The Interesting Narrative of the Life of Olaudah Equiano, Or Gustavus Vassa, The African: Written By Himself — Page 6
Some time after she is brought home to her husband, and then another feast is made, to which the relations of both parties are invited: her parents then deliver her to the bridegroom, accompanied with a number of blessings, and at the same time they tie round her waist a cotton string of the thickness of a goose-quill, which none but married women are permitted to wear: she is now considered as completely his wife; and at this time the dowry is given to the new married pair, which generally consists of portions of land, slaves, and cattle, household goods, and implements of husbandry.
Qualche tempo dopo ella viene condotta a casa del marito, e si organizza un altro banchetto al quale sono invitati i parenti di entrambe le parti: i suoi genitori la consegnano allora allo sposo, accompagnata da una serie di benedizioni, e nello stesso tempo le legano attorno alla vita un filo di cotone dello spessore di una penna d'oca, che solo le donne sposate hanno il permesso di indossare: ella è ora considerata a tutti gli effetti sua moglie; e in questo momento la dote viene consegnata alla nuova coppia di sposi, che generalmente consiste in appezzamenti di terra, schiavi e bestiame, oggetti domestici e attrezzi agricoli.
These are offered by the friends of both parties; besides which the parents of the bridegroom present gifts to those of the bride, whose property she is looked upon before marriage; but after it she is esteemed the sole property of her husband.
Questi sono offerti dagli amici di entrambe le parti; oltre a ciò i genitori dello sposo fanno doni a quelli della sposa, della quale si considera proprietà prima del matrimonio; ma dopo di esso ella è ritenuta proprietà esclusiva del marito.
The ceremony being now ended the festival begins, which is celebrated with bonefires, and loud acclamations of joy, accompanied with music and dancing.
La cerimonia essendo ormai conclusa ha inizio il festeggiamento, che è celebrato con falò e grandi acclamazioni di gioia, accompagnate da musica e danze.
We are almost a nation of dancers, musicians, and poets.
Siamo quasi una nazione di danzatori, musicisti e poeti.
Thus every great event, such as a triumphant return from battle, or other cause of public rejoicing is celebrated in public dances, which are accompanied with songs and music suited to the occasion.
Così ogni grande evento, come un trionfale ritorno dalla battaglia, o altra causa di pubblica gioia, viene celebrato con danze pubbliche, che sono accompagnate da canti e musica adatti all'occasione.
The assembly is separated into four divisions, which dance either apart or in succession, and each with a character peculiar to itself.
L'assemblea è divisa in quattro gruppi, che danzano sia separatamente che in successione, e ciascuno con un carattere peculiare a se stesso.
Vocabulary
- Qualche
- KWAHL-keh — Some, a few; used before singular nouns
- tempo
- TEM-poh — Time; weather; musical tempo
- dopo
- DOH-poh — After, afterward, later
- ella
- EL-lah — She; formal or literary third-person feminine pronoun
- viene
- VYEH-neh — Comes; third-person singular present of venire
- condotta
- kon-DOT-tah — Conducted, led; also means conduct or behavior
- a
- ah — To, at; basic preposition of place or direction
- casa
- KAH-zah — House, home
- del
- del — Of the; masculine singular contraction of di + il
- marito
- mah-REE-toh — Husband
- e
- eh — And; basic coordinating conjunction
- si
- see — Reflexive pronoun; oneself; also yes
- organizza
- or-gah-NEET-tsah — Organizes; third-person singular present of organizzare
- un
- oon — A, an; masculine singular indefinite article
- altro
- AHL-troh — Other, another, else
- banchetto
- ban-KET-toh — Banquet, feast, formal celebratory meal
- al
- ahl — To the; contraction of a + il
- quale
- KWAH-leh — Which, who; relative or interrogative pronoun
- sono
- SOH-noh — Are; first-person or third-person plural of essere
