← 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 8

English → Japanese Preface Level 7/10

His acquaintance with Arab manners and customs was insufficient to preserve him always from errors of the grossest description, and by the _style_ of his version he has given to the whole a false character, thus sacrificing, in a great measure, what is most valuable in the original work,--I mean its minute accuracy with respect to those peculiarities which distinguish the Arabs from every other nation, not only of the West, but also of the East.

アラブの風俗習慣に対する彼の知識は、最も重大な種類の誤りから常に身を守るには不十分であり、また彼の翻訳の文体によって全体に誤った性格を与えてしまった。こうして、原作において最も価値あるもの、すなわち西洋だけでなく東洋のあらゆる民族からアラブ人を区別する特質に関する精緻な正確さを、大いに犠牲にしてしまったのである。

Deceived by the vague nature of Galland's version, travellers in Persia, Turkey, and India, have often fancied that the Arabian Tales describe the particular manners of the natives of those countries; but no one who has read them in the original language, having an intimate acquaintance with the Arabs, can be of this opinion: it is in Arabian countries, and especially in Egypt, that we see the people, the dresses, and the buildings, which it describes in almost every case, even when the scene is laid in Persia, in India, or in China.

ガランの翻訳の曖昧な性質に惑わされて、ペルシア、トルコ、インドを旅した旅行者たちは、アラビアン・テイルズがそれらの国の住民の特有の風俗を描写していると思い込むことがしばしばあった。しかし、アラブ人と深く親しんだ上で原語でそれを読んだ者であれば、そのような意見を持つことはできない。たとえ舞台がペルシアやインドや中国に置かれている場合でも、ほぼあらゆる場面で描写されている人々、衣装、建物は、アラブの国々、とりわけエジプトにおいてこそ見られるものなのである。

"Convinced of the truth of this assertion, I consider myself possessed of the chief qualifications for the proper accomplishment of my present undertaking, from my having lived several years in Cairo, associating almost exclusively with Arabs, speaking their language, conforming to their general habits with the most scrupulous exactitude, and received into their society on terms of perfect equality.

「この主張の真実性を確信した上で、私は現在の試みを適切に達成するための主要な資格を自分が備えていると考えている。それは、私がカイロで数年間生活し、ほぼ専らアラブ人と交わり、彼らの言語を話し、最も厳密な正確さをもって彼らの一般的な習慣に従い、完全な平等の条件のもとで彼らの社会に受け入れられてきたことによるものである。

