Scroll down for parallel text! But first, if you are here via a desktop or laptop I thouroughly recommend using the free Readlang browser extension in conjunction with these parallel texts as it will bring up a small wordreference translation dictionary to the left of these texts (you'll have the space as my site is quite narrow). All you will then need to do is click on any word in your target language and the proper dictionary translation will appear to the left without having to flip tabs all the time.
INSTRUCTIONS: For google chrome, click the link and add the extension. This will leave a little green square with 'R' in the middle in the top right of your browser. Click it, then choose the appropriate languages (French to English for most of you) and then click on any word in your target language. At this point a simple one word translation will appear above that chosen word but I don't want you to rely on this too much. I would rather you turn to the wordreference dictionary translation which is far more detailed. For this, you must now press on the readlang menu button which will open a pop down menu. In this you will find 'open dictionary' and clicking this will bring the mini wordreference to the left of your screen. Henceforth, click away on words you are not sure of and the dictionary will automatically follow. (No more copying and pasting my friends: welcome to the revolution!)
INSTRUCTIONS: For google chrome, click the link and add the extension. This will leave a little green square with 'R' in the middle in the top right of your browser. Click it, then choose the appropriate languages (French to English for most of you) and then click on any word in your target language. At this point a simple one word translation will appear above that chosen word but I don't want you to rely on this too much. I would rather you turn to the wordreference dictionary translation which is far more detailed. For this, you must now press on the readlang menu button which will open a pop down menu. In this you will find 'open dictionary' and clicking this will bring the mini wordreference to the left of your screen. Henceforth, click away on words you are not sure of and the dictionary will automatically follow. (No more copying and pasting my friends: welcome to the revolution!)
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ARTHUR CONAN DOYLE:
Run Down
Section A is for advanced learners for it is just a normal parallel text (although the original english text has been re-written to more closely resemble the french translation) Section B is for intermediate learners. Here the French text has been broken down into twenty sentences and directly below each French sentence you will find the English equivalent. This makes the task of referring from french text to english text all that more easier. Section C is for beginner learners. Here, every word is translated individually and grammar notes are included. Click HERE for Section C as I have now moved them to another page
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SECTION A ~ BILINGUAL STORY
FRENCH/ENGLISH
Traditional Parallel Text
TRANSLATION
Jeanne de Polignac Pour Sherlock Holmes c’est toujours « la femme ». Il ne parle jamais d’elle que sous cette dénomination ; à ses yeux elle éclipse le sexe faible tout entier. Ne croyez pourtant pas qu’il ait eu de l’amour, voire même de l’affection pour Irène Adler. Tous les sentiments violents et celui-là en particulier sont contraires à son caractère froid, méthodique et admirablement équilibré.
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ADAPTATION OF DOYLE'S ORIGINAL TEXT
Me! (Simpetweb) To Sherlock Holmes she is always 'the woman.' He never speaks of her other than under that denomination. In his eyes she eclipses the weaker sex in its entirety. Don’t believe however that he had love, even affection for Irene Adler. All violent sentiments, and that one particularly, were contradictory to his cold, methodical, and admirably balanced character.
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VERBS USED (in order used)
LEGEND: 1st word = verb in it's infinitif form, 2nd word = form it takes in the story, 3rd words (in square brackets) = its direct translation within the context of the story, 4th word (in block capitals) = the French name of the tense/mood it's in. NOTE: Lit. stands for literally
~Etre - est = [is], PRÉSENT
~Parler - (ne) parle (jamais) = [(never) speaks/ talks], PRÉSENT
~Éclipser - éclipse = [eclipses], PRÉSENT
~Croire - (ne) croyez (pas) = [(don't) believe], PRÉSENT
~Avoir - ait eut = [had], PASSÉ DU SUBJONCTIF
~Etre - sont = [are], PRÉSENT
LEGEND: 1st word = verb in it's infinitif form, 2nd word = form it takes in the story, 3rd words (in square brackets) = its direct translation within the context of the story, 4th word (in block capitals) = the French name of the tense/mood it's in. NOTE: Lit. stands for literally
~Etre - est = [is], PRÉSENT
~Parler - (ne) parle (jamais) = [(never) speaks/ talks], PRÉSENT
~Éclipser - éclipse = [eclipses], PRÉSENT
~Croire - (ne) croyez (pas) = [(don't) believe], PRÉSENT
~Avoir - ait eut = [had], PASSÉ DU SUBJONCTIF
~Etre - sont = [are], PRÉSENT
Holmes est bien la machine animée et observatrice la plus parfaite qu’on puisse rencontrer, mais je ne vois pas mon personnage dans le rôle d’amoureux. Il ne m’a jamais parlé d’amour qu’avec un geste de mépris et un sourire railleur. Pour lui qui a mission d’observer et de déduire, la passion chez les autres est un secours puissant ; elle détermine sans cesse les mobiles secrets qui ont porté l’accusé à son crime.
