Capitulo 4, Scenas 1 e 2, Curso de conversation

(Languages of this post: Interlingua, English)

SCENA 1: Catherina e Petro parla sur lor travalio. Petro dice que ille non la ha vidite pro multe tempore. Catherina responde que le causa de isto es que illa ha essite multo occupate. Petro tunc indica que ille non es felice proque ille non ha multo a facer.

Catherina demanda a ille qual es sur su agenda pro le septimana veniente. Petro dice que mercuridi ille va facer un viage de tres dies a Paris e que hodie ille va a interviewar un possibile secretario/receptionista. Ultra isto, ille ha nullo a facer. Petro trova isto un pauco deprimente.

Catherina essaya a comfortar le, dicente que le compania vermente non ha comenciate su operationes e que ante multe tempore omne le personal in le officios de Geneva essera multo occupate. Intertanto, illa invita que Petro la accompania pro vider le centro informatic, ma Petro non pote facer isto proque Catherina vade illac durante le hora de su interview. Al fin del scena, Petro es enoiate, non sapente lo que ille pote facer pro occupar se.

Catherina: Petro. Petro.

Petro: Bon die, Catherina. Como sta vos?

Catherina: Multo ben, gratias.

Petro: Io non vos ha vidite desde multe tempore.

Catherina: Io esseva multo occupate.

Petro: Plus que io?

Catherina: Que face vos?

Petro: Como vos vide, io lege le jornal. Io bibe cafe.

Catherina: Ah, bon. Io veniva hic pro parlar a vos sur vostre programma de iste septimana.

Petro: Mi programma?

Catherina: Que ha vos sur vostre agenda?

Petro: Iste septimana?

Catherina: Si, iste septimana.

Petro: Ben, io va a Paris mercuridi pro tres dies.

Catherina: Ah, si. Pro le commission de liaison?

Petro: Si.

Catherina: E post illo?

Petro: Nullo. Hodie io va interviewar un candidato pro le position de secretaria.

Catherina: E pro le resto del septimana?

Petro: Io non ha ullo planificate. Nullo sur mi agenda. Illo es un pauco deprimente.

Catherina: Como?

Petro: Il ha nullo a facer hic, nulle travalio. Restar hic attendente que le telephono sona me enoia multo.

Catherina: Ascolta. Nostre travalio in iste officio solmente comencia. Un certe quantitate de tempore es necesse pro lanciar iste tipo de projecto.

Petro: Si. Ma il non me place restar hic con nullo a facer.

Catherina: Ben tosto tu habera multo a facer.

Petro: Io lo spera.

Catherina: Eh, ben, si vos vole, vos pote venir con me al centro informatic.

Petro: Pro facer que?

Catherina: Illo es interessante.

Petro: Quando vade vos illac?

Catherina: Io debe vider les al mediodie, e io va partir del officio verso dece un horas e medio.

Petro: No. Io non pote vader con vos. Le candidato pro le interview essera hic un pauco post que vos parti.

Catherina: Ben. Illo non importa. Io vos videra plus tarde.

Petro: Comprendite. A revider.

Catherina: A revider.

Petro: E io justo ha finite mi lectura del jornal. Qual es le proxime cosa que io va facer?

EXERCITIO 1: Programmas:

Guida: Catherina e Petro parlava de lor programmas. Io volerea audir un altere vice possibile manieras de describer lor activitates.

Un femina: Qual es vostre programma pro iste matino?

Un homine: Mi programma?

Un femina: Si, que va vos a facer iste matino?

Un homine: Io ha tres cosas a facer. Io debe vider le chef a dece horas.

Un femina: Ah, si?

Un homine: E tunc io debe studiar le reportos de venditas inter dece un horas e le mediodie.

Un femina: Si. E postea?

Un homine: Tunc io va a mangiar alique.

Un femina: Io comprende. Io volerea que vos me da iste information un altere vice. Que face vos a dece horas?

Un homine: Io va a vider le chef.

Un femina: Il es multo occupate. Esque vos ha facite un appunctamento?

Un homine: Si. Io ha un appuncatmento pro dece horas.

Un femina: Illo prendera quante tempore?

Un homine: Un hora.

Un femina: Tunc illo durara un hora. E a dece un horas? Ubi essera vos a dece un horas?

