LingoflyTwo weeks of silence
A text in Western Armenian at level B1. The translation sits next to it for checking, not for support: at this level the text is read whole, and an unknown word is usually guessed from the sentence. Last month my friend and I quarrelled and did not speak for two weeks. It all began with a trifle: I was irritated and…
Text
- Անցեալ ամիս ընկերոջս հետ վիճեցանք, եւ երկու շաբաթ չէինք խօսեր։ Ամէն ինչ սկսաւ փոքր բանէ մը. ես ջղայնացած էի եւ բոլորին առջեւ զինք նախատեցի։ Ան նեղացաւ եւ ըսաւ, որ զինք կը մեղադրեմ ուրիշին սխալին համար։ Յետոյ ամօթ կը զգայի, բայց կ'ամչնայի առաջինը զանգելու։ Մենակութիւնը ծանր էր, եւ մեր խօսակցութիւնները շատ կարօտցած էի։ Վերջապէս գրեցի իրեն, որ ատիկա թիւրիմացութիւն էր, եւ ներողութիւն խնդրեցի։ Ան պատասխանեց ժամ մը ետք. «Կը հասկնամ քեզ, ես ալ պէտք չէր լռէի»։ Հաշտուեցանք, եւ յաջորդ օրը միասին սուրճ խմեցինք։antsyal amis əngerochs hed vijetsank', yev yergu shapat' cheink' khoser Amen inch sgsav p'ok'r pane mə. yes chghaynatsadz ei yev polorin arrchev zink' nakhadetsi An neghatsav yev əsav, vor zink' gə meghatrem urishin skhalin hamar Hedo amot' gə zkayi, payts g'amchnayi arrachinə zankelu Menagut'yunə dzanr er, yev mer khosagtsut'yunnerə shad garodtsadz ei Verchabes kretsi iren, vor adiga t'yurimatsut'yun er, yev neroghut'yun khntretsi An badaskhanets zham mə yedk'. «gə hasgnam k'ez, yes al bedk' cher lrrei» Hashdvetsank', yev hachort orə miasin surj khmetsink'Last month my friend and I quarrelled and did not speak for two weeks. It all began with a trifle: I was irritated and scolded him in front of everyone. He was hurt and said I was accusing him of somebody else's mistake. Then I felt ashamed, but I was shy about calling first. The loneliness was heavy, and I missed our talks very much. At last I wrote to him that it had been a misunderstanding, and asked forgiveness. He answered within an hour: "I understand you; I shouldn't have kept silent either." We made up, and the next day we had coffee together.
Comprehension questions
The questions are asked in Russian on purpose: we test your understanding of the text, not your ability to read the question.
- What did the quarrel begin with?
- Why didn't the narrator call first?
- How did the narrator explain what had happened in his letter?
- What did the friends do after making up?
Frequently asked
What level do you need to read this text in Western Armenian?
B1. That means: everyday topics are behind you, you know about three thousand words, and an unknown word is more often guessed from the sentence than looked up.
How to read a text in an unfamiliar language usefully?
First all the way through without peeking at the translation — just to catch the familiar words. Then with the translation. Then all the way through again: the second pass brings noticeably more, and that feeling matters more than any rule.