Simple Colloquial Persian
Do you understand when I speak Persian?
My uncle came to visit today, bringing a book to show my father. They had both spent some time in Iran between 1955 and 1957, when my grandfather worked there as part of his duties as an employee of the Texaco company.
The book is Simple Colloquial Persian, published by the Longmans company in 1948. It makes an effort to explain verb tenses and conjugations in Persian, but the bulk of the text consists of phrases and complete sentences, some already translated, others awaiting translation by the student as an exercise. For maximum efficiency they are tailored to be as close to useful sentences as possible, so as little manipulation of the words as possible will have to be done for the student to apply them.
This slim volume speaks encyclopediae worth of the relationship between English-speaking businessmen, the local laborers, and the local law enforcement.
Take the lazy man out.
The solider's wife is small.
A command and a mysterious judgement, preferably delivered by a disinterested, lordly Englishman. There is no place for lazy men in this operation. As for the soldier's wife, this could either be simple amusement or the beginning of an indecent proposal.
The bread is very tough.
Bring the old rifle.
Cause and effect, baby!
Formerly this chair was very strong.
The book is full of inane observations like this.
You did not make this boat.
Accusations, too.
Bring the man to me.
That lordly English fellow is back, and apparently has won over enough of the local thugs to begin practicing his supervillain dialogue in the local patois.
Why do you hit the donkey?
I suspect this is more a lesson on the pointlessness of beating such a stubborn creature than a condemnation of animal cruelty.
Do you understand when I speak Persian?
I note a paradox.
I have not put the machine right yet.
The Persian-translating machine?
Your stockings are nice.
Formerly you did not wear stockings.
This growing preoccupation with shinwear disturbs me a bit. Then again, it may just be the best method for picking up the soldier's wife.
Who are you?
Whose house is this?
The local people are by now familiar with the Anglo-Saxon practice of getting so drunk one forgets where one is, or more importantly, which house one resides in. No need to be embarrassed.
Why do you hit me? I am not a thief, I am a friend.
Poor American businessman. Your fingers are as good as gone!
The gas pressure is becoming less. It does not matter. Let it be.
If you need to write an action movie where an oil derrick blows up, and it's in Persian, this may come in handy. That sentence is well steeped in foreshadowing.
It takes a long time to speak Persian well.
Conversely, it takes only a few moments to compliment the soldier's wife on her stockings while leering creepily at her.
How deep is the river? It is better for you to go in front of me.
You can also write bad comedies in Persian. This one needs plenty of scenes where the film is run at high speed for Benny Hill/Gods Must Be Crazy zaniness.
The line they drew between our office and the post office is crooked.
This one had the translation into Persian written in the margin next to it with pencil. I am now convinced my grandfather actually had a border dispute with the Iranian post office. I hope it didn't turn ugly.
Never do this again.
Sounds like someone tried to adjust the gas pressure. I would like to think that eventually, they just started translating a manual of safe operating pressures.
The book is Simple Colloquial Persian, published by the Longmans company in 1948. It makes an effort to explain verb tenses and conjugations in Persian, but the bulk of the text consists of phrases and complete sentences, some already translated, others awaiting translation by the student as an exercise. For maximum efficiency they are tailored to be as close to useful sentences as possible, so as little manipulation of the words as possible will have to be done for the student to apply them.
This slim volume speaks encyclopediae worth of the relationship between English-speaking businessmen, the local laborers, and the local law enforcement.
Take the lazy man out.
The solider's wife is small.
A command and a mysterious judgement, preferably delivered by a disinterested, lordly Englishman. There is no place for lazy men in this operation. As for the soldier's wife, this could either be simple amusement or the beginning of an indecent proposal.
The bread is very tough.
Bring the old rifle.
Cause and effect, baby!
Formerly this chair was very strong.
The book is full of inane observations like this.
You did not make this boat.
Accusations, too.
Bring the man to me.
That lordly English fellow is back, and apparently has won over enough of the local thugs to begin practicing his supervillain dialogue in the local patois.
Why do you hit the donkey?
I suspect this is more a lesson on the pointlessness of beating such a stubborn creature than a condemnation of animal cruelty.
Do you understand when I speak Persian?
I note a paradox.
I have not put the machine right yet.
The Persian-translating machine?
Your stockings are nice.
Formerly you did not wear stockings.
This growing preoccupation with shinwear disturbs me a bit. Then again, it may just be the best method for picking up the soldier's wife.
Who are you?
Whose house is this?
The local people are by now familiar with the Anglo-Saxon practice of getting so drunk one forgets where one is, or more importantly, which house one resides in. No need to be embarrassed.
Why do you hit me? I am not a thief, I am a friend.
Poor American businessman. Your fingers are as good as gone!
The gas pressure is becoming less. It does not matter. Let it be.
If you need to write an action movie where an oil derrick blows up, and it's in Persian, this may come in handy. That sentence is well steeped in foreshadowing.
It takes a long time to speak Persian well.
Conversely, it takes only a few moments to compliment the soldier's wife on her stockings while leering creepily at her.
How deep is the river? It is better for you to go in front of me.
You can also write bad comedies in Persian. This one needs plenty of scenes where the film is run at high speed for Benny Hill/Gods Must Be Crazy zaniness.
The line they drew between our office and the post office is crooked.
This one had the translation into Persian written in the margin next to it with pencil. I am now convinced my grandfather actually had a border dispute with the Iranian post office. I hope it didn't turn ugly.
Never do this again.
Sounds like someone tried to adjust the gas pressure. I would like to think that eventually, they just started translating a manual of safe operating pressures.