Capitulo 2, Scenas 3 e 4, Curso de conversation

(Languages of this post: Interlingua, English)

SCENA 3: Geneva, al aeroporto e in le automobile de Carla Jackson: Catherina es in le aeroporto de Geneva. Un femina, Carla Jackson, veni in incontro de illa. Carla es switze, ma su marito es american e vive in Switza.

Illa ha venite con su automobile pro portar Carla a un hotel, e illa parla un pauco sur su vita e su marito, qui cerca travalio in iste momento.

Illa da a Catherina le nomine de su hotel e indica a illa ubi illo se trova. Quando illes arriva al hotel in le centro de Geneva, Carla exprime su surprisa quando illa discoperi que Catherina non porta multe baggage con se.

Carla Jackson: Excusa me, esque vos es le senioretta De Sanctis?

Catherna: Si, es io.

Carla Jackson: Bon die. Mi nomine es Carla Jackson.

Catherina: Bon die.

Carla Jackson: Benvenite a Geneva.

Catherina: Gratias.

Carla Jackson: Vos ha habite un bon viagio?

Catherina: Oh, excellente, gratias.

Carla Jackson: Io ha un automobile pro portar vos via a vostre hotel.

Catherina: Ah, multo ben. Vos es multo gentil pro venir a reciper me. De ubi es vos, vos mesme?

Carla Jackson: Io es suitze.

Catherina: Switze? Vostre nomine pare plus tosto anglese o american.

Carla Jackson: Ah, si, Jackson. Mi marito es american.

Catherina: Vive vos in Geneva, vos e vostre marito?

Carla Jackson: Si. Assatis vicin al aeroporto, a unes kilometros. Vinti minutas in automobile.

Catherina: E que face vostre marito?

Carla Jackson: Non multo. Ille non travalia in iste momento. Ille cerca travalio.

Catherina: Qual es su profession?

Carla Jackson: Ille es professor. Ille insenia le education physic.

Catherina: Ah, il me pare que il non es facile esser un estraniero in Switza, specialmente quando on non ha travalio.

Carla Jackson: Vos ha ration. Vermente, il es multo difficile. Ma io, al minus, ha un travalio. Il non es facile pro mi marito, proque ille es un professor, e ille non ha le nationalitate switze. Il ha le nationalitate american.

Catherina: Ma vos, vos ha le nationalitate suitze?

Carla Jackson: Si. Io nasceva in Switza. Ma mi marito, ille es american. E in plus il non parla multo ben le francese.

Catherina: Tunc ille non pote travaliar in un schola switze.

Carla Jackson: Assi es. Il pote travaliar solmente in un schola international o un schola private si il ha un position libere. Il es assatis dur pro ille in iste momento. Le cosas meliorara quando ille cognoscera ben le francese. E vos, vos parla anglese o un altere lingua?

Catherina: Si. Io parla assatis ben le anglese e le germano.

Carla Jackson: Il es vermente utile parlar diverse linguas. ... Oh, io non ha dicite a vos le nomine de vostre hotel. Illo es le hotel Leman. Illo es in le centro del citate, ma in un loco non multo ruitose.

Catherina: Illo es perfecte.

Carla Jackson: Si vos ha besonio de ulle altere cosa, dice me.

Catherina: Gratias. Io lo facera. Ma primo io debe trovar un appartamento.

Carla Jackson: Trovar un officio non es difficile. Ma un appartamento es plus complicate.

Catherina: Le senior Tanner essaya trovar me alique. Ille cognosce ben Geneva e le partes que lo circumfere.

Carla Jackson: Ah, si, Le senior Tanner. Il non travalia in le mesme loco que io, ma io le cognosce. Nos ha arrivate al hotel.

Catherina: Ben. Multe gratias.

Carla Jackson: Il esseva un placer. Isto es vermente toto lo que vos ha como bagages?

Catherina: Si. Io recipera le restante tosto in le futuro.

