Capitulo 3, Scenas 5 e 6, Curso de conversation

(Languages of this post: Interlingua, English)

SCENA 5: Le officio de Geneva de Marex Mundial: Catherina ha reunite omne le membros de su equipa pro introducer les le un al altere. Durante que illes attende que le ultime duo personas arriva, Catherina da un littera a Petro. Illo veni de Alicia, qui passa unes dies feriate in le Costa Brava.

Illa vole communicar a Petro lo que illa ha facite pro lor transferimento a Geneva. Petro deveni mesmo plus irritate quando ille lege isto. Catherina interrumpe su murmures pro introducer le a duo collegas nove sue, qui justo ha arrivate.

Catherina: Bon die, Petro.

Petro: Bon die.

Catherina: Ascolta, omne le membros del equipa ha arrivate. Olivero e Martijn ha arrivate, ...

Petro: Ben.

Catherina: ... e io vole facer introductiones inter omne vos.

Petro: Un excellente idea.

Catherina: Oh, Petro, il ha un littera pro vos.

Petro: Un littera? Vermente?

Catherina: Si. Illo veni de Alicia.

Petro: Gratias. (legente le littera de Alicia) "Solmente unes pauc lineas del Costa Brava ubi io ha passate unes excellente dies feriate. Le tempore es multo belle, e omnes es multo sympathic." Excellente! Perfecto! Proque non resta tu illac?

Catherina: Que diceva vos?

Petro: Nullo. Io solmente legeva le littera de Alicia. "Io spera que vos non ha habite ulle problemas grande in mi absentia, e que il non habera troppo travalio pro me quando io retornara. Intertanto, io ha organisate nostre transferimento a Geneva, e io ha inviate un telex a illes con le instructiones que illes nos reserva duo appartamentos." Illa femina es intolerabile! Illa vole diriger omne mi vita como si illa esseva mi matre!

Catherina: Bon novas?

Petro: Perdon?

Catherina: Vostre littera, esque illo apporta bon novas a vos?

Petro: No, ma illo es vermente de nulle importantia.

Catherina: Illo es longe, vostre littera.

Petro: Si, assatis longe.

Catherina: Eh ben?

Petro: Eh ben, que?

Catherina: Fini le littera.

Petro: Multo ben. (legente le littera de Alicia) "Nos nos revidera multo tosto. Non vos inquieta. Toto vadera multo ben post que io arrivara a Switza. Alicia." Io non sape como, ma io debe tosto trovar un maniera de disembarrassar me de ille femina. Illa essera mi ruina!

Catherina: Petro, Petro.

Petro: Si?

Catherina: Io vole presentar a vos le alteres in le equipa. Nos es omnes hic in iste momento. Ecce Petro Minelli. Ille es nostre specialista in ingenieria. Ille pote decir a nos si un projecto es factibile o non.

Petro: Al minus io lo spera!

Catherina: E ecce Olivero Rossi, nostre contabile. Ille veni del officios executive de Trans Infra. E ecce Martijn Ockrent. Ille es responsibile pro nostre affaires de marketing, ben que ille veni del departamento juridic de Trans Infra. Pro nostre strategia de marketing, il es importante haber qualcuno qui sape alique sur le derecto international, e Martijn ha un forte cognoscimento in le duo campos. E ecce Liliana, mi assistente. Illa se occupara de omne le detalios administrative. Ecce toto. Io spera que omne nos travaliara harmoniosemente e que nostre projecto essera un grande successo. Io non solmente spera isto, ma io es confidente que omne vadera completemente ben.

EXERCITIO 5: Presentationes.

Guida: Ben. Io volerea plus practica con le diverse formas de presentar se e de presentar un persona a un altere persona.

Un homine: Bon die. Mi nomine es Bryson, Paul Bryson. E illac, il pare que il ha alicuno del Societate Amerex de Mexico. Que nos vade illac pro parlar con ille. Io crede que su nomine es Garcia, Mario Garcia. Ille travalia in lor departamento de marketing. Bon die. Mi nomine es Bryson, Paul Bryson.

Un femina: Multo placer. Es vos Mario Garcia?

Un homine: Ah si. Io es ille. Encantate. Io es del compania Rodea, Fratres, de Milano. Io travalia in lor servicio de venditas.

Un femina: Io es Gertrude Johnson del compania American Xerox, e io travalia in lor officios in Berlin.

Un homine: Multo felice de facer vostre cognoscentia. Permitte me introducer a vos mi amico Robert Garnier de Paris.

Un femina: Bon die, Roberto.