Vocabulary

アラブ: arabu — Referring to Arab people or culture.
の: no — Possessive or linking particle in Japanese.
風俗: fuuzoku — Social customs, manners, and ways of life.
習慣: shuukan — Habit or custom practiced regularly.
に対する: ni taisuru — Toward or regarding something or someone.
彼: kare — He; third-person masculine pronoun.
知識: chishiki — Knowledge or understanding of a subject.
は: wa — Topic-marking particle in Japanese grammar.
最も: mottomo — Most; superlative degree adverb.
重大: juudai — Serious, grave, or critically important matter.
な: na — Adjectival linking particle for na-adjectives.
種類: shurui — Type, kind, or category of something.
誤り: ayamari — Error, mistake, or inaccuracy made.
から: kara — From; indicates starting point or cause.
常に: tsuneni — Always, constantly, at all times.
身: mi — One's own body, self, or person.
を: wo — Object-marking particle in Japanese grammar.
守る: mamoru — To protect, guard, or defend something.
に: ni — Directional or purpose particle in Japanese.
不十分: fujuubun — Insufficient, inadequate, or not enough.
で: de — Particle indicating means, location, or cause.
あり: ari — Conjunctive form of 'to be' (aru).
また: mata — Also, again, or moreover; additive conjunction.
翻訳: hon'yaku — Translation from one language to another.
文体: buntai — Writing style or literary manner of expression.
よって: yotte — By means of; due to; because of.
全体: zentai — The whole, entirety, or overall totality.
誤っ: ayamatte — Having erred or made a mistake (te-form).
た: ta — Past tense or completion marker in Japanese.
性格: seikaku — Character, personality, or nature of something.
与え: atae — To give or impart something to someone.
て: te — Conjunctive te-form particle linking verb clauses.
しまっ: shimatte — Indicates completion, often with regret (shimau).
こう: kou — In this way; like this; thus.
し: shi — Conjunctive form linking actions or reasons.
原作: gensaku — Original work or source text before adaptation.
おい: oi — Shortened form of において, meaning 'in' or 'at'.
価値: kachi — Value, worth, or importance of something.
ある: aru — To exist; to have; to be (inanimate).
もの: mono — Thing, object, or matter being referred to.
すなわち: sunawachi — That is to say; namely; in other words.
西洋: seiyou — The West; Western countries and civilization.
だけ: dake — Only, just, or merely limited to something.
なく: naku — Without; negative conjunctive form of 'nai'.
東洋: touyou — The East; Eastern countries and civilization.
あらゆる: arayuru — Every, all, any possible thing or case.
民族: minzoku — Ethnic group, people, or nation sharing culture.
人: hito — Person, human being, or people in general.
区別: kubetsu — Distinction, differentiation, or telling things apart.
する: suru — To do; general-purpose action verb.
特質: tokushitsu — Special characteristic or distinctive quality.
に関する: ni kansuru — Concerning, regarding, or related to something.
精緻: seichi — Elaborate, refined, and exquisitely detailed work.
正確: seikaku — Accurate, precise, and correct without error.
さ: sa — Suffix nominalizing adjectives into abstract nouns.
大い: ooi — Great, large, or significant in degree.
犠牲: gisei — Sacrifice; giving up something of great value.
曖昧: aimai — Ambiguous, vague, or unclear in meaning.
性質: seishitsu — Nature, quality, or inherent characteristic of something.
惑わさ: madowasa — To be misled, confused, or led astray.
れ: re — Passive or potential auxiliary verb suffix.
ペルシア: perushia — Persia; historical region now modern-day Iran.
トルコ: toruko — Turkey; country spanning Europe and Asia.
インド: indo — India; large country in South Asia.
旅: tabi — Journey, travel, or trip to a place.
旅行者: ryokousha — Traveler or person who travels frequently.
たち: tachi — Plural suffix for people or living things.
アラビアン: arabian — Arabian; relating to Arabia or Arab culture.
が: ga — Subject-marking particle in Japanese grammar.
それら: sorera — Those things; plural demonstrative pronoun.
国: kuni — Country, nation, or land.
住民: juumin — Residents or inhabitants of a place.
特有: tokuyuu — Peculiar to; unique or exclusive characteristic.
描写: byousha — Description, depiction, or portrayal of something.
いる: iru — To exist (animate); progressive aspect auxiliary.
と: to — Quotation or conjunction particle in Japanese.
思い込む: omoikomu — To be convinced of; to assume firmly.
こと: koto — Thing, fact, or abstract matter nominalized.
しばしば: shibashiba — Often, frequently, or repeatedly occurring.
あっ: atte — Te-form of aru; being or having occurred.
しかし: shikashi — However, but; contrasting conjunction between statements.
深く: fukaku — Deeply, profoundly, or to a great degree.
親しん: shitashin — Having become familiar or intimate with something.
だ: da — Copula; plain form of 'to be' in Japanese.
上: ue — Above; also used to mean 'having done' something.
原語: gengo — Original language of a text or work.
それ: sore — That; mid-distance demonstrative pronoun.
読ん: yon — Having read (conjunctive form of yomu).
者: mono/sha — Person who does something; one who acts.
あれ: are — If there is; conditional form of aru.
ば: ba — Conditional particle meaning 'if' in Japanese.
そのような: sono you na — Such a; that kind of thing or opinion.
意見: iken — Opinion, view, or personal standpoint expressed.
持つ: motsu — To hold, have, or possess something.
でき: deki — Can do; be able to (potential form).
ない: nai — Negative auxiliary; does not or is not.
たとえ: tatoe — Even if; supposing that something were the case.
舞台: butai — Stage, setting, or scene of a story.
や: ya — And (among others); listing particle in Japanese.
中国: chuugoku — China; East Asian country with long history.
置か: oka — To be placed or set in a location.
場合: baai — Case, situation, or circumstance being considered.
も: mo — Also, too, even; additive particle in Japanese.
ほぼ: hobo — Almost, nearly, or approximately correct.
場面: bamen — Scene, situation, or moment in a story.
人々: hitobito — People; plural form referring to multiple persons.
衣装: ishou — Costume, clothing, or attire worn by people.
建物: tatemono — Building, structure, or constructed physical edifice.
国々: kuniguni — Countries; plural form referring to multiple nations.
とりわけ: toriwake — Especially, particularly, or above all others.
エジプト: ejiputo — Egypt; North African country along the Nile.
こそ: koso — Emphatic particle stressing the preceding word.
見られる: mirareru — Can be seen; is observable or noticeable.
この: kono — This; near-speaker demonstrative adjective.
主張: shuchou — Claim, assertion, or argument put forward.
真実: shinjitsu — Truth, reality, or something genuinely factual.
性: sei/shou — Nature, sex, or suffix indicating quality/tendency.
確信: kakushin — Conviction, firm belief, or certainty about something.
私: watashi — I; first-person singular pronoun in Japanese.
現在: genzai — Present time; currently or at this moment.
試み: kokoromi — Attempt, trial, or effort to do something.
適切: tekisetsu — Appropriate, suitable, or fitting for a purpose.
達成: tassei — Achievement or accomplishment of a goal.
ため: tame — For the purpose of; for the sake of.
主要: shuyou — Main, principal, or most important element.
資格: shikaku — Qualification, credential, or eligibility for something.
自分: jibun — Oneself; reflexive pronoun referring to the self.
備え: sonae — Preparation, provision, or being equipped with something.
考え: kangae — Thought, idea, or way of thinking about something.
カイロ: kairo — Cairo; capital city of Egypt.
数: suu/kazu — Number, several, or a certain quantity of.
年間: nenkan — Period of years; over the course of years.
生活: seikatsu — Daily life, living, or way of existing.
専ら: moppara — Exclusively, solely, or entirely devoted to something.
交わり: majiwari — Association, fellowship, or social interaction with others.
彼ら: karera — They; third-person plural masculine pronoun.
言語: gengo — Language; system of human communication and expression.
話し: hanashi — Speaking, talking, or the act of conversation.
厳密: genmitsu — Strict, rigorous, or precisely exact in manner.
もっ: motte — Holding, having, or by means of (te-form).
一般: ippan — General, common, or ordinary in nature.
的: teki — Suffix meaning '-like', '-ish', or '-related to'.
従い: shitagatte — Following, obeying, or in accordance with something.
完全: kanzen — Complete, perfect, or total without any deficiency.
平等: byoudou — Equality, equal treatment, or fairness among people.
条件: jouken — Condition, requirement, or terms for something.
もと: moto — Under; based on certain conditions or foundation.
社会: shakai — Society, community, or social group as whole.
受け入れ: ukeirere — Acceptance, reception, or welcoming of someone.
られ: rare — Passive or potential auxiliary verb form suffix.
き: ki — Coming; archaic continuative form of 'kuru'.
よる: yoru — To be based on; to depend upon something.

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