Capitulo 5, Scenas 5 e 6, Curso de conversation

(Languages of this post: Interlingua, English)

SCENA 5: Le officios in Geneva: In iste scena Petro parla con Catherina sur su viage a Paris. Lo que ille ha a dicer es multo discoragiante. Ille reporta que le conferentia esseva un fiasco e que le reunion con le personal de Trans Infra esseva etiam pejor. Ille explica como le senior Legrand non permittera que su ingeniero senior vade a reuniones mensual trans Europa. Il es obvie que Catherina cognosce Legrand, e illa decide resolver le problema immediatemente. Illa telephona Roberto Demur e describe a ille le problema con Legrand.

Demur appoia le position de Catherina e suggere que illa parla directemente con Legrand. Illa tunc parla con ille e simplemente demanda que ille invia su ingeniero senior a Geneva lunedi le tertie die del mense con su passaporto in ordine. Legrand dice que ille facera lo que Catherina vole. Petro es multo impressionate con le authoritate e le competentia de Catherina e la invita a dinar con ille. Illa dice que illa volerea acceptar su invitation ma que illa ha troppo a facer.

Catherina: Petro, vos vole quitar nos pro prender un altere position. Si io comprende ben, vos non es felice in Geneva?

Petro: Si, vos ha ration.

Catherina: Pro que ha vos iste sentimentos? Que ha passate in Paris?

Petro: Paris? Illo esseva horribile.

Catherina: Qual esseva le problema?

Petro: Io habeva difficultates con le hotel, e le presentation de Infomat esseva un guasto de tempore, ni plus ni minus.

Catherina: Ah, bon?

Petro: Ma le factor le plus discoragiante esseva que le reunion del commission de liaison compliva absolutemente nihil.

Catherina: Ma como?

Petro: Omne lo que nos pote obtener de Paris es un ingeniero juvene, un comenciante. Probabilemente un graduato recente con nulle experientia.

Catherina: Ma pro que?

Petro: Illes refusa lassar que lor ingeniero senior dedica un die ex cata mense a nostre reuniones. Il pare que il ha troppo travalio in Paris e que lor ingeniero senior es troppo preciose.

Catherina: Qui ha dicite illo?

Petro: Un certe Legrand.

Catherina: Ah, si, Henrique Legrand. Il ha sempre problemas con ille.

Petro: Vos le cognosce?

Catherina: Si, io ha travaliate brevemente con ille diverse vices.

Petro: Tunc vos cognosce le causa de mi frustration.

Catherina: Io regretta multo le difficultates que vos ha habite con ille, e io va remediar los immediatemente.

Petro: Que va vos a facer?

Catherina: Io va a telephonar Paris.

Petro: Esque il vos enoiarea si io audiva le conversation?

Catherina: No, al contrario.

Catherina: Hello? Esque io poterea parlar al senior Dumar? Si, io es Catherina De Sanctis. Roberto? Io es Catherina. Multo ben, gratias. E vos? Eh ben, nos ha completate hic quasi omne le organisation de nostre offico in Geneva, ma usque nunc nos non ha habite ulle travalio. E Paris nos offere un difficultate multo frustrante. Henrique Legrand non vole permitter que su ingeniero senior assista al reuniones de nostre commission. Eh ben, Petro Minelli, nostre ingeniero experte esseva in Paris venerdi, e Henrique insiste que su ingeniero principal ha troppo a facer pro guastar su tempore in nostre reuniones. Si, anque io. Esque io debe parlar a Henrique Legrand, o esque vos prefere facer lo? Multo ben, io parlara con ille. ... Hello? Le officio del senior Legrand, per favor. Hello? Henrique? Io es Catherina De Sanctis, de Geneva. Henrique, qual es le nomine de vostre ingeniero principal? Roberti? Bon. Per favor, nos ha besonio de su presentia in le reunion
de nostre commission lunedi le tres de iste mense. Ille es un membro del commission de liaison. No, nos ha besonio de ille mesme e non de ulle altere ingeniero. Multo ben, io crede que nos nos comprende. Gratias, Henrique. Al revider.

Petro: Deo mie, vos esseva impressionante.

Catherina: Que diceva vos?

Petro: Vos esseva fantastic.

Catherina: Io cognosce multo ben Roberto Dumar. Nos ha travaliate in multe projectos importante, e con su appoio le cosa esseva facile.

Petro: Esque ille es le chef de operationes in Paris?

Catherina: Si. Ille es multo competente e anque multo sympathic.

Petro: Si, assi ille pareva. Catherina, io volerea demandar si vos pote ...

Catherina: Si?

Petro: Que face vos iste vespere? Nos poterea dinar conjunctemente.