Un homine: Io habera retornate al officio si omne va ben.

Un femina: E tunc, que facera vos?

Un homine: Io va a studiar le reportos del venditas.

Un femina: Illo prendera quante tempore?

Un homine: Un hora, plus o minus.

Un femina: E tunc va vos a mangiar vostre prandio?

Un homine: Si. Postea io va a mangiar mi prandio.

Guida: Il pare que il certemente ha differente manieras de exprimer le futuro in interlingua.

Un homine: Io videra Anna martedi; io vide Roseline mercuridi; io va vider Valerie jovedi. Mmmm.

Guida: Il pare que omne iste constructiones significa le mesme cosa.

Un femina: Vos vadera via?

Un homine: No. Io va a mangiar hic.

Un femina: E etiam io va a mangiar hic.

Un homine: Io mangiara hic hodie e deman.

Guida: On usa omne iste constructiones.

Un femina: Ben. In ille caso io vos videra hic plus tarde, verso un hora.

Un homine: Multo ben. A revider.

Guida: Io comprende melio nunc. Il pare que Petro debeva haber un interview con un candidata pro le position de secretaria. Que nos vide como illo vadera.

SCENA 2: Le officios de Geneva: Petro interviewa Francesca pro le position de secretaria. Ille comencia per offerer un cafe a illa, e postea ille comencia su questiones. Primo ille vole saper lo que illa face in iste momento, como illa usa su linguas, qual es su velocitate como stenographo, qual es su velocitate in claviar, e si le claviation place a illa. Finalmente, ille la demanda si a illa place travaliar independentemente e proque illa vole un position nove. Petro tunc dice gratias a illa e la informa que illes la notificara al fin del septimana.

Francesca: Vos permitte que io entra?

Petro. Si. Entra.

Francesca: Eh, io es Francesca Cardano.

Petro: Ah si. Entra.

Francesca: Io ha un appunctamento pro un interview con le senior Petro Minelli a dece un horas trenta. Illo es pro le position de secretaria.

Petro: Si, io comprende. Io es Petro Minelli.

Francesca: Ah, si. Io veniva un pauco ante le tempore.

Petro: Un pauco, si. Ma illo non es importante. Vos pote seder vos hic, si vos vole.

Francesca: Gratias.

Petro: Io ha vostre littera hic. Si, ecce lo. Esque vos vole un tassa de cafe ante que nos comencia?

Francesca: Si, multe gratias.

Petro: Illo es vermente excellente, iste machina. Io prefere facer mi proprie cafe io mesme. Io habeva un cafetiera electric multo bon, ma io lo ha perdite. Esque vos vole un pauco de lacte? De sucro?

Francesca: No, gratias. Io lo prende nigre.

Petro: Ecce lo.

Francesca: Gratias.

Petro: Tunc nos pote comenciar. Qual es vostre situation in iste momento?

Francesca: Io es le secretaria de un director de servicio de marketing.

Petro: In vostre littera vos dice que vos parla ben le anglese e le germano un pauco e etiam le espaniol.

Francesca: Si, exactemente.

Petro: Como usa vos omne iste linguas?

Francesca: Eh ben, le compania pro le qual io travalia in iste momento ha clientes de nationalitates differente, e omne iste linguas es utile pro me.

Petro: Obviemente. Io comprende. Qual es vostre nivello como stenographo e vostre velocitate in claviar?

Francesca: In le claviation io pote facer octanta parolas per minuta. Como stenographo, io face octanta, ma io non lo usa multo. In le officio ubi io travalia nunc on usa machinas a dictar.

Petro. A vos place facer le claviation?

Francesca: Io non lo face multo sovente proque in le officio ubi io travalia nunc il ha un equipa de claviatores.

Petro: E esque vos pote travaliar sol le plus parte del tempore?

Francesca: Si. Io mesmo prefere travaliar assi si io pote. In iste momento, io face le major parte de mi travalio completemente sin supervision.

Petro: Io non vole dicer solmente travaliar de un maniera independente. Io parla de esser le sol persona presente in le officio.

Francesca: Io non sape. Io nunquam ha essayate iste typo de travalio. Io sempre ha travaliate in officios grande.

Petro: Ma pensa vos que vos poterea travaliar in un officio parve como iste sin difficultate?