- invitati
- een-vee-TAH-tee — Invited; past participle of invitare, also means guests
- i
- ee — The; masculine plural definite article
- parenti
- pah-REN-tee — Relatives, family members
- di
- dee — Of, from; very common Italian preposition
- entrambe
- en-TRAHM-beh — Both; feminine plural form of entrambo
- le
- leh — The; feminine plural definite article
- parti
- PAR-tee — Parts, sides, parties in an agreement
- suoi
- SWOH-ee — His, her, their; masculine plural possessive adjective
- genitori
- jeh-nee-TOH-ree — Parents, father and mother
- la
- lah — The; feminine singular definite article
- consegnano
- kon-SEH-nyah-noh — They deliver, hand over; third-person plural present
- allora
- al-LOH-rah — Then, at that time, so therefore
- allo
- AL-loh — To the; contraction of a + lo
- sposo
- SPOH-zoh — Groom, bridegroom; husband
- accompagnata
- ak-kom-pah-NYAH-tah — Accompanied; feminine past participle of accompagnare
- da
- dah — From, by; preposition indicating origin or agent
- una
- OO-nah — A, an; feminine singular indefinite article
- serie
- SEH-ryeh — Series, sequence, set of things
- benedizioni
- beh-neh-deet-TSYOH-nee — Blessings; plural of benedizione
- nello
- NEL-loh — In the; contraction of in + lo
- stesso
- STES-soh — Same; also used as intensifier meaning himself/itself
- legano
- LEH-gah-noh — They tie, bind; third-person plural present of legare
- attorno
- at-TOR-noh — Around, surrounding something
- alla
- AL-lah — To the; contraction of a + la
- vita
- VEE-tah — Life; also waist, the middle part of the body
- filo
- FEE-loh — Thread, wire, string
- cotone
- koh-TOH-neh — Cotton; natural textile fiber
- spessore
- spes-SOH-reh — Thickness, depth of a material
- penna
- PEN-nah — Pen; also feather, quill
- oca
- OH-kah — Goose; a common farmyard bird
- che
- keh — That, which, who; very common conjunction or pronoun
- solo
- SOH-loh — Only, alone, just
- donne
- DON-neh — Women; plural of donna
- sposate
- spoh-ZAH-teh — Married; feminine plural past participle of sposare
- hanno
- AN-noh — They have; third-person plural present of avere
- il
- eel — The; masculine singular definite article
- permesso
- per-MES-soh — Permission, permit; also past participle of permettere
- indossare
- een-dos-SAH-reh — To wear, to put on clothing
- è
- eh — Is; third-person singular present of essere
- ora
- OH-rah — Now; also hour, the time of day
- considerata
- kon-see-deh-RAH-tah — Considered, regarded; feminine past participle
- tutti
- TOOT-tee — All, everyone, every
- gli
- lyee — The; masculine plural definite article before vowels/s+cons
- effetti
- ef-FET-tee — Effects, purposes; a tutti gli effetti means in every respect
- sua
- SOO-ah — His, her, its; feminine singular possessive adjective
- moglie
- MOH-lyeh — Wife
- in
- een — In, into; basic preposition of location
- questo
- KWES-toh — This; masculine singular demonstrative adjective/pronoun
- momento
- moh-MEN-toh — Moment, instant in time
- dote
- DOH-teh — Dowry; assets brought by bride to marriage
- consegnata
- kon-seh-NYAH-tah — Delivered, handed over; feminine past participle
- nuova
- NWOH-vah — New; feminine singular adjective
- coppia
- KOP-pyah — Couple, pair of people
- sposi
- SPOH-zee — Newlyweds, married couple; plural of sposo
- generalmente
- jeh-neh-ral-MEN-teh — Generally, usually, in most cases
- consiste
- kon-SEES-teh — Consists of; third-person singular present of consistere
- appezzamenti
- ap-pet-tsah-MEN-tee — Plots, parcels of land
- terra
- TER-rah — Land, earth, ground, soil
- bestiame
- bes-TYAH-meh — Livestock, cattle, farm animals collectively
- oggetti
- od-JET-tee — Objects, items, things
- domestici
- doh-MES-tee-chee — Domestic, household; masculine plural adjective
- attrezzi
- at-TRET-tsee — Tools, equipment, implements
- agricoli
- ah-GREE-koh-lee — Agricultural; relating to farming
- Questi
- KWES-tee — These; masculine plural demonstrative pronoun/adjective
- offerti
- of-FER-tee — Offered; masculine plural past participle of offrire
