Capitulo 1, Scenas 5 e 6, Curso de conversation

(Languages of this post: Interlingua, English)

SCENA 5: Strasbourg, in le officios de Marex Mundial: Le scena comencia con un conversation inter Catherina e le director, qui la felicita proque on la ha selegite pro le projecto de Geneva. Illa dice gratias a ille pro omne le adjuta que ille ha date a illa. Illa tunc explica que illa debe partir pro parlar con Petro.

Nos tunc la trova in le officio de Petro, e ille exprime su regrets pro haber debite vader via subitemente ille matino. Quando illes comencia a comprender se le un le altere, le obrero retorna pro portar via omne lo que remane in le officio de Petro. Catherina e Petro protesta, ma le obrero non ascolta, e illes tunc debe cercar un altere officio pro continuar lor conversation.

Catherina: Multe gratias pro vostre adjuta.

Le Director: Illo esseva un placer. Illo es multo interessante pro vos, ille projecto a Geneva, nonne?

Catherina: Si. Io lo trova vermente fascinante.

Le Director: E vos es juvene pro un travalio tan importante. Le gente a Trans Infra debe estimar vos multo.

Catherina: Il es simplemente que isto es le typo de travalio que vermente me place.

Le Director: Esque vos vole un tassa de the?

Catherina: No, gratias. Que hora es il? Io debe vader a vider Petro Minelli.

Le Director: Ah, si, Petro. Ille es un ingeniero excellente. Ille vos placera multo.

Catherina: Nos ha facite un appunctamento a quatro horas, e io nunc debe partir.

Le Director: Multo ben. Si io pote adjuvar vos con ullo, vos solmente debera notificar me.

Catherina: Io facera illo. Multo gratias.

(Alicuno colpa al porta.)

Petro: Entra!

Catherina: Bon die.

Petro: Oh, bon die.

Catherina: Vos es libere in iste momento?

Petro: Si. Certemente. Excusa me pro le eventos de iste matino. Io debeva partir un pauco rapidemente.

Catherina: Non vos preoccupa. Illo non ha ulle importantia.

Petro: Multo ben. Tunc que pote io facer pro vos? Excusa me, io ha oblidate vostre nomine.

Catherina: Catherina De Sanctis.

Petro: Catherina De Sanctis. Ah, si. Excusa me. Mi memoria pro nomines es assatis mal.

Catherina: Anque le mie. Io ha un bon memoria pro images e facies, ma nunquam pro nomines.

Petro: Bon. Mi nomine es Petro.

Catherina: Si, io sape. Mi memoria pro nomines non es completemente mal.

Petro: Que pote io facer pro adjuvar vos, Catherina?

Catherina: Ben, io volerea ...

(Le obrero qui portava via le cosas del officio de Petro retorna.)

Obrero: Esque io pote continuar nunc?

Petro: Ma no. In iste momento, no. Esque vos non vide que io es occupate? Io es in un reunion.

Obrero: Excusa me, ma vos ha dicite quatro horas, e il es nunc plus que quatro horas.

Petro: Ascolta. Lassa me dece minutas.

Obrero: Io lo regretta, ma il nunc es plus tarde que quatro horas, e io quita mi travalio a quatro horas e medie.

Catherina: Que vole ille?

Obrero: Io debe portar omne isto via ante quatro horas e medie, e il nunc es plus que quatro horas. E, in ultra, io es completemente sol.

Petro: Pote vos dar me solmente cinque minutas?

Obrero: No. Ascolta. Excusa me, ma io debe comenciar immediatemente.

Catherina: Esque nos pote usar un altere officio?

Obrero: Io lo regretta multo, ma io non sape ullo sur illo.

Petro: Ben. Que nos essaya trovar un altere officio.

EXERCITIO 5: Excusar se e presentar se:

Guida: In iste conversation on se ha excusate. Que nos face explorationes ulterior sur le diverse manieras de facer isto in interlingua.

Un homine: Esque vos volerea un tassa de cafe?

Un femina: Gratias.

Un homine: Oh, io lo regretta multo, ma io ha versate le cafe.

