VOCABULARY.
=á duras penas=, with great difficulty =á la larga=, m the long run =á medida que=, in proportion as =á mejor andar=, at best =á plazos=, in instalments =ajeno=, averse =apagado= extinguished, dull (colours) =*asentar=, to book (an order) =chillones=, gaudy, screaming (colours) =claro=, light (colours) =claro y redondo= (quite clearly) =columna=, column =con el corazón en la mano=, quite candidly =confeccionar=, to make up =*confesar=, to confess =conservas alimenticias=, preserves =definir=, to define (also to settle) =dificultad=, difficulty =ensayo=, trial, proof, venture =escoger=, to choose =exceder=, to exceed =facilidad=, ease, facility =fijo=, fixed, firm =fondos=, grounds (pictures, cloth) =gana= (=de buena, de mala=), willingly, unwillingly =ganga=, a bargain =langosta=, lobster =mariscos=, shell-fish =muestrarios=, pattern cards, sets =oscuro=, dark =paquete=, packet, parcel =*(no) poder menos de ..=., not to be able to help =puntos=, points, spots (in prints) =restos=, remnants =sacar=, to pull out, to get out, to get back =sardinas=, sardines =satines brochados=, brocaded satins =serie=, series =sin mirar á gastos=, regardless of expense =sobrio=, quiet (colour) =solidez=, solidity =tomar á mal=, to take amiss =vivo=, vivid, bright (colours)
EXERCISE 1 (55).
Translate into English—
1. Tiene V. (there is) tanta variedad de dibujos que verdaderamente cuesta dificultad (it is difficult) el escoger entre diseños con flores, con puntos, con rayas, y cuadritos.
2. Con facilidad sin embargo (however) podrá V. hacer un surtido entre las dos series que le enviamos, de fondos claros y oscuros, y de colores vivos, chillones, sobrios, y apagados.
3. Desde algún tiempo á esta parte tratan Vs. los negocios tan á trochimoche que ya no sabemos á que atenernos (what to think of it).
4. Hago esta consignación de mala gana y le confieso claro y redondo que siguiendo V. á vender tan barato y á plazos tan largos no me tendrá cuenta hacerle otros envíos sino por su propia cuenta ó contra pedidos fijos de los clientes.
5. Clara y concisamente es como se deben escribir las cartas comerciales.
6. Á la par que Vs. (same as yourselves) no somos ajenos á la idea de hacer algún ensayo en la importación de langosta, mariscos, sardinas, y conservas alimenticias, pero debemos ir á medias en cualquiera transacción que se decida.
7. Creo que á duras penas sacará su dinero y á mejor andar tendrá que perder todo su trabajo.
8. Á medida que aumenten los ingresos se aumentarán los dividendos.
9. Recibirá V. en paquete asegurado los nuevos muestrarios que se han confeccionado sin mirar á gastos.
10. Estos restos son una verdadera ganga y además, podrá V. pagarlos al contado ó á plazos largos (easy) como más le convenga.
11. Dejaremos en suspenso su reclamo hasta definirlo personalmente en su próximo viaje á Inglaterra.
12. No puede menos de admitir (to admit) que á la larga esto no puede convenirme, y espero que V. no lo tome á mal que se lo exponga con el corazón en la mano.
EXERCISE 2 (56).
Translate into Spanish—
1. After writing you by last mail we are informed by the maker of the Brown Linens (lienzos morenos) that he will be able to book your order which will be delivered before the end of next month.
2. The Brocaded Satins will range between (costarán desde) 4d. and 5d. a yard, and we shall ship them within six weeks but only after receiving your letter confirming them.
3. These shapes are not worn (gastan, llevan) outside England.
4. Not far from here and next to the Bank there is the Insurance Office, which is much admired for its solidity and fine appearance.
5. It cost £20,000 and they never thought it would exceed half that amount.
6. Perhaps it is too large an outlay (gasto) for the Company, but there was no money wasted.
7. The columns in the porch have cost so much because they are of the best Carrara marble (mármol).
8. Whilst we admit that the prints sent may have been just a little bit (un si es no es) off shade (diferentes al color pedido) your claim is quite out of the question.
9. Towards the beginning of the autumn our Mr. So-and-So will make a trip (hará un viaje) to your place, and he will have the honour of waiting upon you (de visitarles) with our latest novelties (novedades).
10. You do not understand how it is possible that your neighbours are able to undersell you (vender más bajo que V.), nor can we make it out (explicárnoslo) either.
LESSON XXIX.
(Lección vigésima nona.)
THE PREPOSITIONS.
Prepositions join words together to mark certain relations between them.
The principal prepositions are—
Á (at, to)
Ante (before—in point of place)
Bajo (under)
Con (with)
Contra, en contra de (against)
De (of, from)
Desde (since, from)
En (in)
Entre (between, among)
Hacia (towards)
Hasta (till, as far as, even)
Para (for the purpose of, for, in order to)
Por (for, by, because of)
Según (according to)
Sin (without)
Sobre (upon)
Tras, tras de (behind)
Para con (una persona),[164] (towards, with, a person)
[Footnote 164: "Fué muy generoso para conmigo": He was very generous with me.]
Many verbs take in Spanish a different preposition than in English. Some verbs take a preposition in one language and none in the other, as—
Depender de una promesa: To depend on a promise.
Convenir en una transacción: To agree to a compromise.
Confiar en un desconocido: To trust a perfect stranger.
Regalarle un cheque: To present him with a cheque.
The use of the correct preposition according to the verb it follows is best learnt by practice. In the second part of the grammar, the student will be helped with a list of the most characteristic differences between the two languages. The Spanish construction is not quite so rigid in this respect as is the English.
Difference between de and desde both translating "from"—=De= mark the origin only, as:
Esta seda viene de Italia: This silk comes from Italy—it is Italian silk.
=Desde= calls attention to distance of time or space, as—
Desde el 1° de Enero se estableció en comercio por cuenta propia: From the 1st of January, he started in business on his own account.
He viajado desde Londres hasta Calcuta en tantos días: I travelled from
London to Calcutta in so many days.
The chief difficulty in the employment of the Spanish prepositions is the use of Por and Para—
=Por= is used—
1. To denote agency = by[165]; as—
Es tenido en gran cuenta por sus amigos: He is thought much of by his friends.
Este establecimiento fué fundado por mi bisabuelo: This establishment was founded by my great-grandfather.
[Footnote 165: After the passive voice of verbs denoting mental action when formed by ser, Por is elegantly substituted by De, as: Son amados por or de sus padres (they are loved by their parents). But: Se aman por sus padres.]
2. To denote the motive of an action, as—
Lo hizo por envidia: He did it for (out of) envy.
3. To denote equivalency of any kind, as—
Cinco peniques por libra: Fivepence for a pound—per pound.
Trocar un producto por otro: To exchange one product for another.
Considerar á uno bueno por £1,000: To consider somebody as good for £1,000.
Por mejor le envié yo como viajante: I sent you to travel, holding you for a better man.
Tienda por tienda, prefiero esta: Of the two shops I prefer this.
4. To denote distribution, as—
Vinieron cinco por cinco: They came five by five.
=Para= is used—
1. To denote the object of an action (generally "to" or "in order to"), as—
Trabajo para ganarme la vida: I work to (in order to) earn my living.
2. To denote destination (or direction), as—
El tren sale para Valencia: The train leaves for Valencia.
Esta cédula es para el Sr. Fulano: This warrant is for Mr. So-and-So.
Voy para casa: I am going towards home.
Many idiomatic uses of Por and Para must be learnt by practice.