The Scarlet Letter — Page 11

English → It Full Text Level 8/10

And here, some six months ago,—pacing from corner to corner, or lounging on the long-legged stool, with his elbow on the desk, and his eyes wandering up and down the columns of the morning newspaper,—you might have recognized, honored reader, the same individual who welcomed you into his cheery little study, where the sunshine glimmered so pleasantly through the willow branches, on the western side of the Old Manse.

E qui, circa sei mesi fa,—passeggiando da un angolo all'altro, o sdraiato sullo sgabello dalle lunghe gambe, con il gomito sulla scrivania e gli occhi che vagavano su e giù per le colonne del giornale mattutino,—avreste potuto riconoscere, onorato lettore, lo stesso individuo che vi ha accolto nel suo allegro studiolo, dove il sole brillava così piacevolmente tra i rami dei salici, sul lato occidentale della Vecchia Canonica.

But now, should you go thither to seek him, you would inquire in vain for the Locofoco Surveyor.

Ma ora, se vi recaste là a cercarlo, domandereste invano del Geometra Locofoco.

The besom of reform has swept him out of office; and a worthier successor wears his dignity, and pockets his emoluments.

La scopa della riforma lo ha spazzato via dall'incarico; e un successore più degno ne porta la dignità e intasca i compensi.

This old town of Salem—my native place, though I have dwelt much away from it, both in boyhood and maturer years—possesses, or did possess, a hold on my affections, the force of which I have never realized during my seasons of actual residence here.

Questa vecchia città di Salem—il mio luogo natale, benché me ne sia stato lontano a lungo, sia nell'infanzia che negli anni più maturi—esercita, o ha esercitato, una presa sui miei affetti, la cui forza non ho mai pienamente compreso durante i periodi in cui vi ho effettivamente risieduto.

Indeed, so far as its physical aspect is concerned, with its flat, unvaried surface, covered chiefly with wooden houses, few or none of which pretend to architectural beauty,—its irregularity, which is neither picturesque nor quaint, but only tame,—its long and lazy street, lounging wearisomely through the whole extent of the peninsula, with Gallows Hill and New Guinea at one end, and a view of the almshouse at the other,—such being the features of my native town, it would be quite as reasonable to form a sentimental attachment to a disarranged checker-board.

In effetti, per quanto riguarda il suo aspetto fisico, con la sua superficie piatta e uniforme, ricoperta principalmente da case di legno, poche o nessuna delle quali pretende una qualche bellezza architettonica,—la sua irregolarità, che non è né pittoresca né caratteristica, ma solo piatta,—la sua lunga e pigra strada, che si trascina stancamente per tutta l'estensione della penisola, con Gallows Hill e New Guinea a un'estremità e la vista del ricovero per poveri all'altra,—tali essendo i caratteri della mia città natale, sarebbe del tutto ragionevole formare un attaccamento sentimentale verso una scacchiera in disordine.

