実践ビジネス英語 Wednesday, June 11
1) Nissen comments on how the concept of buying music at a bricks-and-mortar store is out of date. Lyons recalls forgetting his smartphone one day and finally finding a payphone in a remote location. He was luckily able to use his credit card as he no longer carries quarters to make calls with. Collins remembers when a local phone call cost only a dime and laments how telephone operators have been replaced by automated systems.
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Back in the Day (4)
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2) same goes for
In this case, "go for" means be true of, apply to. So if something is true of A, it's also true of B. If it applies to A, it applies to B. Things like, "The regular employees are getting a 5% raise. The 'same goes for' the part-timers."
3) antiquated
In this case, "antiquated" refers to something so old. It's no longer useful, good or beneficial, such as "The company really needs to replace its 'antiquated" computer system." Or "The city is renovating its 'antiquated' infrastructure."
4) was it ever
We often use this to mean, "Yes, something was very much what you just said." So if I ask, "Was it busy yesterday?" You might reply, "'Was it ever'. Nobody had time for lunch." And you can also say, "was someone ever." For example, if you asked, "Was Frank upset?" I might reply, "'Was he ever.' He actually stormed out of the meeting."
5) endangered species
Technically this refers to a species of flora or fauna that's in danger of disappearing from the earth, but we often use it about things too. Hand-cranked pencil sharpener is an 'endangered species' too.
6) out-of-the-way corner
If something is "out-of-the-way ?," it's located far from the areas where most people tend to go. I went looking for a fax machine the other day, and found them tucked in an "out-of-the-way corner" of the electronic store. You can also say things like, "This office is a bit 'out of the way,' so the rent is cheap." Or "I like to eat at quiet, 'out-of-the-way restaurants.'"
7) long distance call
This is exactly what it sounds like a phone call made to somewhere far away. And the opposite is "a local call," such as, "This company offers free 'local calls' from midnight to 7 a.m."
8) you just dated yourself there
In this case, "date" means say something that reveals how old you are. And I'd say, like Collins, we use it when we reveal that we are relatively old. I'm going to "date myself" here, but I remember using floppy discs and cassette players.
9) speaking of
We use this when we want to make a comment on the same general subject that's been discussed. Imagine you and your colleagues are talking about the new computers in your office, you might say, "'Speaking of' computers, I need to get a new scanner for my computer at home."
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実践ビジネス英語 Thursday, June 12
1) Collins describes what she calls the phone-tree purgatory of endless call options, and Lyons expresses regret about the disappearance of used bookstores. Breakstone says some professions are flourishing as the population ages, including beauty care specialists and financial advisors. Nissen predicts that demand will also increase for interpreters and translators partly due to the expanding Hispanic population and increasing globalization.
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Back in the Day (5)
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1) Phone-tree purgatory
In the Roman Catholic religion, "purgatory" refers to a place or a state of punishment where people can pay for past sins and become worthy to enter Heaven. Collins is using it to mean a temporary place or a state of suffering, hardship, such as "I'm in a 'purgatory' of overtime this month."
2) while we're on the subject of
Lyons means let me speak of something else on the same subject we've been discussing. Let's imagine you are discussing marketing strategies at your company. You could say, "'While we're on the subject of' marketing, I think we need to hire another staffer."
3) bug
Lyons uses "bug" as a verb meaning bother, annoy, such as "It really 'bugs' me when people crack their knuckles." Or "I can't remember where I put that file. It's been 'bugging' me all day."
4) bookworm
Someone who likes reading a lot and who does it a lot. As far as I know, this is the only common word that uses "worm" this way. We don't say "carworm," for example, for people who are devoted to cars.
5) beauty care specialist
A "specialist" focuses their activity in one specific area. They specialize in it. We often talk about visiting a "specialist" for some medical concern, a "heart specialist," for example or an "ears, nose and throat specialist."
6) key driver
In this case, a "driver" is something or someone that provides impulse, motivation or movement as if it pushes something forward, things like "Tourism is a 'key driver' of their economy." Or "Printers are a 'key driver' of our sales revenue."
7) interpreters and translators
According to my dictionary, an "interpreter" is someone who converts spoken words into another language. International conferences use simultaneous "interpreters," for example, people who interpret as someone is speaking. "Translators," on the other hand, can convert spoken or written speech. So I could translate a newspaper article from Japanese into English or translate for an American visitor during the meeting.
8) intercultural
"Inter" refers to something that takes place between different things. While "intra" refers to something that takes place within one. Here's an easy way to remember the difference. "International" always refers to two or more countries. So that's the multiple one. So a company might discuss ways to improve intra group communication, communication within a single group.
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実践ビジネス英語 Friday, June 13
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Back in the Day (6)
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1[S]: Now in our current vignette, the H&B staffers discuss how the workplace and life in general have changed over the years. Kay Breakstone, for example, brings up a lack of confidentiality in today's world, and how a casual remark can end up being broadcast all over social media.
2[H]: Too true. I read a great piece of advice recently about proofreading our own emails. Ask yourself, this article said, if you would mind having the contents of an email printed on a giant billboard smack in the middle of town. If you would mind, if those contents would embarrass your or compromise you, don't send that email.
There have been so many cases of global humiliation in recent years as a result of injudicious emails or online postings. You'd think everyone would have gotten this lesson into their heads by now. But, no, it keeps happening.
Just a few months ago, an American woman who ran an online job bank sent a very angry email to a twenty something person who had asked to connect with her on a social network, In a nutshell, she refused the request in extremely rude, derogatory language, and the twenty something posted it online.
Nest thing you know, this woman is being blasted all over the Internet and the story is being reported by top news organizations in the United Sates and Europe. And the whole thing could have been avoided if she'd just clicked the button to ignore the person's request.
3[S]: Yes, I read that email. That certainly a cautionary tale for all of us. In another example of changing times, Steve Lyons mentions how people used to toss around
light-hearted banter and play practical jokes on each other in the office. How is your workplace in that regard, Heather?
4[H]: I'm glad to say there are still plenty of that in my office. Though more light-hearted banter than practical jokes. The only practical joke I can remember was a few years ago when some of my colleagues spent an entire day stealing my chair.
Every time I left my desk, I would come back to find it missing those scamps. But we often joke with each other and about each other making fun of our coworkers' quirks and their own.
Breakstone is quite right when she says it fosters team spirit. And it helps you get through the tough days when there's a mountain of work and barely enough time to do it. It keeps morale strong.
5[S]: The vignette also touches on jobs and businesses that are disappearing as a result of technological progress. Alyce Collins, for example, says she misses her local video store guy with his thorough knowledge of film.
6[H]: Another parallel between the vignette and my own life, I was very sad when a locally run video store in my neighborhood closed its doors a while back. It wasn't just a place to go in, find a movie and leave.
I remember having lots of fun, leisurely chats with the owner about our favorite films, and he provided wonderfully considerate personalized service. I never had to show my membership card because he had my phone number memorized. And he often gave me discounts when the store sold its used VHS tapes and DVDs.
Ah! That's me dating myself there. I've been renting films since the days of VHS. I remember all the excitement when the first VHS players came out.
7[S]: I hear you. I hear you. What are some of the other things that you once used but your daughter will probably never even see?
8[H]: Let's see. She'll never use a cassette tape player or fill in any kind of a form using a type writer. I remember using a type writer to prepare my college application forms, for example. And who knows if she'll ever write any kind of letter by hand except for a thank-you note, and even that, she could probably send through email or social media.
【原稿チェック： Hiromi】
【ディクテーション： Sanae】
