← 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 6

English → Spanish Preface Level 7/10

The public appreciation of these notes, and of the advantage of correctly-written foreign words, is, I conceive, proved by the call for the present edition.

La apreciación pública de estas notas, y de la ventaja de las palabras extranjeras escritas correctamente, está, a mi entender, demostrada por la demanda de la presente edición.

On the subject of the mode of writing oriental words in European characters, I need say little, for the controversy has well nigh died out.

Sobre el tema del modo de escribir palabras orientales en caracteres europeos, necesito decir poco, pues la controversia ha quedado casi extinguida.

The present generation does not regard antiquated blunders as "the familiar names of childhood," but rather strives to attain accuracy in all things; and those few who still cling to "Mahomet" or "Mahomed" should consistently exhume the forgotten "Mahound" of the Crusades.

La generación actual no considera los errores anticuados como "los nombres familiares de la infancia", sino que más bien se esfuerza por alcanzar la precisión en todo; y aquellos pocos que aún se aferran a "Mahoma" o "Mahomed" deberían, por coherencia, desenterrar el olvidado "Mahound" de las Cruzadas.

The translator's views respecting the origin and literary history of "The Thousand and One Nights" will be found fully expressed in the Review at the end of the third volume.

Las opiniones del traductor respecto al origen y la historia literaria de "Las mil y una noches" se encontrarán plenamente expresadas en la Reseña al final del tercer volumen.

In his original preface, he stated, "The remarks which I here submit to the reader, being written when only one-third of the work to which they principally relate is printed, must unavoidably be more defective than they would be if reserved until a later period.

En su prefacio original, declaró: "Las observaciones que aquí someto al lector, habiendo sido escritas cuando solo un tercio de la obra a la que se refieren principalmente está impreso, han de ser inevitablemente más deficientes de lo que serían si se reservasen para un período posterior.

During the progress of the publication I may be enabled to form clearer and more complete views of the several subjects which might with propriety be fully discussed at the head of my translation, and I think it better, therefore, to append at the close of the work many observations which I originally intended to prefix to the first volume."

Durante el avance de la publicación, es posible que pueda formarme ideas más claras y completas sobre los diversos temas que podrían tratarse con propiedad en la cabecera de mi traducción, y considero mejor, por tanto, añadir al final de la obra muchas observaciones que originalmente pretendía anteponer al primer volumen."

Vocabulary

apreciación
Appreciation or recognition of value or quality
pública
Public, relating to the general population
notas
Notes or written remarks on a subject
ventaja
Advantage or benefit gained in a situation
palabras
Words or individual units of language
extranjeras
Foreign, coming from another country or language
escritas
Written, past participle of escribir (to write)
correctamente
Correctly, in an accurate or proper manner
entender
To understand or comprehend something
demostrada
Demonstrated or proven, past participle of demostrar
demanda
Demand or request for something
presente
Present, current, or existing at this time
edición
Edition or published version of a book
tema
Theme, topic, or subject of discussion
modo
Mode, manner, or way of doing something
escribir
To write letters, words, or texts
orientales
Eastern or Oriental, relating to the East
caracteres
Characters or written symbols of a script
europeos
European, relating to Europe or its people
necesito
I need, first person singular of necesitar
decir
To say or to tell someone something
poco
Little or few, a small amount of something
pues
Conjunction meaning 'well', 'since', or 'because'
controversia
Controversy or dispute about a debated matter
quedado
Remained or stayed, past participle of quedar
casi
Almost or nearly, close to but not quite
extinguida
Extinguished or died out, no longer existing
generación
Generation, group of people born in same era
actual
Current or present, existing at this time
considera
Considers or regards, third person of considerar
errores
Errors or mistakes made in writing or speech
anticuados
Outdated or old-fashioned, no longer in use
nombres
Names or nouns referring to people or things
familiares
Familiar or family-related, well known to someone
infancia
Infancy or childhood, early years of life
sino
Conjunction meaning 'but rather' or 'but instead'
bien
Well or good, adverb indicating positive quality
esfuerza
Strives or makes an effort to achieve something
alcanzar
To reach, achieve, or attain a goal
precisión
Precision or accuracy in detail and execution
todo
All or everything, the whole of something
aquellos
Those, demonstrative pronoun referring to distant things
pocos
Few, a small number of people or things
aún
Still or yet, indicating continuation of a state
aferran
Cling or hold tightly to something stubbornly
deberían
Should or ought to, conditional of deber
coherencia
Coherence or consistency in ideas or behavior
desenterrar
To unearth or dig up something buried or forgotten
olvidado
Forgotten or neglected, past participle of olvidar
Cruzadas
The Crusades, medieval religious military campaigns
opiniones
Opinions or views held about a subject
traductor
Translator, person who converts text between languages
respecto
Regard or respect, often used in 'con respecto a'
origen
Origin or source, the starting point of something
historia
History or story, an account of past events
literaria
Literary, relating to literature or written works
mil
One thousand, the number 1000
noches
Nights, the periods of darkness between days
encontrarán
They will find, future tense of encontrar
plenamente
Fully or completely, in a thorough manner
expresadas
Expressed or stated, past participle of expresar
Reseña
Review or summary of a literary or artistic work
final
Final or last, occurring at the end
tercer
Third, ordinal number indicating position three
volumen
Volume, a book or single tome in a series
prefacio
Preface or introduction at the start of a book
original
Original, the first version of something created
declaró
Declared or stated, past tense of declarar
observaciones
Observations or remarks about something noticed
aquí
Here, indicating a nearby place or location
someto
I submit or present, first person of someter
lector
Reader, a person who reads books or texts
habiendo
Having, gerund of haber used in compound forms
sido
Been, past participle of ser (to be)
cuando
When, conjunction referring to a point in time
solo
Only or alone, without others or additions
tercio
A third, one of three equal parts
obra
Work, a literary, artistic, or creative creation
refieren
Refer or relate to, third person of referir
principalmente
Mainly or principally, above all other things
impreso
Printed, past participle of imprimir (to print)
ser
To be, one of two Spanish verbs for 'to be'
inevitablemente
Inevitably, in a way that cannot be avoided
deficientes
Deficient or lacking, not meeting required standards
serían
Would be, conditional tense of ser
si
If, conjunction introducing a conditional clause
reservasen
If they reserved or kept back for later use
período
Period or span of time with defined duration
posterior
Later or subsequent, coming after in time
Durante
During, throughout a period or event
avance
Advance or progress, moving forward in a process
publicación
Publication, the act of publishing written material
posible
Possible, capable of happening or being done
pueda
Can or may, subjunctive form of poder
formarme
To form or develop for myself, reflexive infinitive
ideas
Ideas, thoughts or concepts in someone's mind
claras
Clear, easy to understand or perceive
completas
Complete or full, lacking nothing essential
diversos
Various or diverse, of different kinds or types
temas
Themes or topics addressed in a work
podrían
Could or might, conditional tense of poder
tratarse
To be treated or dealt with, reflexive infinitive
propiedad
Propriety, correctness, or property ownership
cabecera
Header, heading at the top of a section
traducción
Translation, converting text from one language to another
considero
I consider or regard, first person of considerar
mejor
Better or best, comparative of bueno (good)
tanto
So much or as much, indicating a large degree
añadir
To add or include something extra
muchas
Many or a lot, feminine plural of mucho
originalmente
Originally, at the beginning or in the first version
pretendía
Intended or aimed to, imperfect of pretender
anteponer
To place before or give priority to something
primer
First, ordinal number indicating initial position
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