Catherina: Ah, vos es multo gentil, ma ...

Petro: Nos poterea vader al theatro o al cinema, como vos vole.

Catherina: Vermente, Petro, illo me placerea multo, ma iste vespere io non pote facer lo.

Petro: Ah, bon.

Catherina: Io lo regretta multo.

Petro: Oh, non vos preoccupa. Illo esseva solmente un parve idea mie.

Catherina: Si, e un idea multo bon!

Petro: Tunc forsan nos potera facer isto plus tarde.

Catherina: Si, naturalmente.

EXERCITIO 5: Parlar sur eventos.

Guida: Io ha comprenite multo ben lo que Petro ha dicite sur le eventos de su viage a Paris, ma io volerea revider unes ex le manieras de describer los.

Un homine: Parla me sur vostre viage del septimana passate.

Un femina: Nos vadeva a Paris. Il esseva le prime vice que io vadeva illac. Nos pernoctava in un hotel multo parve.

Un homine: Como esseva le hotel?

Un femina: Illo esseva multo agradabile e quasi in le centro de Paris. Le jentaculos del hotel esseva multo bon.

Un homine: Que faceva vos quando vos esseva in Paris?

Un femina: Nos vadeva a nostre officio in Paris, e nos participava in discussiones sur nostre nove projecto.

Un homine: Vos anque ha facite altere cosas quando vos esseva in Paris?

Un femina: Si, nos vadeva duo vices al theatro. E nos visitava unes sitos touristic.

Un homine: E como esseva omne isto?

Un femina: Illo esseva multo interessante.

Guida: Ben. Que nos continua con le historia.

SCENA 6: Le officio de Geneva: Petro vade a vider Catherina in su officio. Quando illa le vide, illa memora que Petro voleva que illa scribeva un littera de referentia pro ille, e illa dice que illa regretta non haber lo scribite.

Petro tamen essaya invitar Catherina a dinar o forsan solmente haber un bibita con ille. Durante que illes explora le possibilitates, Liliana les interrumpe, dicente que Alan Tanner essayava a parlar con illa per telephono tres vices, ma Catherina non esseva in le officio. Liliana tunc narra le detalios del message de Alan Tanner, dicente que ille ha trovate un restaurante multo bon ubi illes poterea vader a dinar, e que a ille placerea que illa portava le mesme roba que illa habeva portate le sabbato previe.

Le telephono tunc sona un altere vice, e Catherina responde (Liliana pensa que il es Alan qui parla.) Illa narra a Petro le detalios del relationes inter Alan e Catherina. Petro responde de un maniera multo breve, indicante possibilemente que ille es enoiate. Ma Catherina retorna e dice que illa ha parlate con Alicia, qui diceva que illa habeva comenciate su viage a Geneva.

Petro: Esque io pote entrar?

Catherina: Si, certemente, Petro. Vos voleva parlar con me?

Petro: No, non specialmente. Io non ha ullo a facer. Illo es toto.

Catherina: Vos vole un cafe?

Petro: No, gratias.

Catherina: Oh, Petro, il ha alique que io regretta multo.

Petro: Que es?

Catherina: Ille littera a Mexico.

Petro: Si?

Catherina: Vos voleva que io scribeva un littera de recommendation. Io lo ha completemente oblidate.

Petro: Oh, il non es necesse que vos lo scribe immedatemente.

Catherina: Io facera un effortio special pro scriber lo deman.

Petro: Gratias, Catherina. E pro dinar iste vespere?

Catherina: Infelicemente nos non pote facer lo hodie.

Petro: Ma possibilemente nos poterea biber alique post clauder le officios hodie.

Catherina: Ma io non sape exactemente a que hora io ...

Liliana: Senioretta De Sanctis? Oh, vos es occupate.

Catherina: No. Nos non face ullo importante, Liliana. Entra. Que vole vos?

Liliana: Eh ben, vos sape, le senior Tanner, del officio vicin?

Catherina: Si?

Liliana: Ille ha telephonate tres vices, ma vos non esseva in le officio.

Catherina: Ah, si, gratias.

Liliana: Ille dice que ille vos videra a septe horas.

Catherina: Multo ben.

Liliana: Ille dice que ille ha trovate un bon restaurante pro dinar--melior que le ultime sabbato.

Catherina: Ah bon, multo ben.

Liliana: E ille demanda ...

Catherina: Si?

Liliana: ... si vos poterea portar le mesme roba que vos portava le ultime sabbato.

Catherina: Multo ben. Gratias, Liliana.

Petro: Ah, nunc io comprende.

(Le telephona sona.)