Vocabulary

qui: kwee — Adverb meaning 'here', indicating a nearby location.
circa: cheer-kah — Preposition meaning 'about' or 'approximately'.
sei: say — The number six; also second-person singular of 'essere'.
mesi: meh-zee — Plural of 'mese'; means 'months'.
fa: fah — Means 'ago' when used with time expressions.
passeggiando: pahs-sed-jahn-doh — Gerund of 'passeggiare'; meaning 'strolling' or 'walking about'.
da: dah — Preposition meaning 'from', 'by', or 'since'.
angolo: ahn-goh-loh — Noun meaning 'corner' or 'angle'.
altro: ahl-troh — Adjective/pronoun meaning 'other' or 'another'.
sdraiato: zdrah-yah-toh — Adjective meaning 'lying down' or 'stretched out'.
sgabello: zgah-bel-loh — Noun meaning 'stool', a seat without back or arms.
lunghe: loon-geh — Adjective meaning 'long' (feminine plural form).
gambe: gahm-beh — Noun meaning 'legs' (plural of 'gamba').
gomito: goh-mee-toh — Noun meaning 'elbow'.
scrivania: skree-vah-nee-ah — Noun meaning 'desk', a writing table used for work.
occhi: ohk-kee — Noun meaning 'eyes' (plural of 'occhio').
vagavano: vah-gah-vah-noh — Imperfect of 'vagare'; meaning 'were wandering' or 'roaming'.
giù: joo — Adverb meaning 'down' or 'downward'.
colonne: koh-lohn-neh — Noun meaning 'columns' or 'pillars' (also newspaper columns).
giornale: johr-nah-leh — Noun meaning 'newspaper' or 'journal'.
mattutino: maht-too-tee-noh — Adjective meaning 'morning', relating to the early part of day.
avreste: ah-vres-teh — Conditional of 'avere'; meaning 'you would have'.
potuto: poh-too-toh — Past participle of 'potere'; meaning 'been able to'.
riconoscere: ree-koh-noh-sheh-reh — Verb meaning 'to recognize' or 'to identify someone'.
onorato: oh-noh-rah-toh — Adjective meaning 'honored' or 'esteemed'.
lettore: leht-toh-reh — Noun meaning 'reader', one who reads texts.
stesso: stes-soh — Adjective meaning 'same' or 'very' (for emphasis).
individuo: een-dee-vee-dwoh — Noun meaning 'individual' or 'person'.
vi: vee — Pronoun meaning 'you' (plural) or 'there'.
accolto: ahk-kohl-toh — Past participle of 'accogliere'; meaning 'welcomed' or 'received'.
allegro: ahl-leh-groh — Adjective meaning 'cheerful', 'merry', or 'lively'.
studiolo: stoo-dyoh-loh — Noun meaning 'small study' or 'private office room'.
dove: doh-veh — Adverb/conjunction meaning 'where'.
sole: soh-leh — Noun meaning 'sun'.
brillava: breel-lah-vah — Imperfect of 'brillare'; meaning 'was shining' or 'gleaming'.
così: koh-zee — Adverb meaning 'so', 'thus', or 'in this way'.
piacevolmente: pyah-cheh-vohl-men-teh — Adverb meaning 'pleasantly' or 'agreeably'.
tra: trah — Preposition meaning 'between', 'among', or 'through'.
rami: rah-mee — Noun meaning 'branches' (plural of 'ramo').
salici: sah-lee-chee — Noun meaning 'willows' (plural of 'salice'), a type of tree.
lato: lah-toh — Noun meaning 'side'.
occidentale: oh-chee-den-tah-leh — Adjective meaning 'western' or 'of the west'.
Vecchia: vek-kyah — Adjective meaning 'old' (feminine form of 'vecchio').
Canonica: kah-noh-nee-kah — Noun meaning 'rectory' or 'parsonage', priest's residence.
ora: oh-rah — Adverb meaning 'now'; also noun meaning 'hour'.
se: seh — Conjunction meaning 'if', introducing a conditional clause.
là: lah — Adverb meaning 'there', indicating a distant location.
cercarlo: chehr-kahr-loh — Infinitive 'cercare' with clitic; meaning 'to look for him'.
domandereste: doh-mahn-deh-res-teh — Conditional of 'domandare'; meaning 'you would ask' in vain.
invano: een-vah-noh — Adverb meaning 'in vain', without result or success.
Geometra: jeh-oh-meh-trah — Noun meaning 'surveyor' or 'land surveyor', a professional title.
scopa: skoh-pah — Noun meaning 'broom', a tool for sweeping floors.
riforma: ree-fohr-mah — Noun meaning 'reform', a change intended for improvement.
spazzato: spah-tzah-toh — Past participle of 'spazzare'; meaning 'swept' or 'swept away'.
via: vee-ah — Adverb/noun meaning 'away' or 'street/road'.
incarico: een-kah-ree-koh — Noun meaning 'assignment', 'post', or 'official charge'.
successore: soo-ches-soh-reh — Noun meaning 'successor', one who follows another in a role.
più: pyoo — Adverb meaning 'more' or adjective 'most'.
degno: deh-nyoh — Adjective meaning 'worthy' or 'deserving'.
ne: neh — Pronoun meaning 'of it', 'of them', or 'some'.
porta: pohr-tah — Verb 'carries/bears' or noun 'door'; context-dependent meaning.
dignità: dee-nyee-tah — Noun meaning 'dignity', a quality of being worthy of respect.
intasca: een-tahs-kah — Third-person singular of 'intascare'; meaning 'pockets' (money).
compensi: kohm-pen-see — Noun meaning 'fees', 'compensations', or 'remuneration' (plural).
Questa: kwes-tah — Demonstrative adjective meaning 'this' (feminine singular).
vecchia: vek-kyah — Adjective meaning 'old' (feminine singular).
città: cheet-tah — Noun meaning 'city' or 'town'.
