← The Thousand and One Nights, Vol. I.: Commonly Called the Arabian Nights' Entertainments

The Thousand and One Nights, Vol. I.: Commonly Called the Arabian Nights' Entertainments — Page 14

English → De Preface Level 7/10

These pieces of poetry are not in general to be regarded as the compositions of the author or authors of the work: they appear to be mostly borrowed from others, and many of them are taken from the works of celebrated poets.

Diese Gedichtstücke sind im Allgemeinen nicht als die Kompositionen des Autors oder der Autoren des Werkes zu betrachten: sie scheinen größtenteils von anderen entlehnt zu sein, und viele von ihnen sind den Werken berühmter Dichter entnommen.

--To avoid the tedious interruptions which occur in the original at the close of each Night, I have divided the translation into chapters, each of which consists of one tale, or of two or more tales connected one with another, and have merely mentioned the Night with which each chapter commences, and that with which it terminates.

-- Um die lästigen Unterbrechungen zu vermeiden, die im Original am Ende jeder Nacht auftreten, habe ich die Übersetzung in Kapitel unterteilt, von denen jedes aus einer Geschichte oder aus zwei oder mehr miteinander verbundenen Geschichten besteht, und habe lediglich die Nacht erwähnt, mit der jedes Kapitel beginnt, und diejenige, mit der es endet.

"The original work being designed solely for the entertainment of Arabs, I add copious notes to the translation, to render it more intelligible and agreeable to the English reader.

„Da das Originalwerk ausschließlich zur Unterhaltung der Araber bestimmt war, füge ich der Übersetzung ausführliche Anmerkungen hinzu, um sie für den englischen Leser verständlicher und angenehmer zu gestalten.

These are entirely my own, except in those cases when I have stated otherwise;[4] and my general object in them has been to give such illustrations as may satisfy the general reader, without obliging him to consult other works.

Diese stammen vollständig von mir, außer in jenen Fällen, in denen ich etwas anderes angegeben habe;[4] und mein allgemeines Ziel dabei war es, solche Erläuterungen zu geben, die den allgemeinen Leser befriedigen können, ohne ihn zu zwingen, andere Werke zu konsultieren.

In many of them I endeavour to shew, by extracts from esteemed Arabic histories and scientific and other writings, chiefly drawn from MSS. in my possession, as well as by assertions and anecdotes that I have heard, and conduct that I have witnessed, during my intercourse with Arabs, that the most extravagant relations in this work are not in general regarded, even by the educated classes of that people, as of an incredible nature.

In vielen von ihnen versuche ich zu zeigen, durch Auszüge aus angesehenen arabischen Geschichtswerken sowie wissenschaftlichen und anderen Schriften, die hauptsächlich aus Manuskripten in meinem Besitz stammen, sowie durch Aussagen und Anekdoten, die ich gehört habe, und Verhaltensweisen, die ich während meines Umgangs mit Arabern bezeugt habe, dass die ausschweifendsten Berichte in diesem Werk im Allgemeinen selbst von den gebildeten Klassen dieses Volkes nicht als unglaubwürdiger Natur betrachtet werden.

