4/10 〜 4/12

実践ビジネス英語

実践ビジネス英語　　　Wednesday, April 10

1) Breakstone says small talk can be used to acknowledge another person's presence or lead to a more important dialogue. Lyons recommends the weather as a safe topic for small talk as it is something everyone has a connection with. Collins says current events are also a good source of subjects but that controversial topics should be avoided. Lyons mentions sports is another good subject.

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The Power of Small Talk (4)

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2) at its most basic: On the most basic level, Breakstone is saying. You can use "at its most" with a great many words, such as "This is competition 'at its most' cutthroat." or "John's proposal represented ingenuity 'at its' highest level."

3) there's more to small talk than I realized: When "there's more to something than" it involves more. It's more complex than. For example, "'There's more to learning a language than' memorizing vocabulary." or "'There's more to being a boss than' giving people orders."

4) top the list: Lyons means someone or something is number one in some kind of ranking. "The Louvers 'topped my list' of things to see in Paris." for example, or "Computer X 'topped the list' in holiday sales this year."

5) relate to: "Relate" has a number of meanings. In this case, it's feel a personal connection with something. Understand and sympathize with that thing because of the connection. "Low income earners can have trouble 'relating to' the financial concerns of the rich." for example, and vice versa.

6) opening line: The line, the statement, remark that begin something. You can put "opening" before many different words. The "opening day" of a business conference. The "opening match" of a tournament.

7) current events: The events and issues currently being covered in the news, Collins means. Most of us read the newspaper and watch the TV news to stay abreast of current events.

8) steer clear of: This is another way to say avoid or keep away from something, like you are maneuvering a car or some other vehicle away from it. You might tell a colleague "Ah, 'steer clear' of Michael today. He's in a really bad mood."

9) you can't go too far wrong if: You can't make too big a mistake. You'll do well if you do X, Lyons is saying. Imagine you are choosing a souvenir to take back to your office colleagues, you can't go far wrong if you buy a box of chocolates. Most everybody likes chocolates, or you could say, "'You can't go far wrong with' a box of chocolates."

10) brief recap: A "recap" is a summary of something. It's short for recapitulation and much more common. I've never heard anyone ask for a recapitulation of a meeting or business trip.

11) It can also be a verb as well as a noun. You might say something like, "Mary, could you ’recap' your meeting with the client for us?"


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実践ビジネス英語　　　Thursday, April 11

1) Breakstone says topics involving controversy or personal information should be avoided as should sex religion or politics. She also warns against comments regarding people's bodies. Collins says people often make small talk when they have time to spare or waiting for something. Lyons says small talk is an important part of networking skills with Collins adding that it can impress a potential employer or client.

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The Power of Small Talk (5)

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2) no-no: This is a casual way to say something is forbidden or unacceptable. "Two-hour lunches are a big 'no-no,'" for example, so are thirty-minute coffee breaks.

3) And we don't say the opposite. There is no "yes-yes" expression.

4) when it comes to: This means regarding or when the situation involves. The past tense would be "when it came to." "When 'it comes to' negotiating, Jane is the best," for example. Personally I'm not good "when it comes to" ad-libbing.

5) have time on one's hands: This means to have extra time, time in which there isn't anything you have to do.

6) We also say "have time to kill," which refers to a period of time you have to pass before doing something else or something else occurs. So you might say, "'We've got an hour to kill' before our train leaves. Let's get some coffee."

7) establish a rapport: "Rapport" is a loan word from French and it means a relationship of affinity of accord. "A salesman needs a good 'rapport' with his clients," for example. I once gave a speech where I felt a great rapport with the audience. You know, they really seemed to like me and the speech. We seemed to be connecting.

8) substantive: "Substantive" topics have substance. In other words, they are topics of importance with weight. You'll also hear about substantive issues.

9)"Substantive" can also mean real rather than apparent, firm, clear, such as "Employment data could be 'substantive' evidence that the economy is improving." or you might say, "There has been no 'substantive' reform of the government's tax policies."

10) think on one's feet: This is responding extemporaneously to one situation. Thinking and acting in reaction to things as they happen, not according to some plan. "Journalists have to be able to 'think on their feet,'" for example. They have to respond to unexpected answers and themes that emerge during interview.

11) that's all to the good: Something is to one's benefit or for the best. Not in this case, but this is often used when some seemingly bad thing is actually good for us, such as "My meeting was cancelled today, but 'it's all to the good.' I was really too busy to go."

12) be in the air: Breakstone uses "in the air" to refer to a feeling, you know, atmosphere that many are experiencing at the same time. You might say, "Love 'was in the air' at a wedding."

13) It can also mean that something is going to happen soon. "Change 'is in the air,'" you might say about your company, you know, they are talking about major reforms.


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実践ビジネス英語　　　Friday, April 12

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The Power of Small Talk (6)

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1[1]: Now our current vignette begins with some rather strange comments by Umemura Seiji about the weather, which leads to a discussion among H&B staff about how to make small talk effectively. What kind of advice would you give on this subject, Heather?

2[H]: Well, I can't claim to be an expert at small talk, but I have read a number of articles over the years with suggestions about what to say and how to say it. One recommendation I particularly liked was to regularly try new things, in order to expand the range of subjects we can talk about, experiment with activities like painting a watercolor, the article said or baking a cake. I put this advice into practice myself just a few months ago.

As I've mentioned in the past I can't cook at all, but I got a hankering one day for deviled eggs. So I decided to try to make them myself, and this ended up providing me with several days worth of small talk with my newspaper colleagues. Several of them are quite adept at cooking, and my endeavor allowed me to chat with them about where to buy certain ingredients, for example, or what their favorite recipes are. Then later when my first batch of deviled eggs turned out pretty badly, of course it did, I could ask them for advice as to what I was probably doing wrong.

3[S]: I see. What other advice have you liked about small talk?

4[H]: Read as much as possible is another one of my favorites, and read as many different things as possible: newspapers, magazines, novels, biographies, travel guides, you name it. Even want ads can be a source of interesting topics. I once saw an ad for people to play characters at a famous theme park in Tokyo. You know, those people who walk around in the full body suits and interact with children. That could lead to an interesting conversation about what kind of character different people would like to play and why. What characters they liked as children, etc. I choose a certain bunny character that I always liked.

5[S]: The conversation in the vignette also covers what topics to avoid including politics, sex and religion. Now what do you try to stay away from when making small talk?

6[H]: I try to avoid negativity as much as possible, especially when talking to people I've just met. No one wants to listen to a lot of complaining or criticizing. So I try to focus on positive topics and comments. I also try not to talk too much, which I'll admit can be difficult for the extroverted chatterbox that I naturally am. I really must redouble my efforts to ask lots of questions, particularly open-ended questions that require more than a yes or no answer.

If I'm talking to a fellow foreigner, for example, "What's your favorite place in Japan?" or "What first inspired you to come here?" are much better than "Do you like Japan?" Asking lots of questions is not only more polite, it works on a purely mercenary level too.

I've often heard it said that the person who talks the most dominates a conversation, while the person who asks the most questions controls the conversation, which I certainly believe is true.