VERBS USED (in order used)
~Etre - est = [is], PRÉSENT ~Pouvoir - puisse = [may], SUBJONCTIF ~Rencontrer = [encounter], INFINITIF ~Voir - (ne) vois (pas) = [(do not) see], PRÉSENT ~Parler - (ne m')a (jamais) parlé [has (never) spoken (to me)], PASSÉ COMPOSÉ ~Avoir - a = [has], PRÉSENT ~Observer = [to observe], INFINITIF ~Déduire = [to deduce], INFINITIF ~Etre - est = [is], PRÉSENT ~Déterminer - détermine = [determines], PRÉSENT ~Porter - ont porté = [have brought/ Lit. have carried], PASSÉ COMPOSÉ |
Holmes is truly the animated observing machine the most perfected that one may encounter; but I do not see my character in the role of a suitor.* He never spoke of the softer passions, save with a scornful jest and a mocking smile. For he who has the mission to observe and deduce, the passion among others is a powerful assistance; It ceaselessly determines the secret motives which have brought the accused to his crime.
................................ *I found this one hard. Torn between 'lover', 'swooner', 'suitor' or just simply 'someone in love' |
Mais le logicien de profession aurait grand tort de se laisser envahir par le sentiment ; cela équivaudrait à introduire dans des rouages fins et délicats un facteur étranger qui y porterait la plus grande perturbation ; le sentiment pourrait influer sur ses déductions. Une émotion violente pour une nature comme la sienne équivaudrait à un grain de sable dans un instrument de précision ou à une fêlure sur un de ses microscopes les plus puissants. Et cependant pour lui il n’y avait qu’une femme au monde et cette femme était feue Irène Adler, de mémoire douteuse.
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But the professional reasoner would be greatly mistaken to let himself be invaded by emotions; that would equate to introducing into fine and delicate cogs an extraneous factor which would bring a major perturbation; the sentiment could bear influence upon his deductions. A violent emotion for a nature such as his would equated to a grain of sand in an instrument of precision or a fissure on one of his more powerful microscopes. And yet for him there was but one woman in the world, and that woman was the late Irene Adler, of doubtful memory.
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VERBS USED (in order used)
~Avoir - aurait = [would have (big wrong/fault) NOTE: you will have to read it as 'would be wrong' for it to feel more English], CONDITIONNEL
~Se laisser = [to let oneself], INFINITIF (reflexive verb)
~Équivaloir - équivaudrait = [would equate (to)], CONDITIONNEL
~(A) Introduire = [(to) introducing], INFINITIF
~Porter - porterait [would carry (though read as 'would bring')]
~Pouvoir - pourrait = [could/ would be able to], CONDITIONNEL
~Influer = [influence], INFINITIF
~Équivaloir (see above)
~Il n'y a que -Il n'y avait que = [there wasn't an other but (Literally and in franglais: 'it no there had (other) than')], IMPARFAIT
~Etre - Était = [was], IMPARFAIT
~Avoir - aurait = [would have (big wrong/fault) NOTE: you will have to read it as 'would be wrong' for it to feel more English], CONDITIONNEL
~Se laisser = [to let oneself], INFINITIF (reflexive verb)
~Équivaloir - équivaudrait = [would equate (to)], CONDITIONNEL
~(A) Introduire = [(to) introducing], INFINITIF
~Porter - porterait [would carry (though read as 'would bring')]
~Pouvoir - pourrait = [could/ would be able to], CONDITIONNEL
~Influer = [influence], INFINITIF
~Équivaloir (see above)
~Il n'y a que -Il n'y avait que = [there wasn't an other but (Literally and in franglais: 'it no there had (other) than')], IMPARFAIT
~Etre - Était = [was], IMPARFAIT
Je n’avais pas vu Holmes depuis quelque temps. Mon mariage nous avait forcément séparés l’un de l’autre ; le bonheur parfait dont je jouissais, les nouveaux devoirs et les occupations inséparables d’une entrée en ménage absorbaient tous mes instants.