Carla Jackson: Vos non ha multo.

Catherina: Illo es sufficiente pro me in iste momento. Ah, Me place multo iste hotel.

EXERCITIO 3: Positiones de empleo e nationalitates:

Guida: Multo interessante iste conversation. Io volerea ben audir un altere vice le parolas e le expressiones pro describer le nationalitates e le positiones de empleo.

Un homine: Iste homine, le doctor Charles Lautner, ille veni de Switza?

Un femina: Ille es suitze. Ecce le senior Maurice Gobin. Ille veni de Francia.

Un homine: Ille es francese. Bon. Le seniora Renate Schwartz. Illa veni de Germania.

Un femina: Illa es german. E le seniora Contini? Illa veni de Italia.

Un homine: Illa es italian. E le senior Gonzalo Alvarez? Ille veni de Espania.

Un femina: Ille es espaniol. E le senior Joao Soares? Ille veni de Portugal.

Un homine: Ille es portugese. E le senior Akiro Mishima? Ille veni de Japon.

Un femina: Ille es japonese. Que face ille?

Un homine: Ille es un homine de affaires. Ille es le presidente de un compania parve que probabilemente devenira multo importante in le futuro.

Un femina: E le marito de Carla Jackson?

Un homine: Ille non ha travalio. Ille es disempleate. Ille es un professor. Ille es american. Su marita es switze e travalia in un officio.

Guida: Hmm, io volerea audir un parte de isto un altere vice, ma un pauco plus lentemente.

Un homine: Que face ille?

Un femina: Ille cerca travalio.

Un homine: Que typo de travalio?

Un femina: Como professor.

Un homine: De ubi veni ille?

Un femina: Del Statos Unite. Ille es american.

Un homine: E su femina?

Un femina: De Switza. Illa es switze.

Un homine: Esque illa anque cerca travalio?

Un femina: No. Illa ha un empleo. Illa travalia in un officio. Illa es empleate in un officio.

Guida: Catherina nunc va al officio. Que nos vida lo que tunc passa.

SCENA 4: Geneva, le officios del holding: In iste scena nos face le cognoscentia de Alan Tanner, qui travalia in le edificio del Holding. Il es obvie que ille e Catherina se cognosce multo ben socialmente. Illa demanda a ille como on pote trovar un officio in Geneva.

Alan Tanner explica que il non ha ulle spatio in le edificio del holding ma que ille ha arrangiate que Catherina consulta immediatemente con un agente qui potera adjuvar la. Ma ante que Catherina parti pro vider le agente, Alan la invita a dinar con ille. Catherina observa que ille non ha cambiate de ulle maniera.

Catherina: Esque io pote intrar, senior Tanner.

Tanner: Catherina! Ah! Io es felice de vider vos. Como sta vos?

Catherina: Multo ben, gratias, Alan. E vos?

Tanner: Multo ben. Que pensa vos de Geneva?

Catherina: Illo ha un ar multo agradabile.

Tanner: Vos ha habite un bon viage?

Catherina: Multo bon, gratias.

Tanner: E le hotel, vos lo trova conveniente?

Catherina: Si. Illo es multo bon.

Tanner: E omne le cosas in Paris, illos va ben?

Catherina: Si, omne va multo ben in Paris.

Tanner: Ah. Nos ha passate momentos multo bon in in Paris vos e io.

Catherina: Si, vermente.

Tanner: Vos ha venite un pauco ante tempore pro organisar vos?

Catherina: Si. Al minus io vole organisar lo que io pote ante comenciar mi travalios. Dice me, como trova on un officio in iste citate?

Tanner: Ah, infelicemente, il non ha ulle spatio in iste edificio.

Catherina: Si, io sape. Io sape.

Tanner: Omne isto es stupide. Vos es solmente quatro personas, e omne es tanto grande hic. On poterea creder que nos poterea accomodar quatro nove personas, ma isto non es vermente possibile.