Francesca: Io non crede que un tal ambiente me molestarea. Ma illo certemente esserea differente pro me.

Petro: Que sape vos sur le transportes urban?

Francesca: Perdon?

Petro: Que sape vos del sector industrial? Le sector de transportes.

Francesca: Pro dicer le veritate, io non sape multo sur illo.

Petro: E que vos attraheva verso iste typo de compania? Io volerea saper le ration que vos vole cambiar le position que vos nunc occupa a iste.

Francesca: Eh, ben. Mi chef va via. E le proxime persona qui va occupar su position jam ha su proprie secretaria. Illes poterea mover me a un altere position, ma a un nivello inferior. Il es a causa de isto que io ha decidite cercar un altere position.

Petro: Io comprende. Multo ben. Multe gratias, senioretta.

Francesca: Gratias.

Petro: Nos vole arrivar a un decision final rapidemente, e io crede que nos potera dar a vos un responsa verso le fin del septima.

Francesca: Multo ben.

Petro: Eh, ben. Nos vos contactara quando nos ha facite nostre decision.

Francesca: Multe gratias. Al revider.

Petro: Al revider.

EXERCITIO 2: Interviews:

Guida: Il me pare que iste senioretta esseva bon, non lo crede vos? Ante continuar con nostre historia, io vole audir un altere vice le typo de questiones que on face durante un interview.

Prime homine: Demanda a ille su nomine.

Un femina: Qual es vostre nomine?

Secunde homine: Eric Jensen.

Prime homine: E su etate.

Un femina: Qual es vostre etate?

Secunde homine: Io ha trenta annos.

Prime homine: E su nationalitate?

Un femina: De ubi es vos? Qual es vostre nationalitate?

Secunde homine: Io es Danese, de Copenhagen.

Prime homine: Demanda a ille quales es su qualificationes.

Un femina: Quales es vostre qualificationes? Qual diplomas o certificatos possede vos?

Secunde homine: Io ha un certificato de studios commercial.

Prime homine: Demanda a ille quante tempore ille ha studiate.

Un femina: Durante quante tempore ha vos studiate?

Secunde homine: Duo annos.

Prime homine: Demanda a ille ubi ille ha studiate.

Un femina: E ubi ha vos facite vostre studios?

Secunde homine: In un instituto de technologia.

Un femina: Vostre qualificationes tunc es un certificato de studios commercial, duo annos in un instituto de technologia.

Prime homine: Demanda a ille qual es su experientia.

Un femina: Que ha vos como experientia? Quante tempore ha travaliate vos?

Secunde homine: Io ha tres annos de experientia in le affaires.

Prime homine: Demanda a ille qual es le travalio que ille nunc face.

Un femina: Qual es le travalio que vos nunc face?

Secunde homine: In iste momento, io non ha ulle travalio. Io es disempleate.

Prime homine: Demanda a ille qual esseva su previe position.

Un femina: Ben. Que typo de travalio faceva vos in vostre ultime position?

Secunde homine: Io travaliava in le assecurantia. Io esseva un empleo de officio.

Prime homine: Demanda a ille quante tempore ille ha facite iste travalio?

Un femina: Quante tempore ha facite vos iste travalio.

Secunde homine: Tres annos.

Prime homine: Demanda a ille si ille parla altere linguas.

Un femina: Esque vos parla altere linguas?

Secunde homine: Le anglese que io ha apprendite a le schola e le germano.

Un femina: Ben, gratias. Tosto io va communicar a vos nostre decision.

Guida: Il nunc es le hora del prandio. Catherina e Petro nunc mangia in un cafe in le area de lor officio.

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SCENE 1: Catherina and Petro are talking about their work. Petro says that he hasn't seen her for a long time, Catherina answers that the cause of this is that she has been very busy. Peter then indicates that he is unhappy because he doesn't have much to do.

Catherina asks him what is on his schedule for next week. Peter says that Wednesday he is going to take a three-day trip to Paris and that today he is going to interview a possible secretary/receptionist. Besides this, he doesn't have anything to do. Peter finds this a bit depressing.

Catherina tries to comfort him, saying that the company really hasn't started its operations and that before too long everyone in the Geneva office will be very busy. In the meantime, she invites Petro to go with her to see the computer center, but Petro can't do this because Catherina is going there during the hour of his interview. At the end of the scene, Peter is bored, not knowing what he can do to keep busy.