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I had not seen Holmes since a while. My marriage had inevitably separated us one from the other. The perfect happiness of which I was enjoying, the new duties and the occupations inseparable from an entry into household management, were absorbing all my time.
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VERBS USED (in order used)
~Voir - (n')avais (pas) vu = [had (not) seen], PLUS-QUE-PARFAIT (negative)
~Séparer - avait (forcement) sépares = [had (inevitably) separated], PLUS-QUE-PARFAIT
~Jouir - jouissais = [was enjoying], IMPARFAIT
~Absorber - absorbaient [were absorbing] IMPARFAIT
~Voir - (n')avais (pas) vu = [had (not) seen], PLUS-QUE-PARFAIT (negative)
~Séparer - avait (forcement) sépares = [had (inevitably) separated], PLUS-QUE-PARFAIT
~Jouir - jouissais = [was enjoying], IMPARFAIT
~Absorber - absorbaient [were absorbing] IMPARFAIT
De son côté, Holmes, dont la nature bohème répugnait à tout ce qui avait l’apparence du monde, continuait à résider dans son appartement de Baker street, enfoui sous ses vieux bouquins, étudiant sur lui-même les effets de la cocaïne ou se livrant à des rêves d’ambition ; en somme tantôt engourdi par le poison et tantôt dévoré par l’activité extraordinaire de son ardente nature.
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From his side, Holmes, of which the bohemian nature revolted at all which had the appearance of the world, continued to reside in his apartments at Baker Street, buried among his old books, studying on himself the effects of cocaine or giving himself over to his dreams of ambition; in short, at times numb by the poison and at other times devoured by the extraordinary activity of his ardent nature
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VERBS USED (in order used)
~Répugner - répugnait = [revolted/ would revolt // repugnated/ would repunate (if that verb existed in English)], IMPARFAIT
~Avoir - avait = [had], IMPARFAIT
~Continuer - continuait = [continued
~(à) Resider = [to reside], INFINITIF
~Etudier - etudiant = [studying], PARTICIPE (PRÉSENT)
~Se livrer - se livrant = [giving himself over (to)/ surrendering (to)/ Lit. delivering himself (to)], PARTICIPE (PRÉSENT)
PAST PARTICIPLES OF VERBS USED AS ADJECTIVES
~Enfouir - enfoui = [buried/ burrowed]
~Engourdir - engourdi = [numbed]
~Dévorer - devoré = [devoured}
~Répugner - répugnait = [revolted/ would revolt // repugnated/ would repunate (if that verb existed in English)], IMPARFAIT
~Avoir - avait = [had], IMPARFAIT
~Continuer - continuait = [continued
~(à) Resider = [to reside], INFINITIF
~Etudier - etudiant = [studying], PARTICIPE (PRÉSENT)
~Se livrer - se livrant = [giving himself over (to)/ surrendering (to)/ Lit. delivering himself (to)], PARTICIPE (PRÉSENT)
PAST PARTICIPLES OF VERBS USED AS ADJECTIVES
~Enfouir - enfoui = [buried/ burrowed]
~Engourdir - engourdi = [numbed]
~Dévorer - devoré = [devoured}
Il était comme toujours particulièrement attiré par les enquêtes criminelles et il mettait ses merveilleuses facultés d’observation au service de ces crimes mystérieux que la police renonçait à éclaircir.
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He was, as ever, particularly attracted by criminal inquiries, putting his wonderful faculties of observation in service of these mysterious crimes that the police had renounced to clear up.
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VERBS USED (in order used)
~Mettre - mettait = [was putting], IMPARFAIT
~Renoncer - renonçait = [were renouncing/ would renounce/ renounced (though better read as 'had renounced'], IMPARFAIT
~(à) Éclaircir = [to clear up/ to resovle/ to elucidate], INFINITIF
PASSIVE VOICE or INDICATIVE VERB+PPofVUasADJECTIVES (don't worry about which; I never do!)
~Était attiré = [was attracted]
~Mettre - mettait = [was putting], IMPARFAIT
~Renoncer - renonçait = [were renouncing/ would renounce/ renounced (though better read as 'had renounced'], IMPARFAIT
~(à) Éclaircir = [to clear up/ to resovle/ to elucidate], INFINITIF
PASSIVE VOICE or INDICATIVE VERB+PPofVUasADJECTIVES (don't worry about which; I never do!)
