The Scarlet Letter — Page 9

English → It Full Text Level 8/10

Another figure in the scene is the outward-bound sailor in quest of a protection; or the recently arrived one, pale and feeble, seeking a passport to the hospital.

Un'altra figura nella scena è il marinaio in partenza in cerca di un lasciapassare; o quello arrivato di recente, pallido e debole, che cerca un permesso per l'ospedale.

Nor must we forget the captains of the rusty little schooners that bring firewood from the British provinces; a rough-looking set of tarpaulins, without the alertness of the Yankee aspect, but contributing an item of no slight importance to our decaying trade.

Né dobbiamo dimenticare i capitani dei piccoli e arrugginiti golette che portano legna da ardere dalle province britanniche; un gruppo dall'aspetto rozzo di uomini di mare, privi della vivacità tipica degli yankee, ma che contribuiscono con un elemento di non lieve importanza al nostro commercio in declino.

Cluster all these individuals together, as they sometimes were, with other miscellaneous ones to diversify the group, and, for the time being, it made the Custom-House a stirring scene.

Riunendo tutti questi individui insieme, come talvolta accadeva, con altri di vario genere a diversificare il gruppo, per quel momento la Dogana diventava una scena vivace.

More frequently, however, on ascending the steps, you would discern—in the entry, if it were summer time, or in their appropriate rooms, if wintry or inclement weather—a row of venerable figures, sitting in old-fashioned chairs, which were tipped on their hind legs back against the wall.

Più spesso, tuttavia, salendo i gradini, si scorgeva—nell'ingresso, se era estate, o nelle loro stanze appropriate, se il tempo era invernale o inclemente—una fila di figure venerabili, sedute su sedie d'altri tempi, appoggiate sulle gambe posteriori contro il muro.

Oftentimes they were asleep, but occasionally might be heard talking together, in voices between speech and a snore, and with that lack of energy that distinguishes the occupants of almshouses, and all other human beings who depend for subsistence on charity, on monopolized labor, or anything else, but their own independent exertions.

Spesso dormivano, ma di tanto in tanto li si poteva sentire parlare tra loro, con voci a metà tra il parlato e il russare, e con quella mancanza di energia che contraddistingue gli ospiti dei ricoveri per poveri, e tutti gli altri esseri umani che dipendono per il sostentamento dalla carità, dal lavoro monopolizzato, o da qualsiasi altra cosa, ma non dalle proprie indipendenti fatiche.

These old gentlemen—seated, like Matthew, at the receipt of customs, but not very liable to be summoned thence, like him, for apostolic errands—were Custom-House officers.

Questi vecchi gentiluomini—seduti, come Matteo, alla riscossione dei dazi, ma non molto inclini a essere convocati da lì, come lui, per missioni apostoliche—erano funzionari della Dogana.