Catherina: Si, si. Io comprende. De ulle maniera illo non es le mesme organisation. Il esserea possibilemente preferibile que nos non sia in le mesme edificio.

Tanner: Io non comprende proque non. Ma de omne manieras, io ha telephonate un agente qui specialisa in trovar officios, e io ha arrangiate un reunion inter vos e ille. Io crede que il esserea melio si vos parlava directemente con ille.

Catherina: Ah, multo ben. Quando essera le reunion?

Tanner: Nunc.

Catherina: Nunc?

Tanner: Si. Le reunion esseva pro nove horas e medio.

Catherina: Ma il es nunc nove horas e medio.

Tanner: Io sape.

Catherina: Tunc que nos va illac.

Tanner: Attende. Que nos fini nostre cafe primo. Nos non ha ulle besonio de hastar nos. E io ha unes cosas a dicer a vos.

Catherina: Ah, si? Sur que?

Tanner: Sur le possibilitate que vos e io dinara conjunctemente iste vespere.

Catherina: Alan, vos non ha cambiate de ulle maniera.

EXERCITIO 4: Como parlar sur le hora del die.

Guida: Io vole esser confidente de saper dicer le hora in interlingua.

Un femina: Que hora es il?

Un homine: Il es circa cinque horas trenta.

Un femina: Cinque horas trenta. Cinque horas e medio.

Un homine: A que hora veni le traino?

Un femina: Pro le horarios de trainos, on usa le horologio de venti quatro horas.

Un homine: Que nos vide. Dece septe horas. Que vole dicer illo?

Un femina: Dece septe horas es cinque horas.

Un homine: Que nos essaya dece sex horas quaranta.

Un femina: Cinque horas quaranta. E dece octo horas cinquanta. Que es illo?

Un homine: Sex horas cinquanta.

Un femina: E un altere maniera de dicer septe horas minus dece?

Un homine: Sex horas cinquanta.

Un femina: E dece nove horas dece? Que pote on dicer in vice de dece nove horas dece?

Un homine: Septe horas dece.

Un femina: Si, septe horas dece.

Un homine: Si, septe horas dece.

Un femina: E septe horas dece cinque? Que pote on dicer in vice de septe horas dece cinque?

Un homine: Septe horas e un quarto.

Un femina: E septe horas quaranta cinque?

Un homine: Octo horas minus un quarto.

Guida: Ah, gratias. Io nunc comprende un pauco melio.

Un femina: Ben. Nos debe trovar le traino, e nos debe usar iste horologio de vinti e quatro horas. Que es dece octo horas cinque?

Un homine: Six horas cinque. Que es dece nove horas dece cinque?

Un femina: Septe horas e un quarto. Que es vinti horas vinti cinque?

Un homine: Octo horas vinti cinque. E vinti un horas trenta?

Un femina: Nove horas e medio. E vinti un horas trenta cinque?

Un homine: Dece horas minus vinti cinque. E vinti tres horas quaranta?

Un femina: Le medienocte minus vinti.

Guida: Que nos retorna a Strasbourg ubi nos ha lassate Petro. Il es necesse que ille prepara su viage a Geneva. Ecce le al agentia de viage.

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SCENE 3: Geneva, at the airport and in Carla Jackson's automobile:

Catherina is in the Geneva airport. A woman, Carla Jackson, comes to meet her. Carla is Swiss, but her husband is American and lives in Switzeland.

She has come with her car to take Carla to a hotel, and she talks a little about her life and her husband, who is looking for work at this moment.

She gives Catherina the name of her hotel and indicates to her where it is located. When they arrive at the hotel in downtown Geneva, Carla expresses her surprise when she discovers that Catherina is not carrying much baggage with her.

Carla Jackson: Excusa me, are you Miss De Sanctis?

Catherina: Yes, that's me.

Carla Jackson: Good afternoon. My name is Carla Jackson.

Catherina: Good afternoon.

Carla Jackson: Welcome to Geneva.

