RÒ — I will keep; future tense of 'tenere'
prova: PRO-va — Proof; evidence; test; trial of something
nel: nel — Contraction of 'in' and 'il', meaning 'in the'
caso: KAH-zo — Case; event; situation; possibility
cui: KOO-ee — Which; whom; relative pronoun used with prepositions
tentassi: ten-TAS-see — You tried; imperfect subjunctive of 'tentare'
negarlo: neh-GAR-lo — To deny it; infinitive of 'negare' with pronoun
me: me — Me; stressed object pronoun first person singular
o: o — Or; disjunctive conjunction linking alternatives
chiunque: kyoon-KWE — Anyone; whoever; any person whatsoever
altro: AL-troh — Other; another; else; different person or thing
Mette: MET-teh — Puts; places; third person singular of 'mettere'
biglietto: bil-YET-toh — Card; ticket; small note or calling card
tasca: TAS-ka — Pocket; small pouch sewn into clothing
Ebbene: eb-BEH-neh — Well then; so; interjection introducing a conclusion
città: chit-TÀ — City; town; urban area or settlement
e: e — And; coordinating conjunction linking words or clauses
campagna: kam-PA-nya — Countryside; rural area outside the city
mi: mi — Me; indirect or direct object pronoun first person
stato: STA-toh — Been; past participle of 'essere'; also 'state'
regalato: reh-ga-LAH-toh — Given as a gift; past participle of 'regalare'

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