Un femina: Non vos preoccupa. Illo es mi falta. Il ha cafe sur vostre papiros.

Un homine: Oh, non vos preoccupa. Illo es nullo grave. Il etiam ha cafe versate sur vostre vestimentos.

Un femina: Oh, illo non importa.

Un homine: Excusa me. Esque vos pote repeter vostre nomine? Mi memoria pro nomines non es multo bon.

Un femina: Illo non ha ulle importantia. Io mesme non ha un memoria multo bon pro le nomines.

Un homine: Oh, il ha cafe versate ubique, sur multe cosas.

Un femina: Io lo regretta tanto.

Un homine: Illo non es ullo.

Un femina: E io regretta multissimo esser retardate.

Un homine: Non vos preoccupa. Vos non es vermente retardate.

Un femina: Io diceva a quatro horas, e il es un pauco plus que quatro horas in iste momento.

Un homine: Illo non ha ulle importantia. Ben, esque vos pote dar me vostre nomine? Io lo ha oblidate.

Un femina: Maria. E vostre nomine, io crede que illo es Laurenzo.

Un homine: Si, vos ha ration. Excusa me. Como io vos jam ha dicite, mi memoria pro nomines es multo mal.

EXERCITIO 6: Describer un compania. Le dies del septimana.

Guida: In le proxime exercitio, vos va trovar unes parolas commercial e technic. Primo, io volerea audir los separatemente.

Un homine: Parla me de iste compania.

Un femina: Illo es parte de un gruppo. Le officios central es in le Statos Unite, in New York.

Un homine: Le officios central es american.

Un femina: Le officios central de iste grupe es american. Il ha tres brancas filial.

Un homine: Le gruppo ha officios central e tres brancas filial.

Un femina: Un in Switza, un in Canada, e un in le Regno Unite. Il ha tres brancas filial in le gruppo ultra le officios central.

Un homine: Nos es in le Regno Unite.

Un femina: Nos es le filial britannic. Le officios central se trova in le Statos Unite. Le compania american es le proprietario de nostre filial. Nos face parte del gruppo.

Un homine: Nos non possede le gruppo.

Un femina: No. Il es le compania central in New York que possede le gruppo. Nos es solmente un filial.

Un homine: Le gruppo complete include le compania central e le brancas. Esque vos comprende nunc?

Guida: Que nos parla nunc sur un viage a Geneva.

Un homine: Vos parti sabbato?

Un femina: Le septimana proxime?

Un homine: No, non le septimana proxime. Al fin de iste septimana.

Un femina: Hodie es lunedi.

Un homine: Martedi, mercuridi.

Un femina: Jovedi, venerdi.

Un homine: Sabbato, dominica. Nos va volar a Geneva le proxime sabbato.

Guida: Ben. Tunc, Petro e Catherina cerca un officio disponibile, un loco ubi illes pote parlar. Que nos verifica si illes ha habite successo.

SCENA 6: Strasbourg, in le officios de Marex Mundial: Catherina e Petro essaya a continuar lor conversation. Finalmente illes trova un officio vacue, e Catherina explica a Petro alique sur le natura del projecto de Geneva. Un secretaria les interrumpe, dicente que illa debe serrar le officios ante que illa vade via.

In despecto de iste interruption, Catherina pote dicer a Petro que on le ha seligite pro le projecto de Geneva e que su travalio illac comenciara le septimana proxime. Petro exprime su surprisa proque ille non ha ulle memoria de acceptar iste nove assignation.

Petro: Il debe haber un altere officio in iste area. Esque illo es vacue? Oh, excusa me. No, il ha alicuno in ille officio que io non videva.

Catherina: E hic?

Petro: Illo es vacue?

Catherina: Reguarda.

Petro: Il pare que nemo lo usa in iste momento.

Catherina: Si. Omne sta ben. On pote occupar iste sedes.

Petro: Tunc vos va a travaliar pro le officios central?

Catherina: Io travaliava ibi. Ma vos debe saper que io va a travaliar in Geneva.

Petro: In le officio Trans-Infra de Geneva?

Catherina: No ...

Petro: In nostre agentia de Marex Mundial in Geneva?