Un homine: E ecce Hubert La Salle. Ille es un de mi collegas. Nos travalia in le mesme departimento de Rodea, Fratres.

Un femina: Incantate, Hubert.

Guida: Ben. Io comprende melio. Ma io etiam nunc ha difficultate con le pronunciation exacte del nomines in le linguas europee que io non cognosce. Que nos retorna nunc pro vider como va le cosas con Catherina e su nove equipa.

SCENA 6: Le officios a Geneva: Quando le scena comencia, Petro parla con Olivero Rossi, le contabile del compania. Ille vole le adjuta de Rossi pro arrivar al precios e expensas pro le plan de un projecto que ille ha comenciate a disveloppar. Rossi insiste que le precios que ille producera essera applicabile solmente pro le projecto que Petro ha in le mano e que illos non potera applicar se a ulle altere projecto pro ulle altere citate. Ma Petro jam sape illo. Ille non ha besonio de omne le detalios.

Tunc Petro dicta duo litteras, un al senior Melville, dicente que ille tosto va a inviar a ille le information que ille voleva. Le altere littera es a Alicia. In iste littera Petro pretende esser le functionario administrative. In illo ille dice a Alicia que infelicemente il esseva impossibile trovar duo appartamenos conjuncte e que solmente ille poteva trovar pro le senior Minelli un multe parve appartamento de un camera.

Facite isto, Petro vade a Catherina pro describer su conversation con le senior Melville e le littera que ille ha inviate. Obviemente ille spera que Catherina approbara, ma su reaction non es exactemente lo que ille attendeva.

Petro: Olivero, vos es le contabile, nonne?

Olivero: Si.

Petro: Vos controla nostre expensas.

Olivero: Si.

Petro: Io volerea producer un lista de precio e de expensas. Vos poterea adjuvar me?

Olivero: Si. Io es hic pro facer cosas simile.

Petro: Vos ha habite relationes commercial con le Arabia Saudite in Paris?

Olivero: Si.

Petro: Io ha studiate le numeros e facite un parve description de un projecto hypothetic. Ecce lo.

Olivero: Ah, si. Illo es un projecto que include omne le servicios pro un citate de un million de inhabitantes.

Petro: Si. Assi es.

Olivero: Ma vos non pote usar exactemente iste mesme projecto pro un altere citate.

Petro: Si. Io comprende illo. Io non ha besonio de omne le detalios. Io ha besonio de un documento pro marketing solmente.

Olivero: Multo ben, io pote dar a vos un serie de numeros. Ma vos debe comprender que illos esserea multo approximative.

Petro: Si, certemente. Io nunc debe dictar duo litteras. Car senior Melville, em, e, el, ve, i, duple el, e. Vos me ha demandate unes detalios concernente nostre activitates, virgula, nostre precios, virgula, e nostre servicios, puncto. Io vos invia con iste littera unes informationes sur lo que nos pote offerer a nostre clientes. Io es confidente que vos e vostre collegas los trovara interessante, puncto. Excusa me, per favor, pro inviar iste littera a vos un pauco retardate, puncto. Io ha debite dedicar multe effortio e tempore al inauguration de nostre officios nove in Geneva, puncto. Attendente vostre responsa, io vos invia mi optime salutes. Isto es le fin del prime littera.

Ecce le secunde littera, addressate al senioretta Alicia Martini, em, a, er, te, i, duple en, i, Marex Mundial, Strasbourg. Vos potera trovar le adresse in le directorio. Car senioretta Martini. Nos ha recipite vostre telex con le data del 13 maio nos demandante duo appartamentos pro le senior Petro Minelli, puncto. Nos regretta informar vos que nos ha potite trovar solmente un parve appartamento studio pro le senior Minelli. No. Scribe "un multo parve appartmento de un camera", puncto. Nos spera que nos potera adjuvar vos in le futuro, puncto. Sia assecurate de nostre optime salutes.

Iste littera debe portar le nomine del director administrative in Geneva. Fin del secunde littera. Multo ben, isto debe haber le effecto que io vole. Catherina?

Catherina: Bon die, Petro. Entra.

Petro: Ascolta, io volerea parlar a vos sur alicuno qui forsan pote nos adjuvar.

Catherina: Ah, bon.

Petro: Si. Io le cognosceva durante mi viage a Geneva, e io crede que ille forsan pote dar travalio a nos.

Catherina: Ah, si?

Petro: Si. Io le ha scribite un littera in la qual io da diverse specificationes, includente precios, pro monstrar le lo que nos pote facer. Ma io vole consultar con vos sur illo, naturalmente, ante inviar lo via.