Catherina: Petro. Petro.

Petro: Good Morning, Catherina. How are you?

Catherina; Very well, thanks.

Petro: I haven't seen you for a long time.

Catherina: I've been very busy.

Petro: More than me?

Catherina: What are you doing?

Petro: As you can see, I'm reading the paper. I'm drinking coffee.

Catherina: Oh, good. I came here to talk to you about your program this week.

Petro: My program?

Catherina: What do you have on your schedule?

Petro: This week?

Catherina: Yes, this week.

Petro: Okay. I'm going to Paris on Wednesday for three days.

Catherina: Oh yeah? For the liaison commission?

Petro: Yeah.

Catherina: And afterwards?

Petro: Nothing. Today I'm gonna interview a candidate for the secretary position.

Catherina: And for the rest of the week?

Petro: I don't have anything planned. Nothing on my schedule. It's a little depressing.

Catherina: How so?

Petro: I don't have anything to do here, no work. Staying here waiting for the telephone to ring bores me a lot.

Catherina: Listen. Our work in this office is only beginning. A certain amount of time is needed to launch this kind of project.

Petro: Yes. But I don't like staying here with nothing to do.

Catherina: Before long you will have a lot to do.

Petro: I hope so.

Catherina: Say, if you want, you can come with me to the computer center.

Petro: To do what?

Catherina: It's interesting.

Petro: When are you gonna go there?

Catherina: I've got to see them at noon, and I'm gonna leave the office around eleven thirty.

Petro: No. I can't go with you. The candidate for the interview will be here shortly after you've gone.

Catherina: Okay, it isn't important. I'll see you later.

Petro: Okay, see you later.

Catherina: See you.

Petro: And I've just finished reading the paper. What am I gonna do next?

EXERCISE 1: Programs:

Guide: Catherina and Petro were talking about their programs. I would like to hear once again some other possible ways of describing their activities.

A woman: What is your progrm for this morning?

A man: My program?

A woman: Yes, what are you going to do this morning?

A man: I have three things to do. I must see the boss at ten o'clock.

A woman: Oh yeah?

A man: And then I have to study the sales reports between eleven o'clock and noon.

A woman: Okay. And then?

A man: Then I'm gonna eat something.

A woman: I see. I'd like you to give me this information once again. What are you doing at ten o'clock?

A man: I'm gonna see the boss.

A woman: He is very busy. Have you made an appointment?

A man: Yes. I have an appointment for ten o'clock.

A woman: That'll take up how much time?

A man: An hour.

A woman: Then it will last an hour. And at eleven o'clock? Where will you be at eleven o'clock?

A man: I will have returned to the office, if everything goes well.

A woman: And then what are you gonna do?

A man: I'm gonna study the sales reports.

A woman: That will take up how much time?

A man: An hour, more or less.

A woman: And then are you gonna eat lunch?

A man: Yeah. Afterward that I'm gonna eat lunch.

Guide: It seems that there certainly are different ways of expressing the future in Interlingua.

A man: I will be seeing Anna Tuesday; I'm seeing Roselie Wednesday; I'm gonna see Valerie Thursday. Mmmm.

Guide: It seems that all these constructions mean the same thing.

A woman: Are you gonna go away?

A man: No, I'm gonna eat here.

A woman: I'm also gonna eat here.

A man: I'm gonna eat here today and tomorrow.

Guide: All these constructions are used.

A woman: Fine. In that case I'll see you here later, around one.

A man: Fine. See you then.

Guide: I now understand better now. It seems that Petro had to have an interview with a candidate for the secretary's job. Let's se how it will go.

SCENE 2: The Geneva offices: Petro is interviewing Francesca for the job of secretary. He starts by offering her a coffee, and afterwards he starts his questions. First he wants to know what she is doing at this moment, how she uses her languages, what her shorthand and typing speeds are, if she likes to type. Finally, he asks her if she likes to work independently and why she wants a new position. Petro then says thanks to her and informs her that they will notify her at the end of the week.

Francesca: May I come in?

Petro: Yes, come in.

Francesca: Uh, I'm Francesca Cardano.

Petro: Ah, yes. Come in.