Catherina: Thanks.

Carla Jackson: Have you had a good trip?

Catherina: Oh, excellent, thanks.

Carla Jackson: I have an automobile to take you away to your hotel.

Catherina: Ah, very good. You are very nice for coming to pick me up. Where are you from yourself?

Carla Jackson: I'm Swiss.

Catherina: Swiss? Your name seems more English or American.

Carla Jackson: Oh, yes, Jackson. My husband is American.

Catherina: Do you live in Switzerland, you and your husband?

Carla Jackson: Yes. Rather near the airport, a few kilometers away. Twenty minutes by car.

Catherina: And what does your husband do?

Carla Jackson: Not much. He's not working at this moment. He's looking for work.

Catherina: What's his profession?

Carla Jackson: He's a teacher. He teaches physical education.

Catherina: Ah, it seems to me that it is not easy to be a foreigner in Switzerland, especially when a person doesn't have work.

Carla Jackson: You're right. Really, it's very hard. But I, at least, have a job. It is not easy for my husband, because he is a teacher, and he is not a Swiss national. He's an American citizen.

Catherina: But you, you are a Swiss national?

Carla Jackson: Yes. I was born in Switzerland. But my husband, he is American. And on top of that he doesn't speak French very well.

Catherina: Then he can't work in a Swiss school.

Carla Jackson: That's right. He can work only in an international school or a private school if there is an available position. It's rather hard for him at this moment. Things will get better once he knows French well. And you, do you speak English or another language?

Catherina: Yes. I speak English and German rather well.

Carla Jackson: It's really useful to speak several languages. ... Oh, I haven't told you the name of your hotel. It's the Hotel Leman. It's in the downtown area of the city, but in an area that is not very noisy.

Catherina: That's perfect.

Carla Jackson: If you need anything, let me know.

Catherina: Thanks. I will do so. But first I must find an apartment.

Carla Jackson: Finding an office is not difficult. But an apartment is more complicated.

Catherina: Mr. Tanner is trying to find me something. He knows Geneva well as well as the parts surrounding it.

Carla Jackson: Ah, yes, Mr. Tanner. He doesn't work in the same place I do, but I know him. We've arrived at the hotel.

Catherina: Good. Thanks a lot.

Carla Jackson: It was a pleasure. This is really all the baggage you have?

Catherina: Yes. I will be getting the rest very soon later on.

Carla Jackson: You don't have much.

Catherina: It's enough for me right now. Ah, I really like this hotel.

EXERCISE 3: Jobs and nationalities.

Guide: Very interesting, this conversation. I would like to hear once again the expressions for describing nationalities and positions of employment.

A man: This man, Dr. Chrales Lautner, he comes from Switzerland?

A woman: He is Swiss. Here is Mr. Maurice Gobin. He comes from France.

A man: He's French. Good. Mrs. Renate Schwartz. She comes from Germany.

A woman: She's German. And Mrs. Conini? She comes from Italy.

A man: She's Italian. And Mr. Gonzalo Alvarez? He comes from Spain.

A woman: He's Spanish. And Mr. Joao Soares? He comes from Portugal.

A man: He's Portuguese. And Mr. Akiro Mishima? He comes from Japan.

A woman: He's Japanese. What does he do?

A man: He's a businessman. He is the president of a small company that will probably will become very important later on.

A woman: And Carla Jackson's husband?

A man: He doesn't have any work. He is unemployed. He is a teacher. He is American. His wife is Swiss and works in an office.

Guide: Hmm, I would like to hear part of this again, but a little more slowly.

A man: What does he do?

A woman: He's looking for work.

A man: What kind of work?

A woman: As a teacher.

A man: Where does he come from?

A woman: From the United States. He's American.

A man: And his wife?

A woman: From Switzerland. She's Swiss.

A man: Is she also looking for work?

A woman: No. She has a job. She works in an office. She is employed in an office.

Guide: Catherina is now going to her office. Let's see now what's happening.