- dagli
- DAH-lyee — By the; contraction of da + gli
- amici
- ah-MEE-chee — Friends; plural of amico
- oltre
- OL-treh — Beyond, besides, in addition to
- ciò
- choh — This, that; neuter demonstrative pronoun
- fanno
- FAN-noh — They do, make; third-person plural present of fare
- doni
- DOH-nee — Gifts, presents; plural of dono
- quelli
- KWEL-lee — Those; masculine plural demonstrative pronoun
- sposa
- SPOH-zah — Bride, wife
- considera
- kon-SEE-deh-rah — Considers; third-person singular present of considerare
- proprietà
- proh-pryeh-TAH — Property, ownership, possession
- prima
- PREE-mah — Before, first, previously
- matrimonio
- mah-tree-MOH-nyoh — Marriage, wedding
- ma
- mah — But; basic adversative conjunction
- esso
- ES-soh — It, he; third-person singular neutral pronoun
- ritenuta
- ree-teh-NOO-tah — Considered, deemed; feminine past participle of ritenere
- esclusiva
- es-kloo-ZEE-vah — Exclusive; belonging solely to one person or group
- cerimonia
- cheh-ree-MOH-nyah — Ceremony, formal ritual event
- essendo
- es-SEN-doh — Being; present gerund of essere
- ormai
- or-MAH-ee — By now, already, at this point
- conclusa
- kon-KLOO-zah — Concluded, finished; feminine past participle of concludere
- ha
- ah — Has; third-person singular present of avere
- inizio
- ee-NEET-tsyoh — Beginning, start
- festeggiamento
- fes-ted-jah-MEN-toh — Celebration, festivity, act of celebrating
- celebrato
- cheh-leh-BRAH-toh — Celebrated; past participle of celebrare
- con
- kon — With; very common Italian preposition
- falò
- fah-LOH — Bonfire, large outdoor fire
- grandi
- GRAN-dee — Great, large, big; plural adjective
- acclamazioni
- ak-klah-mah-TSYOH-nee — Acclamations, cheers, enthusiastic shouts of approval
- gioia
- JOH-yah — Joy, happiness, delight
- accompagnate
- ak-kom-pah-NYAH-teh — Accompanied; feminine plural past participle of accompagnare
- musica
- MOO-zee-kah — Music
- danze
- DAN-tseh — Dances; plural of danza
- Siamo
- SYAH-moh — We are; first-person plural present of essere
- quasi
- KWAH-zee — Almost, nearly, practically
- nazione
- nah-TSYOH-neh — Nation, country, people
- danzatori
- dan-tsah-TOH-ree — Dancers; plural of danzatore
- musicisti
- moo-zee-CHEES-tee — Musicians; plural of musicista
- poeti
- poh-EH-tee — Poets; plural of poeta
- Così
- koh-ZEE — So, thus, in this way
- ogni
- OH-nyee — Every, each
- grande
- GRAN-deh — Great, large, important
- evento
- eh-VEN-toh — Event, occurrence, happening
- come
- KOH-meh — Like, as, how
- trionfale
- tryohn-FAH-leh — Triumphal, victorious; relating to a triumph
- ritorno
- ree-TOR-noh — Return, coming back
- dalla
- DAL-lah — From the; contraction of da + la
- battaglia
- bat-TAH-lyah — Battle, fight, military engagement
- altra
- AHL-trah — Other, another; feminine singular form of altro
- causa
- KAH-oo-zah — Cause, reason, motive
- pubblica
- POOB-blee-kah — Public; feminine singular adjective
- pubbliche
- POOB-blee-keh — Public; feminine plural adjective
- canti
- KAN-tee — Songs, chants; plural of canto
- adatti
- ah-DAT-tee — Suitable, appropriate; masculine plural adjective
- occasione
- ok-kah-ZYOH-neh — Occasion, opportunity, event
- assemblea
- as-sem-BLEH-ah — Assembly, gathering, meeting of people
- divisa
- dee-VEE-zah — Divided; feminine past participle of dividere
- quattro
- KWAT-troh — Four; the number 4
- gruppi
- GROOP-pee — Groups; plural of gruppo
- danzano
- DAN-tsah-noh — They dance; third-person plural present of danzare
- sia
- SEE-ah — Either, both; also subjunctive of essere meaning 'be'
- separatamente
- seh-pah-rah-tah-MEN-teh — Separately, apart, independently
- successione
- soot-ches-SYOH-neh — Succession, sequence, series in order
- ciascuno
- chah-SKOO-noh — Each one, every single one
- carattere
- kah-RAT-teh-reh — Character, nature, personality trait
- peculiare
- peh-koo-LYAH-reh — Peculiar, distinctive, characteristic
- se
- seh — If; also reflexive pronoun meaning himself/herself
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