luogo: lwoh-goh — Noun meaning 'place' or 'location'.
natale: nah-tah-leh — Adjective meaning 'native' or 'of one's birth'; also 'Christmas'.
benché: ben-keh — Conjunction meaning 'although' or 'even though'.
sia: syah — Subjunctive of 'essere'; meaning 'has been' or 'may be'.
stato: stah-toh — Past participle of 'essere'; meaning 'been'; also noun 'state'.
lontano: lohn-tah-noh — Adjective/adverb meaning 'far away' or 'distant'.
lungo: loon-goh — Adjective meaning 'long'; preposition meaning 'along'.
infanzia: een-fahn-tsyah — Noun meaning 'childhood' or 'infancy'.
anni: ahn-nee — Noun meaning 'years' (plural of 'anno').
maturi: mah-too-ree — Adjective meaning 'mature' or 'adult' (masculine plural).
esercita: eh-sehr-chee-tah — Third-person singular of 'esercitare'; meaning 'exerts' or 'exercises'.
esercitato: eh-sehr-chee-tah-toh — Past participle of 'esercitare'; meaning 'exerted' or 'exercised'.
presa: preh-zah — Noun meaning 'grip', 'hold', or 'grasp'.
affetti: ahf-fet-tee — Noun meaning 'affections' or 'feelings' (plural).
cui: kwee — Relative pronoun meaning 'whose', 'of which', or 'whom'.
forza: fohr-tsah — Noun meaning 'force', 'strength', or 'power'.
mai: mah-ee — Adverb meaning 'never' or 'ever'.
pienamente: pyen-ah-men-teh — Adverb meaning 'fully' or 'completely'.
compreso: kohm-preh-zoh — Past participle of 'comprendere'; meaning 'understood' or 'included'.
durante: doo-rahn-teh — Preposition meaning 'during', throughout a period of time.
periodi: peh-ree-oh-dee — Noun meaning 'periods' or 'intervals of time' (plural).
effettivamente: ef-fet-tee-vah-men-teh — Adverb meaning 'actually', 'effectively', or 'in fact'.
risieduto: ree-zyeh-doo-toh — Past participle of 'risiedere'; meaning 'resided' or 'lived there'.
effetti: ef-fet-tee — Noun; in phrase 'in effetti' meaning 'in fact' or 'actually'.
quanto: kwahn-toh — Adverb/pronoun meaning 'how much', 'as much as'.
riguarda: ree-gwahr-dah — Third-person singular of 'riguardare'; meaning 'concerns' or 'regards'.
aspetto: ah-spet-toh — Noun meaning 'aspect', 'appearance', or 'look'.
fisico: fee-zee-koh — Adjective meaning 'physical'; noun meaning 'physicist' or 'physique'.
superficie: soo-pehr-fee-cheh — Noun meaning 'surface' or 'exterior face of something'.
piatta: pyaht-tah — Adjective meaning 'flat' or 'level' (feminine singular).
uniforme: oo-nee-fohr-meh — Adjective meaning 'uniform' or 'consistent'; noun 'uniform'.
ricoperta: ree-koh-pehr-tah — Past participle of 'ricoprire'; meaning 'covered' or 'coated'.
principalmente: preen-chee-pahl-men-teh — Adverb meaning 'mainly' or 'primarily'.
case: kah-zeh — Noun meaning 'houses' (plural of 'casa').
legno: leh-nyoh — Noun meaning 'wood' or 'timber'.
poche: poh-keh — Adjective meaning 'few' (feminine plural form of 'poco').
nessuna: nes-soo-nah — Pronoun/adjective meaning 'none' or 'not any' (feminine).
quali: kwah-lee — Relative pronoun meaning 'which' or 'who' (plural).
pretende: preh-ten-deh — Third-person singular of 'pretendere'; meaning 'claims' or 'aspires to'.
qualche: kwahl-keh — Adjective meaning 'some', 'any', or 'a few'.
bellezza: bel-let-tsah — Noun meaning 'beauty'.
architettonica: ahr-kee-tet-toh-nee-kah — Adjective meaning 'architectural' (feminine singular).
irregolarità: eer-reh-goh-lah-ree-tah — Noun meaning 'irregularity' or 'unevenness'.
né: neh — Conjunction meaning 'neither...nor' in paired constructions.
pittoresca: peet-toh-res-kah — Adjective meaning 'picturesque', visually charming or quaint.
caratteristica: kah-raht-teh-rees-tee-kah — Noun/adjective meaning 'characteristic' or 'distinctive feature'.
solo: soh-loh — Adjective/adverb meaning 'only', 'alone', or 'just'.
lunga: loon-gah — Adjective meaning 'long' (feminine singular form).
pigra: pee-grah — Adjective meaning 'lazy' or 'sluggish' (feminine singular).
strada: strah-dah — Noun meaning 'street' or 'road'.
trascina: trah-shee-nah — Third-person singular of 'trascinare'; meaning 'drags' or 'trails'.
stancamente: stahn-kah-men-teh — Adverb meaning 'wearily' or 'tiredly'.
tutta: toot-tah — Adjective meaning 'all' or 'the whole' (feminine singular).
estensione: eh-sten-zyoh-neh — Noun meaning 'extension', 'length', or 'stretch of land'.
penisola: peh-nee-zoh-lah — Noun meaning 'peninsula', land surrounded by water on three sides.
estremità: eh-streh-mee-tah — Noun meaning 'extremity', 'end', or 'tip'.
vista: vees-tah — Noun meaning 'view' or 'sight'; past participle of 'vedere'.
ricovero: ree-koh-veh-roh — Noun meaning 'shelter', 'refuge', or 'poorhouse'.
poveri: poh-veh-ree — Adjective/noun meaning 'poor' or 'the poor' (masculine plural).
altra: ahl-trah — Adjective meaning 'other' or 'another' (feminine singular).
tali: tah-lee — Adjective meaning 'such' or 'of this kind' (plural).

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