SCENE 4: Geneva, the offices of the holding company: In this scene we get to know Alan Tanner, who works in the building owned by the holding company. It is obvious that he and Catherina know each other very well socially. She asks him how a person can find an office in Geneva.

Alan Tanner explains that there is no space in the holding company's building but that he has arranged for Catherina to immediately consult with an agent who will be able to help her. But before Catherina leaves to see the agent, Alan invites her to have dinner with him. Catherina observes that he hasn't changed in any way at all.

Catherina: Can I come in, Mr. Tanner?

Tanner: Catherina! Ah! I'm happy to see you. How are you?

Catherina: Very well, thanks, Alan. And you?

Tanner: Very well. What do you think of Geneva?

Catherina: It seems to be very nice.

Tanner: Have you had a good trip?

Catherina: Very good, thanks.

Tanner: And the hotel, do you find it convenient?

Catherina: Yes. It is very good.

Tanner: And things in Paris, are they going well?

Catherina: Yes, everyting is going very well in Paris.

Tanner: Ah. We had some really nice times in Paris, you and I.

Catherina: Yes, really.

Tanner: You came a little early to get organized?

Catherina: Yes. At least I want to organize what I can before starting work. Tell me, how can a person find an office in this city?

Tanner: Ah. Unfortunately, there is no space in this building.

Catherina: Yes, I know. I know.

Tanner: All this is stupid. You are only four people, and everything is so big here. You'd think we could find something for four new people, but this isn't really possible.

Catherina: Yes, yes. I understand. At any rate, it is not the same organization. It would probably be better for us not to be in the same office.

Tanner: I don't see why not. But in any event, I have called an agent who specializes in finding offices, and I have arranged a meeting between you and him. I believe that it would be better if you talked directly with him.

Catherina: Ah, very good. When will the meeting take place?

Tanner: Now.

Catherina: Now?

Tanner: Yes. The meeting was for nine thirty.

Catherina: But it is now nine thirty.

Tanner: I know.

Catherina: Then we'd better go there.

Tanner: Wait. Let's finish our coffee first. We don't have any need to hurry up. And I have some things to say to you.

Catherina: Oh yeah? About what?

Tanner: About the possibility of the two of us going out to dinner this evening.

Catherina: Alan, you haven't changed at all.

EXERCISE 4: How to talk about the time of day.

Guide: I want to be confident about knowing how to tell the time of day in Interlingua.

A woman: What time is it?

A man: It is about five thirty.

A woman: Five thirty.

A man: What time does the train come?

A woman: For train schedules, people use a twenty-four-hour clock.

A man: Let's see. Seventeen hundred hours. What does that mean?

A woman: Seventeen hundred hours is five o'clock.

A man: Let's try sixteen hundred forty hours.

A woman: Five forty. And eighteen hundred hours fifty. What is that?

A man: Six forty.

A woman: And another way of saying ten to seven?

A man: Six fifty.

A woman: And ninteen hundred hours ten? What can be said instead of nineteen hundred hours ten?

A man: Seven ten.

A woman: Yes, seven ten.

A woman: And seven fifteen? What can be said insted of seven fifteen?

A man: A quarter past seven.

A woman: And seven forty five?

A man: A quarter to eight.

Guide: Ah, thanks. I now understand a bit better.

A woman: Fine. We have to catch the train, and we must use this twenty-four-hour clock. What is eighteen hundred five hours?

A man: Six oh five. What is nineteen hundred five hours?

A woman: Seven fifteen. What is twenty hundred twenty-five hours?

A man: Eight twenty-five And twenty-one hundred thirty hours?

A woman: Nine thirty. And twenty-one hundred twenty-five hours?

A man: Twenty-five to ten. And twenty-three forty hours?

A woman: Twenty minutes to midnight.

Guide: Let's return to Strasbourg where we have left Petro. He has to prepare for his trip to Geneva. Here he is at the travel agency: