TABLE OF CONTENTS Reading Lessons Introduction... 2.0000. eee eee 2 Umit TWO ee eee eee ceca eee eee eee 5 Unit Three 22. 7 Unit Four 2... eee eee ee a Unit Five 20.8 cece tee te ete eee ees IQ Unit Sim ect iz Unit Bight 22... eee eee cece eee ee LG Unit Nine 02.0 eee eee 14 Unit Tem 2c eee eee eas 15Romanian Introduction Reading can be defined as the act of decoding graphic material in order to determine its message. To put it another wiy, reading consists of coming back lo speech through its graphic symbols. In short, meanings reside in the sounds of the spoken language. Speaking a language is the necessary first slep lo acquiring the ability to read a language with meaning. The recorded portion of the reading materials for Romanian will he found al the end of most units, starting with Unit Two. You can do the readings as it is most convenient for you. They can be done individually with the respective units or at a more convenient time afterwards. Instructions on how to proceed with the read- ings are contained in the audio portion of the course. The Romanian language can be represented using two slightly different systems of spelling, When the Communists came lo power in the 1940's, they made two changes to the Romanian orthography, to make it appear more Slavic. 3 Romanian Introduction (continued) Since the dissolution of the Warsaw Pact, the Romanian government has allempled to restore the original system. The first restored change is that the letter “i is changed to when it appears in the middle of a word. For example, the word previously spelled cind becomes cdnd when the new spelling is used. Similarly. efnf becomes cant, oricit becames oricdt, and so on, Note that these changes only apply when the “i” appears in the middle of a word. Words beginning with “i.” such as fafeleg, will remain the same, The second change applics only to the forms of the verb “to be.” In cach of the forms, the letter “i? is replaced by the letter “u.” Tor example, sfmé becomes sunt, and sinteti becomes sinter. The two changed characters introduced by the Communists, however, are still being used by a majorily of the people. This form of writing is the one with which they are more [wmiliar, although the “new” (i.e., older Romanian) spelling is now being used in government docu- ments and newspapers, as well as being taught in the schools.= Romanian Introduction (continued) These spelling changes have resulted in a subsequent, very minor difference in pronunci- ation between the two forms. Both variations are equally correct and hoth are understoad by Talive speakers. ‘The reading lessons for Romanian appear using both systems, with the more commonly uscd spelling appearing first, followed by the tevenily reinstated. older system in paren- theses. 5 Komanian Unit Tro lL. ce 2. rece 3. de ce 4. face 5. aace 6. buna 7. tuna BR. tace 9, bine 10. vine 11. cine 12, citesc 13. cuceresc 14. multumese 15. putin 16, destin 17. destin marin| Romaniun Unit Two (continued) 18. cint (cant) 19. cht (c&e 20, sigur 21. singur 22. vedere 23, Larevedere! 1 Romanian Unit Three be - tt dar dar dat sint (sunt) sinteti (sunteti) inteleveti Scuzati-ma! Sinteti scuzati. (Sunteti scuzati.) sonduti rog loc SOroc Va rog. ramin (raimiin) roman Tomiineste doreyte prea Fourte bine! Stiu mai bine!& Romanian Unit Four ta ad 15. 14. doamna loamnd coroand comoara tomul domnul domnule domnigoara usoara buntioara Adoua domnigoara. vorbiti doriti Vorbiq cind doriti. (Vorbiti cand doriti.) ratocolul acolo Romanian Unit Four (continued) VF. 1k. 19. 2th. 21. 22. 23, bo aa bh Ln acolada Strada ¢ acolo, slit Slili unde ¢ strada? Domnule, intelegeti ce spun? Nu deleg. Ba inteleg. Inteleg cind vorbiti rar. dinteleg cdind worbiti rar.) Inteley ci e un dar.i Romanian Unit Five ceva ceala dimincala Ag dori — Au dori — sa maining (sh ménane) si mincati (sA mancati) cine vine adinei (adfnei) sé aduci Doriti si mincai? (Doriti si maéneali?) Nu doresc. Multumesc, nu doresc. Nu doriti. Mincati cind doriti. (Mancati cand doriti.} 11 Romanian Unit Five (continued) LG. V7. 18, 19, arici Unde ¢ hotelul? aici Strada e aici. Medici de aici. beau Nu beau, multumese. Ag dori si miinine ceva, (Ag dori si mandine ceva.) Acum’?EB el YL Romanian Unit Six 1. vin 2. devin 3, divin 4. Ag dori s4 vin. 3. bere 6, cere 7. Atidori o bere. 8. Agdori vin. 9%. Nudorese 94 minine. (Nu doresc sa minanc.) 10. Unde? LL. Ja restaurant 12. interesant 13. mai tirziy (mat tarziu) 14. $tiv ca nu doriti. 15. Varog, mai ¥eniti. Unit Seven — No Readings 13 Romanian Unit Bight ta Ce mai doriti? cumparaturi vreti Vreti cu adevirat? Stti bulevardul Eroilor? si cumparati ceva 54 cumparati de la magazin Sa gasiti un vin bun. Doamna, vreti putin vin? La mine? Preter la dummeavoastri. la fereastra Mai bine albastra. Va rog veniti la mine.14 Remanian Unit Nine 1. ceasul 2. Stiti cite ceasul? (Stiti cat e ceasul?) 3. Cit {i-e nasul. (Cat ti-e nasul.) 4. Dowd sau noua’? 5. La ora doud e prinzul. (La ora doua ¢ prinzul.) 6. La ora nouie masa. 7. doudsprezece &. Prinzul ¢ gata la douasprezece. (Pranzul ¢ gata la douasprezece.) 9. V8 rog intrati! 10. Doamana, vreti vin? Vreau sf manine bine. (¥reau $4 maniinc bine.} Romanian Unit Ten Peete sees ese a Ss 10. el. 12. Ce mai faceti? De ce taceti? Stiu c& puteti daca vreti. Tneere sf respir. SA inspirati incet. acum ¢ timpul Incercati sé in{elegeti. cum vreau si injeleg, Nu pot sé Tene. etn uliimul ceas un pas user La revedere!ACKNOWLEDGMENTS Romanian Voices English-Speaking Instructor 2.2.2... Ray Brown Female Romanian Speaker ......+ Angela Buzan Mule Romanian Speaker... 2.2.02... Radu Newru Course Writers Angela Buzan ¢ Christopher J. Gainty Editors Dr. Ulrike $. Rettig # Beverly D. Heinle Digital recording made under the direction of Sarah N. Hewitt al Simon é& Schuster Studios, Concord, MA Recording Engineers Peter 8. Turpin @ Kelly Senex Package art, "The Palace at Bucharest, Romania trom “Views in the Ottoman Dominions” by Luigi Mayer. Courtesy of The Bridgeman Art Library. : Band & Reconled Progra 2000 Ay Simen & Setuater Audie, a division of Simon & Schuster, fic. : © Reading Hookler 2UU0 by Simon é& Sebuster Audio, a division of Simon & Schuarer, Inc. All rights reserved,