Josef Gross, a director of an unnamed organization, receives a memorandum written in Ptydepe

Ptydepe

Ptydepe is a fictional artificial language featuring in Czech playwright Václav Havel's 1966 play The Memorandum. The play concerns the events that unfold when Ptydepe is introduced as the new official language of an unspecified organization...

, a constructed language

Constructed language

A planned or constructed language—known colloquially as a conlang—is a language whose phonology, grammar, and/or vocabulary has been consciously devised by an individual or group, instead of having evolved naturally...

, about an audit. He finds out that Ptydepe was created to get rid of similarities between words, such as fox and box, and emotional connexions. He tries to get someone to translate the memorandum for him, and gradually becomes opposed to the use of Ptydepe. Gross finally finds a reluctant secretary

Secretary

A secretary, or administrative assistant, is a person whose work consists of supporting management, including executives, using a variety of project management, communication & organizational skills. These functions may be entirely carried out to assist one other employee or may be for the benefit...

 named Maria who explains that, while she can translate the memorandum, she does not yet have a permit to do so.

The next day, his deputy Jan Ballas takes over Gross's job.