~Était attiré = [was attracted]
De temps en temps les échos de ses exploits me parvenaient vaguement; je savais qu’il avait été appelé à Odessa pour étudier le meurtre de Trepoff, qu’il avait jeté la lumière sur la singulière tragédie des frères Atkinson à Trincomalee et enfin qu’il s’était acquitté avec beaucoup de tact et de succès d’une mission délicate pour le compte de la maison régnante de Hollande. À part ces nouvelles que je partageais avec tous les lectures de la presse quotidienne, je ne savais presque rien de mon vieux camarade et ami.
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From time to time the echoes of his exploits would vaguely come to me: I knew that he had been called to Odessa in order to study the murder of Trepoff, that he had thrown light on the singular tragedy of the the Atkinson brothers at Trincomalee and, lastly, that he had acquitted himself, with much tact and success, of a delicate mission for the count of the reigning house of Holland. A part from these snippets of news which I shared with all the readers of the daily press, I knew almost nothing of my old comrade and friend.
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VERBS USED (in order used)
~Parvenir - parvenait = [would reach/ would come to], IMPARFAIT
~Savoir - savais = [knew]
~Appeler - avait été appelé = [had been called], PASSIVE VOICE: PLUS-QUE-PARFAIT
~Étudier = [to study], INFINITIF
~Jeter - avait jeté = [had thrown], PLUS-QUE-PARFAIT
~S'acquitter - s'était acquitté = [had acquitted himself], PLUS-QUE-PARFAIT (reflexive verb)
~Partager - partageais = [would share/ shared], IMPARFAIT
~Savoir - (ne) savais (rien) = [knew (nothing)], IMPARFAIT
~Parvenir - parvenait = [would reach/ would come to], IMPARFAIT
~Savoir - savais = [knew]
~Appeler - avait été appelé = [had been called], PASSIVE VOICE: PLUS-QUE-PARFAIT
~Étudier = [to study], INFINITIF
~Jeter - avait jeté = [had thrown], PLUS-QUE-PARFAIT
~S'acquitter - s'était acquitté = [had acquitted himself], PLUS-QUE-PARFAIT (reflexive verb)
~Partager - partageais = [would share/ shared], IMPARFAIT
~Savoir - (ne) savais (rien) = [knew (nothing)], IMPARFAIT
Un soir, je me rappelle que c’était le 20 mars 1888, je revenais de voir un malade (car je m’étais consacré à la clientèle civile) quand mon chemin me dirigea au travers de Baker Street.
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One evening—I remember that it was the 20th of March, 1888--I was returning from having seen a patient (for I had dedicated myself to civil practice), when my way led me through Baker-street.
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VERBS USED (in order used)
~Se rappeller - me rappelle = [recall (Lit. recall to myself)]
~Etre - était = [was], IMPARFAIT
~Revenir - revenais = [was returning], IMPARFAIT
~(de) Voir = [(from) {having} seen], INFINITIF
~Diriger - dirigea= [led], PASSÉ SIMPLE
~Se rappeller - me rappelle = [recall (Lit. recall to myself)]
~Etre - était = [was], IMPARFAIT
~Revenir - revenais = [was returning], IMPARFAIT
~(de) Voir = [(from) {having} seen], INFINITIF
~Diriger - dirigea= [led], PASSÉ SIMPLE
SECTION B ~ Bilingual Short Story
FRENCH-ENGLISH
Sentence Under Sentence Parallel Text
(1)
Pour Sherlock Holmes c’est toujours « la femme ».
For Sherlock Holmes she is always the woman.
(2)
Il ne parle jamais d’elle que sous cette dénomination.
He never speaks of her other than under that denomination.
(3)
à ses yeux elle éclipse le sexe faible tout entier.
In his eyes she eclipses completely the weaker sex.
(4)
Ne croyez pourtant pas qu’il ait eu de l’amour, voire même de l’affection pour Irène Adler.
Don’t believe however that he had love, even affection for Irene Adler.
(5)
Tous les sentiments violents et celui-là en particulier sont contraires à son caractère froid, méthodique et admirablement équilibré.
All violent sentiments, and that one particularly, were contradictory to his cold, methodical, and admirably balanced character..
(6)
Holmes est bien la machine animée et observatrice la plus parfaite qu’on puisse rencontrer, mais je ne vois pas mon personnage dans le rôle d’amoureux.
Holmes is truly the animated observing machine the most perfected that one may encounter; but I do not see my character in the role of a lover.
(7)
Il ne m’a jamais parlé d’amour qu’avec un geste de mépris et un sourire railleur.