Catherina: Ah, le telephono.

Liliana: Forsan Alan vole parlar con vos.

Catherina: Probabilemente. Io parlara con ille.

Liliana: Io crede que le senioretta De Sanctis e le senior Tanner es ...

Petro: Si?

Liliana: ... eh, ben ... amicos multo bon.

Petro: Ah si?

Liliana: Illes vadeva via le venerdi e sabbato passate, le duo.

Petro: Vermente?

Liliana: E ille la ha telephonate tres vices hodie.

Petro: Si, io lo sape. Vos jam me lo ha dicite.

Liliana: Il es bon pro illa. Illa es completemente sol. E vos, vos es maritate?

Petro: Io? No.

Catherina: Eh, ben ... vostre telex arrivava troppo tarde.

Petro: Mi telex? Le telex que io ha inviate a Strasbourg?

Catherina: Si.

Petro: Vos vole dicer que Alicia ...

Catherina: Il essseva illa qui telephonava. Illa nunc veni hic.

Petro: Oh, no. Illo non pote esser ver.

Guida: Finalemente, il pare que nos va facer le cognoscentia de Alicia. Que nos ascolta e vide lo que va a passar.

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SCENE 5: The offices in Geneva: In this scene Petro talks with Catherina about a trip to Paris. What he has to say is very discouraging. He reports that the conference was a fiasco and that the meeting with the Trans Infra personnel was even worse. He explains how Mr. Legrand would not allow his senior engineer to go to the monthly meetings throughout Europe. It is obvious that Catherina knows Legrand, and she decides solve the problem immediately. She calls up Roberto Demur and describes to him the problem with Legrand.

Demur supports Catherina's position and suggests that she talk directly with Legrand. She then talks to him and simply asks him to to send his senior engineer to Geneva on Monday the third day of the month with his passport in order. Legrand says that he will do what Catherina wants. Petro is very impressed with Catherina's authority and competence and invites her out to dinner. She says that she would like to accept his invitation but that she has too much to do.

Catherina: Petro, you want to leave us to take another job. If I understand correctly, you are not happy in Geneva?

Petro: Yes, you're right.

Catherina: Why do you feel like that? What happened in Paris?

Petro: Paris? It was horrible.

Catherina: What was the problem?

Petro: I had difficulties with the hotel, and Infomat's presentation was a waste of time, neither more nor less.

Catherina: Oh, yeah?

Petro: But the most discouraging factor was the the liaison commission meeting accomplished absolutely nothing.

Catherina: What do you mean?

Petro: All that we can get from Paris is a young engineer, a beginner. Probably a recent graduate with no experience.

Catherina: But why?

Petro: They refuse to let their senior engineer dedicate one day out of each month to our meetings. It seems that there is too much work in Paris and that their senior engineer is too important.

Catherina: Who said that?

Petro: A certain Legrand.

Catherina: Oh, yeah, Henrique Legrand. There are always problems with him.

Petro: You know him?

Catherina: Yes, I have worked briefly with him several times.

Petro: Then you know the cause of my frustration.

Catherina: I'm very sorry about the difficulties you have had with him, and I am going do something about them right now.

Petro: What are you going to do?

Catherina: I'm gonna phone Paris.

Petro: Would it bother you if I heard the conversation.

Catherina: No, on the contrary.

Catherina: Hello? Can I speak with Mr. Dumar? Yes, I'm Catherina De Sanctis. Roberto? It's me, Catherina. Very well, thanks. And you? Fine, we have finished almost all of the organization of our Geneva office, but up to now we haven't had any work. And Paris is giving us hard time. Henrique Legrand does not want to let his senior engineer go to our commission meetings. Okay, Petro Minelli, our expert engineer, was in Paris Friday, and Henrique insists that his principal engineer has too much to do to waste his time at our meetings. Yes, me too. Should I speak to Henrique Legrand, or do you prefer to do so? ... Hello? Mr. Legrand's office please. Hello? Henrique? I am Catherina De Sanctis, of Geneva. Henrique, what is the name of your principal engineer? Roberti? Good. Please, we need him to come to the meeting of our commission Monday the third of this month. He is a member of the liaison commission. No, we need him in person and no other engineer. Very
good. I think we understand each other. Thanks, Henrique. See you later.

Petro: Good God, that was impressive.

Catherina: What did you say?

Petro: You were fantastic.

Catherina: I know Roberto Dumar very well. We have worked on many important projects, and with his support the thing was easy.

Petro: Is he the chief of operations in Paris?

Catherina: Yes. He is very competent and also very nice.

Petro: Yes, so he seemed. Catherina, I would like to ask you if you can ...

Catherina: Yes?

