German composition : $b A theoretical and practical guide to the art of translating English prose into German · Hermann Lange
Chapter 2
Chapter 39 of 173 · 1 min read
The children were accordingly all attention, while the father thus proceeded: “This small instrument displays the most perfect ingenuity of construction, and exquisite nicety and beauty of workmanship. From its extreme delicacy, however, it is so liable to injury, that it is always protected by a sort of light curtain, adorned with a beautiful fringe, and so placed as to fall in a moment on the approach of the slightest danger. The external appearance of the instrument is always more or less beautiful, though in this respect there is a great diversity in the different sorts. The internal contrivance, however, is the same in all of them, and is so curious, and in its power so astonishing, that no one who knows it can suppress his surprise and admiration.”
+natürlich die Aufmerksamkeit selbst.+
+folgendermaßen.+
proceeded = continued.
displays = shows.
most perfect = highest.
Use the gen. of the def. art.
Say ‘and is most exactly (+unübertrefflich genau+) and beautifully worked’.
From = On account of, +Wegen+.
extreme = extraordinary.
+Empfindlichkeit+, f.
it — injury = it is so easily exposed (+aus´setzen+) to (S. 3, N. 2) injury.
a sort of = a certain.
Use the attributive constr., S. 7, N. 3.
Say ‘which is placed (+angebracht+) so that it falls down at (+bei+) the approach of the slightest danger in a moment’.
The — appearance, +Das Äußere+.
Render ‘there is’ in this instance by ‘+besteht+ (there exists)’, which must be placed at the end of the passage, on account of the preceding subordinative conj. +obgleich+.
The internal contrivance, +Der Mechanismus+.
power = efficacy, +Wirksamkeit+, f.
it = the same (to agree with +Mechanismus+).
Section 90.
A CURIOUS INSTRUMENT.