Catherina: No, de nulle maniera.

Petro: Tunc in le sede del compania holding in Geneva?

Catherina: No, non exactemente. Ma attende. Que nos retrocede e comencia un altere vice.

Petro: Un bon idea. Vos veni de Paris?

Catherina: Si, exactemente.

Petro: Usque nunc vos ha travaliate pro Trans-Infra, in le officio central.

Catherina: Exactemente!

Petro: E nunc vos va a travaliar in Geneva.

Catherina: Bravo! Vos ha comprendite toto.

Petro: Ma il ha un certe cosa que io non comprende multo ben etiam nunc. Que face vos hic, in iste filial?

Catherina: Io iva a explicar a vos illo exactemente.

Un secretaria: Oh, excusa me.

Catherina: Nos cercava un officio disoccupate.

Le secretaria: Ah, ma iste non es vermente libere.

Petro: Ah, guai!

Le secretaria: Io va clauder iste portas con clave. Vos ha un clave?

Petro: No.

Le secretaria: Ascolta, io regretta iste multo, ma io va a partir e io debe clauder iste officios ante vader via.

Petro: Ma isto non es possibile!

Catherina: Illa ha ration. Nos non debe esser hic. Esque vos sape ubi nos pote vader?

Le secretaria: Omne le mundo ferma nunc, ma forsan vos potera trovar un loco tranquille in un altere parte de iste edificio.

Petro: Multo ben. Nos trovara un loco tranquille de un maniera o de un altere.

Catherina: Io parlava de ...

Petro: Oh, omne isto non ha ulle importantia. Io habeva solmente un interesse casual in illo.

Catherina: Ma illo debe interessar vos. Illo anque concerne vos.

Petro: Illo me concerne? Como?

Catherina: Proque vos anque va a Geneva.

Petro: Que va a facer io in Geneva?

Catherina: Vos ha signate. Non esseva vos de accordo?

Petro: De accordo sur que?

Catherina: Sur participar in le projecto de Geneva.

Petro: Io non memora ullo sur illo.

Catherina: Vos non memora haber demandate travaliar in Geneva?

Petro: Eh, ben. Io memora haber pensate sur illo. Illo me interessava un pauco. Io memora que io habeva parlate sur illo a Paul Barone ante multe menses. Ma nullo habeva essite decidite.

Catherina: Eh, ben. On lo ha decidite. Omne se ha arrangiate completemente.

Petro: E io nunc debe ir a Geneva?

Catherina: Exactemente.

Petro: Vermente? Ma quando?

Catherina: Vos va a volar ibi le domenica proxime.

Petro: Le proxime domenica?

Catherina: Si. Al fin de iste septimana.

Petro: Ma ...

Le Secretaria: Esque vos pote quitar iste officio. Il es absolutemente necesse que io lo claude con clave immediatemente.

Catherina: Io crede que illa vole que nos vade via.

Le secretaria: Exactemente!

Petro: Io debe partir pro Geneva al fin de iste septimana.

(Petro e Catherina sorti ex le edificio.)

Portero: Ecce le claves de vostre automobile, senior Minelli.

Petro: Ah, si. Gratias. Il haberea essite multo plus facile si alicuno me habeva notificate un pauco plus antea de maniera que io poteva haber me preparate plus facilemente!

Guida: Petro pare un pauco surprendite. Io volerea saper le natura de omne iste historia. E io anque volerea saper exactemente lo que va passar a ille. Il ha solmente un sol maniera de discoperir isto: ascoltar le secunde parte.

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SCENE 5: Strasbourg, in the offices of Marex Mundial: The scene starts out with a conversation between Catherina and the director, who congratulates her because she has been selected for the Geneva project. She thanks him for all the help that he has given her. She then explains that she must leave to talk with Petro.

We then find her in Petro's office, and he expresses his regrets for having to go away suddenly that morning. When they start understanding each other, the worker returns to take away everything that's still in Peter's office. Catherina and Petro protest, but the worker does not listen, and they then have to look for another office to continue their conversation.

Catherina: Thanks a lot for your help.

The Director: It was a pleasure. It is very interesting for you, that Geneva project, isn't it?