Petro: What are you doing this evening? We could go out and eat dinner together.

Catherina: Ah, that's very nice, but ...

Petro: We could go to the theater or to the movies, as you prefer.

Catherina: Really, Petro, I'd really like to, but this evening I can't.

Petro: Oh, okay.

Catherina: I'm very sorry about that.

Petro: Oh, don't worry. It was just a little idea of mine.

Ctherina: Yes, and a very good one!

Petro: So perhaps we can do this later on?

Catherina: Yes, of course.

EXERCISE 5: Speaking about events:

Guide: I understood very well what Peter said about the events of his trip to Paris, but I would like to review some of the ways of describing them.

A man: Tell me about your trip last week?

A woman: We went to Paris. It was the first time I went there. We spent the night at a very small hotel.

A man: How was the hotel?

A woman: It was very nice and almost in the center of Paris. The hotel breakfasts were very good.

A man: What did you do while you were in Paris?

A woman: We went to our office in Paris, and we participated in discussions about our new project.

A man: Did you also do some other things while you were in Paris?

A woman: Yes, we went a couple of times to the theater. And we saw some sites for tourists.

A man: And how was all that?

A woman: It was very interesting.

Guide: Okay. Let's continue with the story.

SCENE 6: The Geneva Office: Petro goes to see Catherina in her office. When she sees him, she remembers that Petro wanted her to write a letter of reference for him, and she says that she is sorry that she hasn't written it.

Petro, however, tries to invite Catherina to go out to eat or perhaps have a drink with him. While they explore the possibilities, Liliana interrupts them, saying that Alan Tanner tried to get through to her on the phone three times, but Catherina wasn't in the office. Liliana then gives out the details of Alan Tanner's message, saying that he has found a very good restaurant where they could go to eat, and that he would like her to wear the same dress that she wore the previous Saturday.

The phone then rings once again, and Catherina answers (Liliana thinks that it is Alan on the line). She tells Petro about the details of the relationship between Alan and Catherina. Petro answers very briefly, indicating that possibly he is annoyed. But Catherina comes back and says that she has talked with Alicia, who said that she had started her trip to Geneva.

Petro: Can I come in?

Catherina: Yes, certainly, Petro. You wanted to talk with me?

Petro: No, not especially, I don't have anything to do. That is all.

Catherina: Do you want some coffee?

Petro: No, thanks.

Catherina: Oh, Petro, something has come up that I am very sorry about.

Petro: What is it?

Catherina: That letter to Mexico.

Petro: Yes?

Catherina: You wanted me to write a letter of recommendation. I completely forgot about it.

Petro: Oh, you don't have to do it right now.

Catherina: I'll make a special effort to do it tomorrow.

Petro: Thanks, Catherina. And what about going out to eat this evening?

Catherina: Unfortunately, we can't do so today.

Petro: But possibily we could go out and have a drink after closing up the offices today.

Catherina: But I don't know exactly what time I'm ...

Liliana: Miss De Sanctis? Oh, you're busy.

Catherina: No. We aren't doing anything important, Liliana. Come on in. What do you want?

Liliana: Uh, you know, Mr. Tanner, in the next office?

Catherina: Yes?

Liliana: He's called three times, but you weren't in the office.

Catherina: Oh, yes, thanks.

Liliana: He said he'll see you at seven o'clock.

Catherina: Fine.

Liliana: He says that he has found a nice restaurant to eat in--better than last Saturday.

Catherina: Ah, good, very good.

Liliana: And he is asking ...

Catherina: Yes?

Liliana: ... if you could wear the same dress that you wore last Satudray.

Catherina: Very good. Thanks, Liliana.

Petro: Ah, I understand now.

(The phone rings.)

Catherina: Oh, the phone.

Liliana: Maybe Alan wants to talk to you.

Catherina: Probably. I'll talk with him.

Liliana: I think that Miss De Sanctis and Mr. Tanner are ...

Petro: Yes?

Liliana: ... uh, you know, very good friends.

Petro: Oh, yeah?

Liliana: They went out together last Friday and Saturday, the two of them.

Petro: Really?

Liliana: And he called her up three times today.

Petro: Yes, I know. You already told me.

Liliana: It is good for her. She is completely alone. And you, are you married?

Petro: Me? No.

Catherina: By the way, uh, your telex arrived too late.

Petro: My telex? The telex that I sent to Strasbourg?

Catherina: Yes.

Petro: You mean to say that Alice ...

Cathierna: She is the one who phoned. She's now coming here.

Petro: Oh, no. That can't be true.

Guide: Finally, it seems that we are going to get to know Alice. Let’s listen and find out what's happening.