Francesca: I have an appointment for an interview with Mr. Petro Minelli at eleven thirty. It is for the secretary position.

Petro: Yes, I understand. I am Petro Minelli.

Francesca: Ah, yes. I came a little early.

Petro: A little, yes. But that isn't important. You can sit down here, if you want.

Francesca: Thanks.

Petro: I have your letter here. Yes, here it is. Would you like a cup of coffee before we start?

Francesca: Yes, thanks a lot.

Petro: It is really excellent, this machine. I prefer to make my own coffee myself. I had a very good electric coffee maker, but I have lost it. Would you like a little milk? Some sugar?

Francesca: No, thanks. I like it black.

Petro: Here it is.

Francesca: Thanks.

Petro: Now we can start out. What is your situation at this moment?

Francesca: I am the secretary of a marketing services director.

Petro: In your letter you say that you speak English well and German a little and also Spanish.

Francesca: Yes, exactly.

Petro: How do you use all these languages?

Francesca: All right. The company I work for at this moment has clients of different nationalities, and all these languages are useful for me.

Petro: Obviously. I understand. What is your level as a stenogrpher and your typing speed?

Francesca: As a typist I can do eighty words a minute. As a stenographer, I do eighty, but I don't use it a lot. In the office where I work we now use dictating machines.

Petro: Do you like to type?

Francesca: I don't do it very often because in the office where I work now there is a typing pool.

Petro: And can you work alone most of the time?

Francesca: Yes. I myself prefer to work like that if I can. At this moment I am doing most of my work completely without supervision.

Petro: I don't mean only working independently. I'm speaking of being the only person present in the office.

Francesca: I don't know. I never have tried this type of work. I always have worked in large offices.

Petro: But do you think that you could work in a small office like this one without any trouble?

Francesca: I don't believe that such an environment would bother me. But it would certainly be different for me.

Petro: What do you know about urban transport?

Francesca: I beg your pardon?

Petro: What do you know about the industrial sector? The transport sector?

Francesca: To tell the truth, I don't know a lot about it.

Petro: And what attracted you to this type of company? I would like to know the reason why you want to leave the position that you now have for this one.

Francesca: Well, my boss is leaving. And the next person who's gonna take his position already has his own secretary. They can move me to another position, but at a lower level. It is because of this that I have decided to look for another position.

Petro: I understand. Very well. Thanks a lot, Miss.

Francesca: Thanks.

Petro: We want to arrive at a final decision rapidly, and I believe that we will be able to give you an answer toward the end of the week.

Francesca: Fine.

Petro: Okay. We will contact you when we have made our decision.

Francesca: Thanks a lot. See you later.

Petro: See you later.

EXERCISE 2: Interviews:

Guide: It seems to me that this young lady was good, don't you agree? Before continuing with our story, I would like to hear once again the kind of questions that are made during an interview.

First man: Ask him his name.

A woman: What is your name.

Second man: Eric Jensen

First man: And his age.

A woman: What is your age?

Second man: I am thirty years old.

First man: And his nationality.

A woman: Where are you from? What is your nationality?

Second man: I am Danish, from Copenhagen.

First man: Ask him what his qualifications are.

A woman: What are your qualifications. What diplomas or certificates do you have?

Second man: I have a certificate of commercial studies.

First man: Ask him how much time he has studied.

A woman: How long have you studied?

Second man: Two years.

First man: Ask him where he has studied.

A woman: And where have you done your studies?

Second man: In a technological institute.

A woman: Your qualifications then are a certificate of commercial studies, two years in a technological institute.

First man: Ask him what his experience is.

A woman: What do you have as experience? For how long have you worked?

Second man: I have three years of business experience.

First man: Ask him what is the work he is now doing.

A woman: What kind of work are you doing now?

Second man: At this moment, I don't have any work. I'm unemployed.

First man: Ask him what his previous position was.

A woman: Fine. What kind of work did you do in your last position?

Second man: I worked for an insurance company. I was an office worker.

First man: Ask him how long he did this work.

A woman: How long did you do this work?

Second man: Three years.

First man: Ask him if he speaks other languages.

A woman: Do you speak other languages?

Second man: The English I learned in school and German.

A woman: Fine, thank you. Soon I will let you know of our decision.

Guide: It is now lunch time. Catherina and Petro are now eating in a cafe in the area near their office.