Catherina: Si. Io ha vidite vostre littera, Petro. Illo es dirigite a un senior Melville, io crede.

Petro: Si, exactemente. On non nunquam sape. Ille pote offerer nos possibilitates interessante. Il esserea un bon idea comenciar con un projecto assatis importante. Io non le cognosce, ma ...

Catherina: Exactemente ubi faceva vos su cognoscentia?

Petro: In le avion. Ille pareva multo sympathic, ma io repete que io non le cognosce. Ille diceva que ille ha multe bon contactos al nivello governamental, e ille parlava multo seriosemente de illos.

Catherina: Il non me ha surprendite que vos le trovava seriose. Il anque non me surprende que ille dava a vos su adresse personal in vice de su adresse professional.

Petro: Como? Vos le cognosce?

Catherina: Ille es le director de venditas de nostre plus grande competitor.

Petro: Que?

Catherina: Si, exactemente. Ille es le director de venditas a CCG. Io es convencite que nos es melior, ma il non esserea un bon idea dar a ille ideas troppo detaliate de nostre activitates.

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SCENE 5: The Geneva office of Marex Mundial: Catherina has gotten together all the members of her team to introduce them to one another. While they are waiting for the last two people to arrive, Catherina gives a letter to Petro. It's from Alice, who is spending some vacation days at the Costa Brava.

She wants to tell Petro what she has done for their transfer to Geneva. Petro becomes even more irritated when he reads this. Catherina interrupts his grumbling to introduce him to two new colleagues of his, who have just arrived.

Catherina: Good morning, Petro.

Petro: Good morning.

Catherina: Listen, all the members of the team have arrived. Olivero e Martijn have arrived, ...

Petro: Fine.

Catherina: ... and I want to introduce all of you to one another.

Petro: An excellent idea.

Catherina: Oh, Peter, there is a letter for you.

Petro: A letter? Really?

Catherina: Yes, it's from Alicia.

Petro: Thanks. (reading Alicia’s letter) "Just a few lines from the Costa Brava, where I have spent some very nice vacation days. The weather is really great, and everybody's very nice." Excellent! Perfect! Why don't you stay there?

Catherina: What did you say?

Petro: Nothing. I was only reading Alicia’s letter. "I hope that you have not had any big problems in my absence and that there will not be too much work for me when I return. In the meantime, I have organized our transfer to Geneva, and I have sent them a telex with instructions to reserve two apartments for us." That woman is intolerable. She wants to run my life as if she were my mother!

Cathreina: Good news?

Petro: What?

Catherina: Your letter, does it have any good new for you?

Petro: No, but it's really not at all important.

Catherina: It's long, that letter of yours.

Petro: Yes, a bit long.

Catherina: Well?

Petro: Well what?

Catherina: Finish the letter.

Petro: Okay. (reading Alicia's letter) "We'll be seeing each other very soon. Don't worry. Everything will be just fine after I arrive in Switzerland. Alicia." I don't know how, but I've gotta find some quick way of getting rid of that woman. She's gonna ruin me!

Catherina: Petro, Petro.

Petro: Yes?

Catherina: I want to present to you the others on the team. Everyone's here right now. This is Petro Minelli. He is our engineering specialist. He can tell us if a project is feasible or not.

Petro: At least I hope so!

Catherina: And here's Olivero Rossi, our accountant. He comes from the executive offices of Trans Infra. And here's Martijn Ockrent. He is responsible for our marketing affairs, though he comes from the legal department of Trans Infra. For our marketing strategy, it is important to have someone who knows something about international law, and Martijn has strong knowledge in both areas. And here's Liliana, my assistant. She is in charge of all administrative details. That's everything. I hope that all of us will work harmoniously together and that our project will be a great success. I don't only hope this, but I am confident that everything will work out quite well.

EXERCISE 5: Introductions.

Guide: Good. Io would like some practice with the various ways of introducing oneself and of introducing a person to another person.

A man: Good morning. My name is Bryson, Paul Bryson. And over there, it seems there is someone from the Amerex Society of Mexico. Let's go over ther to talk with him. I believe that his name is Garcia, Mario Garcia. He works in their marketing department. Good morning. My name is Bryson, Paul Bryson.

A woman: How do you do. Are you Mario Garcia?

A man: Ah, yes. That's me. My pleasure. I am from the company Rodea Brothers of Milan. I work in their sales department.

A woman: I am Gertrude Johnson from the American company Xerox, and I work in their offices in Berlin.