Catherina: Yes. I find it really fascinating.

The Director: And you are young for such important work ... The people at Trans Infra must think a lot of you.

Catherina: It is simply that this is the type of work that I really like.

The Director: Would you like some tea?

Catherina: No, thanks. What time is it? I must go to see Petro Minelli.

The Director: Ah, yes, Petro. He is an excellent engineer. You will like him a lot.

Catherina: We have made an appointment at four o'clock, and I must go now.

The Director: Very well. If I can help you with anything, you only have to let me know.

Catherina: I will do that. Thanks a lot.

(Someone knocks on the door.)

Petro: Come in.

Catherina: Good afternoon.

Petro: Oh, good afternoon.

Catherina: Are you free at this moment?

Petro: Yes, certainly. Excuse me for the events of this morning. I had to leave a little rapidly.

Catherina: Don't worry. It's not at all important.

Petro: Very well. Then what can I do for you? Excuse me, I have forgotten your name.

Catherina: Catherina De Sanctis.

Petro: Catherina De Sanctis. Oh, yes. Excuse me. My memory for names is rather bad.

Catherina: Mine is too. I have a good memory for pictures and faces, but never for names.

Petro: Fine. My name is Petro.

Catherina: Yes, I know. My memory for names is not completely bad.

Petro: What can I do to help you, Catherina?

Catherina: Good, I would like ...

(The worker who was taking away the things in Petro's office returns.)

Worker: Can I continue now?

Petro: No, not at all. Not right now. Don't you see that I am busy? I am in a meeting.

Worker: Excuse me, but you said four o'clock, and it is now later than four o'clock.

Petro: Listen, let me have ten minutes.

Worker: I'm sorry, but it is now later than four o'clock, and I leave work at four thirty.

Catherina: What does he want?

Worker: I have to move all this out before four thirty, and it is now more than four o'clock. And besides, I am completely alone.

Petro: Can you give me only five minutes?

Worker: No. Listen. Excuse me, but I must start immediately.

Catherina: Can we use another office?

Worker: I'm very sorry, but I know nothing about that.

Petro: Fine. Let's try to find another office.

EXERCISE 5: Excusing and introducing oneself.

Guide: In this conversation people have excused themselves. Let's explore further the various ways of doing this in Interlingua.

A man: Would you like a cup of tea?

A woman: Thanks.

A man: Oh, I'm sorry, but I spilled the coffee.

A woman: Don't worry. It's my fault. There is some coffee on your papers.

A man: Oh, don't worry. It's nothing serious. There is also some coffee on your clothing.

A woman: Oh, that's not important.

A man: Excuse me. Can you repeat your name? My memory for names is not very good.

A woman: That's not at all important. I myself don't have a very good memory for names.

A man: Oh, there is coffee spilled everywhere, on a lot of things.

A woman: I'm so very sorry.

A man: It's nothing.

A woman: And I'm very sorry for being late.

A man: Don't worry. You're not really late.

A woman: I said at four o'clock, and it is a little later than four at this moment.

A man: That's not at all important. Good, can you give me your name? I have forgotten it.

A woman: Maria. And your name, I believe it is Lorenzo.

A man: Yes, you're right. Excuse me. As I've already told you, my memory for names is very bad.

EXERCISE 6: Describing a company. The days of the week.

Guide: In the next exercise, we are going to run into some commercial and technical words. First, I would like to hear them separately.

A man: Tell me about this company.

A woman: It is part of a group. The central offices are in the United States, in New York.

A man: The central offices are American.

A woman: The central offices of this group are American. There are three branch offices.

A man: The group has central offices and three branch offices.

A woman: One in Switzerland, one in Canada, and one in the United Kingdom. There are three branch offices in the group besides the central offices.

A man: We are in the United Kingdom.

A woman: We are the British branch. The central offices are in the United States. The American company is the owner of our branch. We form part of the group.

A man: We don't own the group.

A woman: No. It is the central company in New York that owns the group. We are only a branch.

A man: The entire group includes the central company, and the branches. Do you understand now?

Guide: Let's talk now about a trip to Geneva.