Vocabulary

Diese
This; demonstrative pronoun referring to a nearby noun
Gedichtstücke
Poem fragments or pieces of verse
sind
Are; third-person plural present of 'sein'
im
In the; contraction of 'in dem'
Allgemeinen
In general; referring to the overall or common case
nicht
Not; negation particle
als
As or than; used in comparisons or classifications
die
The; definite article for feminine or plural nouns
Kompositionen
Compositions; creative works arranged or authored by someone
des
Of the; genitive definite article for masculine/neuter
Autors
Of the author; genitive form of 'Autor'
oder
Or; conjunction presenting an alternative
der
The; definite article for feminine genitive or plural
Autoren
Authors; plural of 'Autor', people who write works
Werkes
Of the work; genitive form of 'Werk'
zu
To; preposition or infinitive marker
betrachten
To consider or regard; to view something in a certain way
sie
They or she; third-person pronoun
scheinen
To seem or appear; to give the impression of something
größtenteils
Mostly or for the most part; predominantly
von
From or by; preposition indicating origin or authorship
anderen
Others; referring to different or additional people or things
entlehnt
Borrowed or taken; adopted from another source
sein
To be; infinitive of the most fundamental German verb
und
And; coordinating conjunction joining words or clauses
viele
Many; indicating a large number of things or people
ihnen
Them; dative third-person plural pronoun
den
The; dative or accusative definite article form
Werken
Works; dative plural of 'Werk', referring to literary pieces
berühmter
Famous; genitive or dative adjective form of 'berühmt'
Dichter
Poets; people who compose poems or literary verse
entnommen
Taken from or extracted; past participle of 'entnehmen'
Um
In order to; conjunction introducing a purpose clause
lästigen
Annoying or bothersome; adjective in inflected form
Unterbrechungen
Interruptions; breaks or disruptions in continuity
vermeiden
To avoid; to prevent something undesirable from happening
Original
Original; the authentic or first version of a text
am
At the; contraction of 'an dem'
Ende
End; the final part or conclusion of something
jeder
Every or each; referring to all individual members of a group
Nacht
Night; the dark period between sunset and sunrise
auftreten
To appear or occur; to come forward or emerge
habe
Have; first-person singular present of 'haben'
ich
I; first-person singular pronoun
Übersetzung
Translation; a text rendered into another language
in
In or into; preposition indicating location or direction
Kapitel
Chapters; divisions or sections of a book or text
unterteilt
Divided or subdivided; split into smaller parts
denen
Which or in which; dative relative pronoun for plurals
jedes
Each or every; referring to individual members of a group
aus
From or out of; preposition indicating origin or composition
einer
One; indefinite article in dative or genitive feminine form
Geschichte
Story or history; a narrative or historical account
zwei
Two; the number 2
mehr
More; indicating a greater quantity or degree
miteinander
With each other; indicating mutual interaction or connection
verbundenen
Connected or linked; joined together in some way
Geschichten
Stories; plural of 'Geschichte', narratives or tales
besteht
Consists of; third-person singular present of 'bestehen'
lediglich
Merely or only; indicating something is nothing more
erwähnt
Mentioned; referred to briefly in a text
mit
With; preposition indicating accompaniment or means
beginnt
Begins; third-person singular present of 'beginnen'
diejenige
The one; demonstrative pronoun referring to a specific entity
es
It; third-person neuter singular pronoun
endet
Ends; third-person singular present of 'enden'
Da
Since or because; conjunction introducing a causal clause
das
The; neuter definite article or demonstrative pronoun
Originalwerk
Original work; the authentic source text or creation
ausschließlich
Exclusively or solely; pertaining to nothing else
zur
For the; contraction of 'zu der'
Unterhaltung
Entertainment or conversation; amusement or discussion
Araber
Arabs; people of Arab origin or culture
bestimmt
Intended or determined; meant for a specific purpose
war
Was; past tense singular of 'sein'
füge
I add; first-person singular present of 'hinzufügen'
ausführliche
Detailed or thorough; providing extensive information
Anmerkungen
Notes or annotations; remarks added to clarify a text
hinzu
In addition; separable prefix meaning 'additionally'
um
In order to; introducing a purpose or goal
für
For; preposition indicating purpose or beneficiary
englischen
English; adjective referring to England or its language
Leser
Reader; a person who reads a text or book
verständlicher
More understandable; comparative of 'verständlich'
angenehmer
More pleasant; comparative adjective of 'angenehm'
gestalten
To shape or design; to make something a certain way
stammen
To originate or come from; indicating a source
vollständig
Completely or entirely; without omission
mir
Me; first-person singular dative pronoun
außer
Except or besides; indicating exclusion from a group
jenen
Those; dative demonstrative pronoun referring to distant things
Fällen
Cases; dative plural of 'Fall', instances or situations
etwas
Something or somewhat; indefinite pronoun or adverb
anderes
Different or else; referring to something other
angegeben
Stated or indicated; past participle of 'angeben'
mein
My; first-person singular possessive pronoun
allgemeines
General; adjective indicating something broad or universal
Ziel
Goal or aim; an objective one seeks to achieve
dabei
In doing so; indicating something done in the process
solche
Such; demonstrative adjective indicating a specific type
Erläuterungen
Explanations or elucidations; detailed clarifying remarks
geben
To give; to provide or offer something to someone
allgemeinen
General; inflected form used in dative or accusative context
befriedigen
To satisfy; to fulfill a need or expectation adequately
können
Can or to be able to; modal verb of ability
ohne
Without; preposition indicating the absence of something
ihn
Him; accusative third-person masculine singular pronoun
zwingen
To force or compel; to make someone do something
andere
Other; referring to different or additional things
Werke
Works; literary or artistic creations, plural of 'Werk'
konsultieren
To consult; to refer to or seek information from a source
In
In; preposition indicating location or context
vielen
Many; dative plural form indicating a large number
versuche
I try or attempt; first-person singular of 'versuchen'
zeigen
To show or demonstrate; to make something visible
durch
Through or by means of; preposition indicating method
Auszüge
Excerpts or extracts; selected passages from a text
angesehenen
Respected or esteemed; inflected adjective of 'angesehen'
arabischen
Arabic or Arabian; adjective in inflected form
Geschichtswerken
Historical works; books or texts documenting history
sowie
As well as; conjunction joining additional elements
wissenschaftlichen
Scientific or scholarly; adjective in inflected form
Schriften
Writings or publications; plural of 'Schrift'
hauptsächlich
Mainly or primarily; indicating the most important element
Manuskripten
Manuscripts; handwritten or unpublished original documents
meinem
My; dative form of the first-person possessive pronoun
Besitz
Possession or ownership; things one owns or holds
Aussagen
Statements or testimonies; declarations made by someone
Anekdoten
Anecdotes; short amusing or illustrative personal stories
gehört
Heard or belongs; past participle of 'hören' or 'gehören'
Verhaltensweisen
Behaviors or manners; ways of acting or conducting oneself
während
During or while; preposition or conjunction of time
meines
My; genitive form of first-person singular possessive
Umgangs
Dealings or association; genitive of 'Umgang', social contact
Arabern
Arabs; dative plural referring to Arab people
bezeugt
Attested or witnessed; confirmed by evidence or testimony
dass
That; subordinating conjunction introducing a dependent clause
ausschweifendsten
Most extravagant or licentious; superlative of 'ausschweifend'
Berichte
Reports or accounts; narratives describing events or findings
diesem
This; dative form of the demonstrative pronoun 'dieser'
Werk
Work; a literary, artistic, or scholarly creation
selbst
Even or oneself; emphatic particle or reflexive reference
gebildeten
Educated; inflected adjective referring to learned people
Klassen
Classes; social or educational groupings of people
dieses
This; genitive or nominative neuter demonstrative pronoun
Volkes
Of the people; genitive of 'Volk', referring to a nation
unglaubwürdiger
More incredible or less credible; comparative of 'unglaubwürdig'
Natur
Nature; the inherent character or type of something
betrachtet
Considered or regarded; past participle of 'betrachten'
werden
To become or will; auxiliary or main verb for future/passive
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