← 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 2

English → Spanish Preface Level 7/10

Several reprints of that edition have testified to the continued popularity of the work, and the necessity for the present issue shows that an acquaintance of nearly half a century has not yet wearied the public of the standard translation of the _Thousand and One Nights_.

Varias reimpresiones de esa edición han dado testimonio de la continua popularidad de la obra, y la necesidad de la presente edición demuestra que un conocimiento de casi medio siglo no ha cansado aún al público de la traducción estándar de las _Mil y una noches_.

The secret of Mr. Lane's success is to be found partly in the instinctive sympathy for the spirit of the East, which enabled him faithfully to reproduce the characteristic tone of the original, and partly in the rich store of illustrations of oriental life and thought contained in his Notes.

El secreto del éxito del Sr. Lane se encuentra en parte en la simpatía instintiva por el espíritu de Oriente, que le permitió reproducir fielmente el tono característico del original, y en parte en el rico caudal de ilustraciones sobre la vida y el pensamiento orientales contenidas en sus Notas.

In the various cheap versions, based upon Galland's French paraphrase, the Eastern tone and local colour is wholly wanting; and the peculiarities of life and manners, which contrast so markedly with those of the West, are left unnoted and unexplained.

En las diversas versiones económicas, basadas en la paráfrasis francesa de Galland, el tono oriental y el color local están completamente ausentes; y las peculiaridades de la vida y las costumbres, que contrastan tan marcadamente con las de Occidente, quedan sin señalar y sin explicar.

Such versions may serve in an inadequate degree to make the Arabian Nights known to those who care only for the bare stories; but educated readers, who are capable of something more than the mere enjoyment of the romance, and desire to understand the character and habits of the actors and the spectators, find in Mr. Lane's translation, and in his only, a complete satisfaction of their want.

Tales versiones pueden servir de manera insuficiente para dar a conocer las Noches Árabes a quienes solo se interesan por las historias en sí; pero los lectores instruidos, capaces de algo más que el mero disfrute del romance, y que desean comprender el carácter y las costumbres de los actores y los espectadores, encuentran en la traducción del Sr. Lane, y solo en la suya, una satisfacción completa de su necesidad.

Vocabulary

Varias
Several or various items or things
reimpresiones
Reprints of a previously published work
de
Of or from; basic Spanish preposition
esa
That; demonstrative adjective for feminine noun
edición
Edition or published version of a book
han
Have; third person plural of haber
dado
Given; past participle of dar
testimonio
Testimony or evidence supporting a claim
continua
Continuous or ongoing without interruption
popularidad
Popularity or widespread public appreciation
obra
Work, especially a literary or artistic creation
necesidad
Necessity or need for something important
presente
Present; current or existing at this time
demuestra
Demonstrates or shows something clearly
conocimiento
Knowledge or understanding of a subject
casi
Almost or nearly reaching a quantity
medio
Half or middle; relating to a midpoint
siglo
Century; a period of one hundred years
ha
Has; third person singular of haber
cansado
Tired or wearied; past participle of cansar
aún
Still or yet; indicates continuation of state
público
Public or audience; general readership or viewers
traducción
Translation of a text into another language
estándar
Standard; widely accepted or established version
_Mil
Thousand; part of title One Thousand Nights
noches_
Nights; plural of noche, referring to nighttime
secreto
Secret; something hidden or not widely known
éxito
Success or achievement of a desired outcome
Sr
Mr; abbreviation for señor, masculine title
encuentra
Finds or is found; third person singular encontrar
parte
Part or portion of a whole thing
simpatía
Sympathy or affinity felt toward something
instintiva
Instinctive; arising naturally without conscious thought
por
For or by; Spanish preposition of cause or agent
espíritu
Spirit or essence of a culture or place
Oriente
The Orient or East; Eastern lands and cultures
le
Him, her, or you; indirect object pronoun
permitió
Allowed or permitted someone to do something
reproducir
To reproduce or replicate something faithfully
fielmente
Faithfully or accurately in a loyal manner
tono
Tone or mood characteristic of a text
característico
Characteristic or typical of something specific
original
Original; the first or source version of work
rico
Rich or abundant in quality or quantity
caudal
Wealth or abundance of resources or information
ilustraciones
Illustrations or explanatory notes and examples
sobre
About or on; preposition indicating subject matter
vida
Life; daily existence and living practices
pensamiento
Thought or thinking; intellectual ideas and beliefs
orientales
Eastern or Oriental; relating to Eastern cultures
contenidas
Contained or included within something else
Notas
Notes; explanatory remarks added to a text
diversas
Various or diverse; differing from one another
versiones
Versions or editions of a translated work
económicas
Economical or cheap; affordable versions or editions
basadas
Based on; derived from a source or original
paráfrasis
Paraphrase; restatement of text in other words
francesa
French; relating to France or French language
oriental
Oriental; relating to the East or Eastern cultures
color
Color or local flavor; characteristic atmosphere
local
Local; pertaining to a specific place or region
están
Are; third person plural of estar
completamente
Completely or entirely without exception
ausentes
Absent or missing from a particular context
peculiaridades
Peculiarities or distinctive unusual characteristics
costumbres
Customs or habits of a culture or society
contrastan
Contrast or differ sharply from something else
tan
So or as; used in comparisons and exclamations
marcadamente
Markedly or noticeably in a striking manner
Occidente
The West; Western countries and their cultures
quedan
Remain or are left; third person plural quedar
sin
Without; preposition indicating absence of something
señalar
To point out or indicate something specifically
explicar
To explain or clarify something for understanding
Tales
Such; referring to previously mentioned things
pueden
Can or are able to; third person plural poder
servir
To serve or be useful for a purpose
manera
Manner or way of doing something
insuficiente
Insufficient or inadequate for a given purpose
dar
To give; common Spanish verb of giving
conocer
To know or become acquainted with something
Noches
Nights; plural of noche used in the title
Árabes
Arabian or Arabic; relating to Arab culture
quienes
Who or whom; relative pronoun for people
solo
Only or just; indicating limitation or exclusivity
interesan
Interest or appeal to someone; third person plural
historias
Stories or narratives told for entertainment
Themselves; reflexive pronoun or yes affirmation
pero
But; conjunction indicating contrast or exception
lectores
Readers; people who read books or texts
instruidos
Educated or instructed; having received formal learning
capaces
Capable or able to do something
algo
Something or somewhat; indefinite pronoun or adverb
más
More; comparative adverb indicating greater quantity
mero
Mere or simple; only or nothing more than
disfrute
Enjoyment or pleasure derived from something
romance
Romance or romantic narrative story
desean
Desire or wish for something; third person plural
comprender
To understand or comprehend something fully
carácter
Character or nature of a person or thing
actores
Actors or participants playing roles in events
espectadores
Spectators or observers watching an event unfold
encuentran
Find or encounter; third person plural encontrar
suya
Theirs or hers; feminine possessive pronoun
satisfacción
Satisfaction or fulfillment of a desire or need
completa
Complete or full; lacking nothing essential
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