A man: Are you leaving Saturday?

A woman: Next week?

A man: No, not next week. At the end of this week.

A woman: Today is Monday.

A man: Tuesday, Wednesday.

A woman: Thursday, Friday.

A man: Saturday, Sunday. We are going to fly to Geneva next Saturday.

Guide: Fine. So Petro and Catherina are looking for an available office, a place where they can talk. Let's find out if they have been successful.

SCENE 6: Strasbourg, in the offices of Marex Mundial: Catherina and Petro try to continue their conversation. Finally they find a vacant office, and Catherina explains to Petro something about the nature of the Geneva Project. A secretary interrupts them, saying that she has to lock up the offices before going away.

Despite this interruption, Catherina is able to say to Petro that he has been selected for the Geneva project and that his work there will start the following week. Petro expresses his surprise because he has no recollection of accepting this new assignment.

Petro: There must be another office in this area. Is it vacant? Oh, excuse me. No, there is someone in that office that I didn't see.

Catherina: And here?

Petro: Is it empty?

Catherina: Take a look.

Petro: Nobody seems to be using it right now.

Catherina: Yes. Everything's fine. We can use these chairs.

Petro: Then you're gonna work at the central offices?

Catherina: I used to work there. But you ought to know I'm gonna work in Geneva.

Petro: In the Trans-Infra office in Geneva?

Catherina: No ...

Petro: In our Marex Mundial agency in Geneva?

Catherina: No, not at all.

Petro: Then in the holding company in Geneva?

Catherina: No, not exactly. But wait. Let's go back and start out once again.

Petro: Good idea! You've come from Paris?

Catherina: Yes, exactly.

Petro: Up to now you have worked for Trans-Infra, in the central office.

Catherina: Exactly!

Petro: And you are now gonna work in Geneva.

Catherina: Bravo! You have understood everything.

Petro: But there is a certain thing that I don't understand very well even now. What are you doing here, in this branch?

Catherina: That's exactly what I was gonna explain to you.

A secretary: Oh, excuse me.

Catherina: We were looking for an empty office.

The secretary: Ah, but this one's not really free.

Petro: Oh, nuts!

The secretary: I'm gonna lock these doors. Do you have a key?

Petro: No.

The secretary: Listen, I'm very sorry about this, but I'm gonna leave and I've gotta lock up these offices before going away.

Petro: But this isn't possible!

Catherina: She's right. We shouldn't be here. Do you know where we can go?

The secretary: Everyone's locking up now, but perhaps you can find a quiet place in some other part of this building.

Petro: Fine. We'll find some quiet place some way or other.

Catherina: I was talking about ...

Petro: Oh, all this is not at all important. I was only casually interested in it.

Catherina: But it should be of interest to you. It also concerns you.

Petro: It concerns me? How?

Catherina: Because you're also going to Geneva.

Petro: What am I gonna do in Geneva?

Catherina: You have signed on. Didn't you agree to it?

Petro: Agree to what?

Catherina: To participate in the Geneva project.

Petro: I don't remember anything about that.

Catherina: You don't remember having asked to work in Geneva?

Petro: Okay. I remember having thought about it. It interested me a little. I remember that I had spoken about it to Paul Barone many months ago. But nothing had been decided.

Catherina: Well fine. It has been decided. Everything has been completely arranged.

Petro: And I've now gotta go to Geneva?

Catherina: Exactly.

Petro: Really? But when?

Catherina: You're gonna fly there next Sunday.

Petro: Next Sunday?

Catherina: Yeah. At the end of the week.

Petro: But ...

The secretary: Can you leave this office? It's absolutely necessary for me to lock it up right now.

Catherina: I think she wants us to go away.

The secretary: Exactly!

Petro: I must leave for Geneva at the end of this week.

(Petro and Catherina leave the building.)

Porter: Here are the keys to your car, Mr. Minelli.

Petro: Ah, yes. Thanks. I wish someone had told me sooner so that I could get ready more easily.

Guide: Petro seems a little surprised. I'd like to know what's been going on here. And I'd also like to know exactly what's gonna happen to him. There is only one way to find out: listening to the next part.