実践ビジネス英語 Wednesday, March 11
1) Lyons describes how retirees were much more frugal in the 1950s. And Collins adds that many people didn't have cars or TVs. Pearson says that retirees rarely left their own state. Garcia says that foreign retirees are pushing up prices in some Latin American countries because they can pay more than local residents. And Collins criticizes foreigners who expect special treatment due to their relative wealth.
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Golden Years in Latin America (4)
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2) lead a frugal life
Be sparing with one's money, not spend unnecessarily, save where you can. I try to be "frugal" by eating in my company cafeteria several times a week.
3) that was then
Things were that way in the past but they are not anymore. I could say to a friend, "Remember when we used to get letters every week? 'That was then.'" Sometimes we say, "'That was then.' This is now," to mean the old way doesn't work or doesn't exist anymore. We have to adapt to changes in the times.
4) belong to the realm of
In this case, "realm" means area, category, so computers and cellphones were in the category of science fiction. You could also say, "Personal connections are very important in the 'realm' of politics." Or "Company X continues to dominate the 'realm' of mobile technology."
5) stick close to home
Not go far from home, stay close to their home. You can also use "stick close to" about non-geographical things, such as, "The company always 'stuck close to' its original logo and marketing strategy."
6) influx
This refers to a flow of something coming in. And the influence is that it's a large amount or significant amount, such as, "America has seen a significant 'influx' of students from China in recent years. We don't say "outflux" though. The opposite expression is "outflow."
7) have got money to throw around "To throw around" is to use something carelessly, casually or liberally, like we were tossing it around. Here it's money, but it can be other things, especially a word or expression. For example, "We shouldn't 'throw around' accusations of cheating or stealing.
Those are very serious accusations."
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実践ビジネス英語 Thursday, March 12
1) Pearson advises people living or traveling in a foreign country to observe local practices. And Lyons says many Americans overseas try to make sure their countrymen show the proper respect. Garcia adds that many expats try to contribute to their new communities through such measures as supporting local medical facilities. Lyons says his parents intend to support local children's education.
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Golden Years in Latin America (5)
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2) When in Rome, do as the Romans do.
We often use just the first half of this expression "When in Rome." Respect the local customs and practices, in other words. Some Americans might feel funny about wearing special slippers for the bathroom, for example. But, "when in Rome."
3) expat
This is short for "expatriate" and refers to a person living in a nation that's not their native country. When Mr. Sugita lived in America, he was an "expat." And it can also be an adjective. A foreign businessman living in Japan is an "expat" businessman or an "expatriate" businessman.
4) start a new chapter of one's life
A new stage of one's life, some activity or situation distinctly different from what came before. "I 'started a new chapter of my life' when my daughter was born." Or say, you used to work at a bank. You could say, "That 'chapter of my life' ended three years ago when I became a freelance consultant."
5) compatriot
Lyons means someone from the same country. For example, "Americans in Tokyo often go to that club to drink with their 'compatriots.'" But it can also mean fellow members of the same organization, things like "I'm going on a trip with several 'compatriots' from my office."
6) on the plus side
This refers to the good part of some situation, the benefits. For example, "'On the plus side,' this job has a very short commute." Apparently "on the minus side" does exist. But I did an Internet search and it appears to be much less common.
7) give back
This can be repay a specific benefit or just make a contribution to society in general. But even in the latter case, there's a sense of repaying your good fortune of being able to make a contribution. You could volunteer to pick up garbage on a beach or mentor young children as a way to "give back."
8) disadvantaged
This is lacking things like money or education that are considered necessary for an equal position in society. For example, "There are programs to help 'disadvantaged' young people go to college." Or "Encourage 'disadvantaged' children to read."
9) win-win situation
A situation where both sides benefit. You could say, "This merger is a 'win-win situation.' Company A brings its expertise in IT, and company B brings an enormous sales network."
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実践ビジネス英語 Friday, March 13
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Golden Years in Latin America (6)
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1[S]: In our current vignette, Steve Lyons describes how his parents are considering moving to South America. You are already an expat, Heather, but do you have any dream location or you would like to retire?
2[H]: Well, if money and such was no object, I would probably retire in Italy, Tuscany to be specific. I've been to Italy four times now, I think, including my honeymoon. And it's one of my favorite spots on earth, the food, the art, the music, even the air feels rich somehow.
My ultimate fantasy would be to buy a villa in a Tuscan countryside. My husband and I would live there and welcome a constant stream of friends and relatives from Italy and around the world.
Some years ago I read about an American woman who actually did that. She and her husband bought and restored an old Tuscan villa. They cashed in their stock portfolio to do it, but it turned out to be a good investment. She wrote a highly successful book about the experience.
What about you, Mr. Sugita? You've traveled a great deal. Where would you retire if you could go anywhere?
3[S]: Well, Malaysia sounds attractive, but I'm a trueborn Tokyoite. I don't want to leave Tokyo. So I think I'll retire in Tokyo. But you said in an earlier conversation that your father is considering retiring somewhere like Arizona or Nevada. So going overseas is not an option he's looking at?
4[H]: No. He likes to travel, but I think for daily life he prefers the comfort of the basically familiar. A different state is about as far as he’s willing to go.
He’s like his own mother that way, I think. She was from Italy originally, and moved back to the town of Udine after she became a widow. She was extremely frugal and saved a lot of money, so as she became older and increasingly infirm, my father tried to get her to move to a retirement community in Florida.
It sounded like a great place, practically a resort where you could select from many different levels of care, but my father could never convince her to go. She wanted to stay in the environment she was most familiar with.
5[S]: The vignette later turns to arrogant expats, people who expect special treatment and won't conform to local culture and customs. Have you run into any foreigners like that here, Heather?
6[H]: I'm very sorry to say that I have. I was in Kyoto once with some family. And we visited a certain sightseeing spot, and there was another foreign woman there who complained the whole time. She was unfortunately walking right behind us, and it was "I don't like the landscaping. Why don't they put some rose bushes in here?"
And this place also had one of those squeaky floors, a specifically designed so that no one could sneak up on the residence. "Why don't they fix this?" she says. I thought she was joking at first, but then I snuck a peek back and the young Japanese man who was apparently her tour guide looked like a thunder cloud.
【原稿チェック：Sei Shimura, Cecile, Kodo Ogata, Hiromi, Hiroko】
【ディクテーション： Sanae】