Vocabulary

altra: Another; different one of the same kind
figura: Figure; person or shape appearing in a scene
scena: Scene; a setting or moment in a narrative
marinaio: Sailor; a person who works on a ship
partenza: Departure; the act of leaving a place
cerca: Searches; looks for something or someone
lasciapassare: Pass; an official document granting permission to travel
quello: That; demonstrative pronoun or adjective referring to something
arrivato: Arrived; past participle of 'arrivare', to arrive
recente: Recent; happening or appearing not long ago
pallido: Pale; having a light or whitish complexion
debole: Weak; lacking physical or mental strength
permesso: Permission; authorization to do or enter something
ospedale: Hospital; a place where sick people receive medical care
Né: Nor; negative conjunction used to link alternatives
dobbiamo: We must; first person plural of 'dovere'
dimenticare: To forget; to fail to remember something
capitani: Captains; leaders or commanders of ships
piccoli: Small; of limited size or stature
arrugginiti: Rusty; covered with rust from age or neglect
golette: Schooners; small two-masted sailing vessels
portano: Carry; third person plural of 'portare'
legna: Firewood; wood cut for burning as fuel
ardere: To burn; to be on fire or combust
province: Provinces; regional administrative divisions of a country
britanniche: British; relating to Great Britain or its territories
gruppo: Group; a collection of people or things together
aspetto: Appearance; the way someone or something looks
rozzo: Rough; lacking refinement or polish in manner
uomini: Men; plural of 'uomo', adult male humans
mare: Sea; a large body of salt water
privi: Deprived; lacking something, without a quality
vivacità: Liveliness; quality of being energetic and animated
tipica: Typical; characteristic of a particular group or place
yankee: Yankee; informal term for an American person
contribuiscono: They contribute; third person plural of 'contribuire'
elemento: Element; a component or part of a larger whole
lieve: Slight; small in degree or importance
importanza: Importance; the quality of being significant or valuable
nostro: Our; first person plural possessive adjective
commercio: Commerce; trade and business activity between parties
declino: Decline; a gradual decrease or deterioration over time
Riunendo: Bringing together; gerund of 'riunire', to reunite
tutti: All; every one of a group without exception
questi: These; demonstrative adjective referring to nearby things
individui: Individuals; separate people considered as distinct persons
insieme: Together; in a group or at the same time
talvolta: Sometimes; occasionally, not always or regularly
accadeva: It happened; imperfect tense of 'accadere'
altri: Others; additional people or things of various kinds
vario: Various; of different kinds or diverse in nature
genere: Kind; a type or category of person or thing
diversificare: To diversify; to make more varied or different
quel: That; masculine singular demonstrative adjective
momento: Moment; a brief period or specific point in time
Dogana: Customs house; office where duties on goods are collected
diventava: Became; imperfect tense of 'diventare', to become
vivace: Lively; full of energy and activity
spesso: Often; frequently, on many occasions
tuttavia: However; nevertheless, despite what was said before
salendo: Climbing; gerund of 'salire', going upward
gradini: Steps; individual stairs of a staircase or entrance
scorgeva: One could spot; imperfect of 'scorgere', to notice
ingresso: Entrance; the doorway or area for entering a building
estate: Summer; the warmest season of the year
loro: Their; third person plural possessive adjective
stanze: Rooms; enclosed spaces within a building
appropriate: Appropriate; suitable or proper for a given purpose
tempo: Weather; atmospheric conditions at a particular time
invernale: Wintry; relating to or typical of winter season
inclemente: Inclement; harsh or severe, especially regarding weather
fila: Row; a line of people or objects side by side
figure: Figures; persons or shapes visible in a setting
venerabili: Venerable; deserving respect due to age or dignity
sedute: Seated; past participle of 'sedere', to sit
sedie: Chairs; pieces of furniture for sitting on
tempi: Times; plural of 'tempo', referring to past eras
appoggiate: Leaning; resting or supported against something
gambe: Legs; limbs used for standing or walking
posteriori: Rear; at the back, hind legs of a chair
contro: Against; preposition indicating opposition or contact
muro: Wall; a vertical structure enclosing a space
Spesso: Often; frequently, occurring many times
dormivano: They slept; imperfect tense of 'dormire'
tanto: So much; to such a degree or extent
poteva: Could; imperfect tense of 'potere', to be able
sentire: To hear; to perceive sounds through the ears
parlare: To speak; to communicate using words
tra: Among; preposition indicating a position within a group
voci: Voices; sounds produced by people when speaking
metà: Half; one of two equal parts of something
parlato: Spoken; past participle of 'parlare', to speak
russare: To snore; to breathe noisily while sleeping
quella: That; feminine singular demonstrative adjective
mancanza: Lack; the absence or shortage of something needed
energia: Energy; the capacity or vitality to do work
contraddistingue: Distinguishes; third person singular of 'contraddistinguere'
ospiti: Guests; people received and accommodated somewhere
ricoveri: Shelters; places offering refuge to the needy
poveri: Poor; lacking sufficient money or resources
esseri: Beings; living creatures or entities of any kind
umani: Human; relating to or characteristic of people
dipendono: They depend; third person plural of 'dipendere'
sostentamento: Sustenance; means of support or livelihood for survival
carità: Charity; generosity and help given to those in need
lavoro: Work; employment or tasks performed for income
monopolizzato: Monopolized; exclusively controlled or dominated by someone
qualsiasi: Any; whatever kind, used before nouns
cosa: Thing; an object or matter of any kind
proprie: Own; belonging to oneself, self-attributed
indipendenti: Independent; not relying on others for support
fatiche: Efforts; strenuous labors or toils undertaken
Questi: These; masculine plural demonstrative adjective
vecchi: Old; aged, elderly people or things
gentiluomini: Gentlemen; men of good breeding and refined manners
seduti: Seated; past participle of 'sedere', plural masculine
riscossione: Collection; act of collecting taxes or duties owed
dazi: Duties; taxes imposed on imported or exported goods
molto: Very; to a great degree or extent
inclini: Inclined; tending or disposed toward something
convocati: Summoned; called together officially for a purpose
lì: There; in or at that place
missioni: Missions; important tasks or journeys with a purpose
apostoliche: Apostolic; relating to the apostles or the church
funzionari: Officials; people holding authority in an organization

← Previous Next →

Unlock audio playback, vocabulary games, and reading progress tracking.

Create free account →