He never spoke of the softer passions, save with a scornful jest and a mocking smile.
(8)
Pour lui qui a mission d’observer et de déduire, la passion chez les autres est un secours puissant ; elle détermine sans cesse les mobiles secrets qui ont porté l’accusé à son crime
For him who has a mission to observe and deduce, the passion among others is a powerful assistance; It ceaselessly determines the secret motives which have brought the accused to his crime.
(9)
mais le logicien de profession aurait grand tort de se laisser envahir par le sentiment ; cela équivaudrait à introduire dans des rouages fins et délicats un facteur étranger qui y porterait la plus grande perturbation; le sentiment pourrait influer sur ses déductions.
But the professional reasoner would be greatly mistaken to let himself be invaded by emotions; that would equate to introducing into fine and delicate cogs an extraneous factor which would bring a major perturbation; the sentiment could bear influence upon his deductions.
(10)
Une émotion violente pour une nature comme la sienne équivaudrait à un grain de sable dans un instrument de précision ou à une fêlure sur un de ses microscopes les plus puissants.
A violent emotion for a nature such as his equated to a grain of sand in an instrument of precision or a fissure on one of his more powerful microscopes.
(11)
Et cependant pour lui il n’y avait qu’une femme au monde et cette femme était feue Irène Adler, de mémoire douteuse.
And yet for him there was but one woman in the world, and that woman was the late Irene Adler, of doubtful remembrance.
(12)
Je n’avais pas vu Holmes depuis quelque temps.
I had not seen Holmes since a while.
(13)
Mon mariage nous avait forcément séparés l’un de l’autre ;
My marriage had inevitably separated us one from the other.
(14)
le bonheur parfait dont je jouissais, les nouveaux devoirs et les occupations inséparables d’une entrée en ménage absorbaient tous mes instants.
The perfect happiness of which I was enjoying, the new duties and the occupations inseparable from an entry into household management, were absorbing all my moments/time
(15)
De son côté, Holmes, dont la nature bohème répugnait à tout ce qui avait l’apparence du monde, continuait à résider dans son appartement de Baker street, enfoui sous ses vieux bouquins, étudiant sur lui-même les effets de la cocaïne ou se livrant à des rêves d’ambition ; en somme tantôt engourdi par le poison et tantôt dévoré par l’activité extraordinaire de son ardente nature.
From his side, Holmes, of which the bohemian nature revolted at all which had the appearance of the world, continued to reside in his apartments at Baker Street, buried among his old books, studying on himself the effects of cocaine or delivering himself to his dreams of ambition; in sum, at times numb by the poison and at other times devoured by the extraordinary activity of his ardent nature
(16)
Il était comme toujours particulièrement attiré par les enquêtes criminelles et il mettait ses merveilleuses facultés d’observation au service de ces crimes mystérieux que la police renonçait à éclaircir.
He was, as ever, particularly attracted by criminal inquiries, and was putting his wonderful faculties of observation in service of these mysterious crimes that the police had renounced to clear up.
(17)
De temps en temps les échos de ses exploits me parvenaient vaguement ;
From time to time the echoes of his exploits would vaguely come by me :
(18)
je savais qu’il avait été appelé à Odessa pour étudier le meurtre de Trepoff, qu’il avait jeté la lumière sur la singulière tragédie des frères Atkinson à Trincomalee et enfin qu’il s’était acquitté avec beaucoup de tact et de succès d’une mission délicate pour le compte de la maison régnante de Hollande.
I knew that he had been called to Odessa in order to study the murder of Trepoff, that he had thrown light on the singular tragedy of the the Atkinson brothers at Trincomalee and, lastly, that he had acquitted himself, with much tact and success, of a delicate mission for the count of the reigning house of Holland.
(19)
À part ces nouvelles que je partageais avec tous les lectures de la presse quotidienne, je ne savais presque rien de mon vieux camarade et ami.
A part from these snippets of news which I shared with all the readers of the daily press, I knew almost nothing of my old comrade and friend.
(20)
Un soir, je me rappelle que c’était le 20 mars 1888, je revenais de voir un malade (car je m’étais consacré à la clientèle civile) quand mon chemin me diriga au travers de Baker Street.
One evening—I remember that it was the 20th of March, 1888—I was returning from having seen a patient (for I had dedicated myself to civil practice), when my way led me through Baker-street.
End of Part One
Click HERE for Sections C of this same text (i.e. word for word translations) as I have now moved it to another page