A man: I am very pleased to meet you. Allow me to introduce to you my friend Robert Garnier from Paris.

A woman: Hello, Robert.

A man: And this is Hubert La Salle. He is one of my colleagues. We work in the same department of Rodea Brothers.

A woman: My pleasure, Hubert.

Guide: Good. I'm understanding a bit better. But even now I have some trouble with the exact pronunciation of the names in the European languages that I don't know. Let's return now to see how things are going with Catherina and her new team.

SCENE 6: The Geneva offices: As the scene begins, Petro is talking with Olviero Rossi, the accountant of the company. He wants Rossi's help in arriving at prices and expenses for the plan of a project that he has started to develop. Rossi insists that the prices that he will produce will be applicable only for the project that Petro has on hand and that they can't be applied to any other project for any other city. But Petro already knows that. He doesn't need all the details.

Then Petro dictates two letters, one to Mr. Melville, saying that he soon will be sending him the information he wanted. The other letter is to Alicia. In this letter Petro pretends to be the administrative officer. In it he tells Alicia that unfortunately it was impossible to find two neighboring apartments and that he was only able to find for Mr. Minelli a very small one-room apartment.

After doing this Petro goes to Catherina to describe his conversation with Mr. Melville and the letter that he has sent him. Obviously he hopes that Catherina will approve, but her reaction is not exactly what he expected.

Petro: Olivero, you are the accountant, aren't you?

Olivero: Yes.

Petro: You control our costs.

Olivero: Yes.

Petro: I would like to work up a list of prices and costs. Can you help me?

Olivero: Yes. I'm here to do things like that.

Petro: Have you had commercial relations with Saudi Arabia in Paris?

Olivero: Yes.

Petro: I've studied the numbers and come up with a small description of a hypothetical project. Here it is.

Olivero: Ah, yes. It's a project that includes all services for a city of a million inhabitants.

Petro: Yes, that's right.

Olivero: But you can't use exactly this same project for another city.

Petro: Yes, I know that. I don't need all the details. I need a marketing document only.

Olivero: Very well, I can give you a series of figures. But you must understand that they are very rough.

Petro: Yes, of course. I now must dictate two letters. Dear Mr. Melville, em, ee, el, vee, I, double el, ee. You've asked me for some details concerning our activities, comma, our prices, comma, and our services, period. I am enclosing with this letter some information about what we can offer our customers. I am confident that you and your colleagues will find it interesting, period. Please excuse me for sending you this letter somewhat late, period. I have had to dedicate a lot of time and effort to setting up our new offices in Geneva, period. I look forward to your response and would like to convey to you my best wishes. This is the end of the first letter.

Here's the second one, addressed to Miss. Alicia Martini, em, ay, ar, tea, I, en I, Marex Mundial, Strasbourg. You can find the address in the directory. Dear Ms. Martini. We have received your telex dated May the thirteenth asking for two apartments for Mr. Petro Minelli. period. We regret to inform you that we have been able to find only one small studio apartment for Mr. Minelli. No. Write "a very small one-room apartment," period. We hope that we will be able to help you in the future, period. Please be assured of our best wishes.

This letter should be under the name of the administrative director in Geneva. End of the second letter. Very well, this should have the effect that I want. Catherina?

Catherina: Good morning, Petro. Come on in.

Petro: Listen, I would like to talk to you about someone who can possibly help us.

Catherina: Oh, good.

Petro: Yes. I met him during my trip to Geneva, and I believe that he can perhaps refer some work to us.

Catherina: Oh yeah?

Petro: Yeah. I have written him a letter in which I furnish various specifications, including prices, to show him what we can do. But I want to consult with you about it, naturally, before sending it out.

Catherina: Yes. I have seen your letter, Petro. It is directed to a Mr. Melville, I believe.

Petro: Yes, exactly. You never know. He could offer us some interesting possibilities. It would be a good idea to start with a rather important project. I don't know him, but ...

Catherina: Exactly where did you meet him?

Petro: In the plane. He seemed very nice, but I want to say once again that I don't know him. He told me that he has many good contacts at the government level, and he spoke very seriously about them.

Catherina: It doesn't surprise me that you found him to be serious. It also doesn't surprise me that that he gave you his personal instead of his professional address.

Petro: What do you mean? Do you know him?

Catherina: He is the sales manager of our biggest competitor.

Petro: What?

Catherina: Yes, exactly. He is the sales manager of CCG. I'm convinced that we are better, but it would not be a good idea to give him any detailed ideas of our activities.