社内英語公用語時代の「使える英語」トレーニング 本間正人（著）
を読んでいます。
第５章 翻訳するクセがなくなる英語学習法 より。
決まり文句は定型文として覚えてしまうとよい、というものです。
職場で遣う英語では直接的よりは婉曲的に言ったほうがよいケースが
あります。例えば、
I disagree with you. ではなく、
I have a different opinion. が望ましい。
部下を叱るときは、
Thank you for meeting the deadline of project ABC. I know it was tough.
But I'm sorry to hear that there were several mistakes.
と、ねぎらいのことばから始めること。
このあたりコーチングの本間先生ならではのいい言い回しです。
これは日本語でもできてないなあ。
「使える英語」トレーニング
■NHKラジオ 実践ビジネス英語 2011/07/01 Lesson 7 Looking Professional (3)
番組はインターネットで聴くことができます。
http://www.nhk.or.jp/gogaku/english/business2/index.html
本メルマガの単語の復習はこちらでどうぞ
実践ビジネス英語bot http://twitter.com/BijieiBot
■前回の復習です
weigh in
draconian
entrust
hard-earned
look presentable
project a serious, sober image
can't be bothered to
intrusive
take a long, hard look at
scruffy dress
subpar performance
■意味を考えてみよう。今日取り上げる単語が含まれています
This articles gives the example of a software development
company that saw an uptick in productivity after it implemented
a dress cord.
The employees balked at first, but later on they found that
their self-esteem and confidence had improved.
Well, I could counter that by saying you shouldn't judge
a book by its cover, but I take your point.
Employers have a lot of leeway when it comes to grooming
and dress code policies.
It's their prerogative.
──────────────────────────────────────
uptick in productivity, 生産性の向上
──────────────────────────────────────
uptick
[ODE]
N. Amer. a small increase
──────────────────────────────────────
balk, しり込みする、ためらう、嫌がる
──────────────────────────────────────
If you balk at something, you definitely do not want to do it
or to let it happen.
ex) Even biology undergraduates may balk at animal
experiments.
──────────────────────────────────────
counter, 反論する、逆らう
──────────────────────────────────────
If you counter something that someone has said, you say
something which shows that you disagree with them or
which proves that they are wrong.
ex) Both of them had to counter fierce criticism by the
Moscow intellectuals.
──────────────────────────────────────
leeway, （裁量の）自由[余地]
──────────────────────────────────────
Leeway is the freedom that someone has to take the action
they want to or to change their plans.
ex) Rarely do schoolteachers have leeway to teach classes
the way they want.
──────────────────────────────────────
prerogative, 特権、特典
──────────────────────────────────────
If something is the prerogative of a particular person or
group, it is a privilege or a power that only they have.
[FORMAL]
ex) Constitutional changes are exclusively the prerogative
of the parliament.
──────────────────────────────────────
その他にも、次も押さえておきたい。[誌面の都合上省略] ★は重要表現
──────────────────────────────────────
ring true, 本当のように思える
Fine feathers make fine birds. 羽毛がよければ鳥も立派に
見える。きちんとした服装をすれば立派に見える。馬子にも衣装。
contemplate, （...しようと）考える
gray locks, 白髪
dictate, 指図する、規定する、決める
skate on thin ice, （面倒なことになるような）危険を冒す、
危ない橋を渡る
letter of the law, 法律の文面[条文]
grooming, 身だしなみ
You shouldn't judge a book by its cover. 外見で中身を判断するな。
■もう一度読んでみよう
This articles gives the example of a software development
company that saw an uptick in productivity after it implemented
a dress cord.
The employees balked at first, but later on they found that
their self-esteem and confidence had improved.
Well, I could counter that by saying you shouldn't judge
a book by its cover, but I take your point.
Employers have a lot of leeway when it comes to grooming
and dress code policies.
It's their prerogative.
■前回の復習の答えです
weigh in, 議論に加わる、割って入る
draconian, 厳格な、非常に厳しい、過酷な
entrust, 任せる、預ける
hard-earned, 苦労して稼いだ、骨折って手に入れた
look presentable, 見苦しくない[きちんとした]身なりをしている
project a serious, sober image, まじめで堅いイメージを与える
can't be bothered to, わざわざ...する気が起きない、面倒がって...しようとしない
intrusive, でしゃばりな、立ち入った、おせっかいな
take a long, hard look at, ...をじっくり[厳しく]検討する[見直す]
scruffy dress, だらしない[ラフな]服装
subpar performance, 標準以下の出来栄え[成績、業績]
