名师总结:商务英语词汇及短语
英语课
商务英语的学生都有一定的英语基础,但对有关商务的词汇、短语、句型掌握得不多,对商务英语语篇不熟悉,因此,首先应该从商务英语词汇等方面开始。
1、商务英语词汇
英语词汇多达几十万,并且词语表义较为灵活,对上下文的依赖也较大。如,"board"一词,本义为"木板",但在不同上下文中,可以表示"车"、"船"、"伙食"、"会议桌"、"委员会"等。而在商务英语中,"board"往往用来表示"董事会",如,"chairman or president of the board"(董事会主席或董事长);或者,它经常用在FOB (Free on Board,离岸价,船上交货价)价格术语中,意思是"船"。
在商务英语中,有着许多通过引申、转换、添加等手段而获得的有别于普通英语词义的具有"新义"的"旧词"。
例如:
literature 在普通英语中,它表示"文学";而在商务英语中,它则表示"printed matters, including leaflets, instruction, product catalogue, price list, etc. (文字宣传资料,诸如产品说明书、产品目录、价目表等)"。
例如:
In order to market our new product,we have printed fine literature.(为了推销新产品,我们印了精美的宣传资料。) claim 在普通英语中,它的意思是"要求,认领";而在商务英语中,它则表示"demand or request for a thing considered one's due (索赔)"。
例如:
We claimed on that shipping 1 company for the loss involved.(我们向轮船公司就有关损失提出索赔。) reference 在普通英语中,它表示"参考,查阅,提及";而在商务英语中,它的意思是"persons or firms named by a customer asking a supplier for credit, from whom the supplier can get information about the business reputation of the customer (担保人,证明人)"。
例如
: My reference will prove to you that I am efficient and dependable. (我的担保人将向你证明我的工作是高效的,并且我是可信赖的。) 除了属于英语共核部分(English common core)的词汇以外,商务英语还有着其特别的专门词汇。
例如:
backlog 2: orders to supply, needing to be dealt with quickly (积欠未交货的订单)
e.g. We have a large backlog. (我们积压的订货甚多。) in-tray: tray for incoming documents (放在办公桌上用来装收到的文件的容器,收文篮;用于盛放将要发出去的文件的容器叫out-tray, 发文篮)
e.g. When l am away,please help to check my in-tray. (我不在的时候,请帮我查看我的收文篮。)
overheads:routine administrative 3 and maintenance eXPenses of a business (公司的日常开支,如电费、文具费、汽车油费等)
e.g. We have some money indeed,but we are very sorry that we cannot return the money now,as we have to consider our overheads. (我们确实有些钱,但是,非常抱歉,我们目前不能还这笔钱,因为我们得考虑我们的日常开销。)
2、商务英语短语
在商务英语背景下,通过搭配而形成了许多专用于商务英语的具有商务特征的短语。
例如: outstanding accounts:accounts that are overdue 4 for payment (到期未付的帐)
e.g. We hope the outstanding account can be settled within this month. Otherwise, our accounting 5 department will consider changing the conditions of payment for future orders. (我们希望你方本月能将欠帐结清,否则,我方财务部将考虑改变定单支付条件。)
debit 6 note: a note in a form similar to an invoice 7 but used where an invoice would not be right for the purpose. The debit note relates to charges, such as freight, extra to amounts already invoiced 8 for goods, and is also used to correct mistakes such as an amount under-charged in an invoice. (借项通知单,指卖方通知买方更正错误的文件,即:通知买方,因其错误而要借记(增加)买方应收账款账户,向对方补收钱;与之相对的是credit note(贷项通知单)。)
e.g. We shall of course refund 9 to you the premium 10 upon receipt of your debit note or, if you like, you may draw on us at sight for the amount required. (一收到你们的索款通知单,我们当立即把保险费付还给你们。如果你们愿意的话,也可以开即期汇票向我们收取所需金额。) unsocial hours:time for overwork (与社交活动冲突的时间、加班的时间)
e.g. We should emphasize the large extra bonus for working in unsocial hours.(我们应当重视对额外加班发高额奖金。)flexitime system:system of flexible working hours (弹性工作制度:一种根据工作特点灵活确定上下班时间的工作制度。例如,某人每天工作的八个小时内,只有从上午十点钟到下午三点钟是一天中最忙的时间,那么,经商定他可以不在正常的上午八点钟上班,在晚些时候到公司上班;下午也不一定在规定的五点钟下班,可以提前下班。他集中精力的工作时间(如10:00~15:00)叫做core time,灵活的工作时间叫做flexiband)
e.g. The first item on the agenda is a discussion of the management's proposals on flexitime system.(会议安排表的第一项是讨论资方提出的弹性工作制。)
living out of a suitcase: often go on business trips (经常出差在外)
e.g. My husband is a sales-manager. He is a man living out of a suitcase.(我丈夫是销售经理,老是出差在外。)
make five clerks redundant 11:dismiss five clerks (裁员五名)
e.g. Our branch is badly overstaffed. We have now decided 12 to make eight clerks redundant.(我们分公司严重超员,我们已经决定裁员八名。)
n.船运(发货,运输,乘船)
- We struck a bargain with an American shipping firm.我们和一家美国船运公司谈成了一笔生意。
- There's a shipping charge of £5 added to the price.价格之外另加五英镑运输费。
n.积压未办之事
- It will take a month to clear the backlog of work.要花一个月的时间才能清理完积压的工作。
- Investment is needed to reduce the backlog of repairs.需要投资来減轻积压的维修工作。
adj.行政的,管理的
- The administrative burden must be lifted from local government.必须解除地方政府的行政负担。
- He regarded all these administrative details as beneath his notice.他认为行政管理上的这些琐事都不值一顾。
adj.过期的,到期未付的;早该有的,迟到的
- The plane is overdue and has been delayed by the bad weather.飞机晚点了,被坏天气耽搁了。
- The landlady is angry because the rent is overdue.女房东生气了,因为房租过期未付。
n.会计,会计学,借贷对照表
- A job fell vacant in the accounting department.财会部出现了一个空缺。
- There's an accounting error in this entry.这笔账目里有差错。
n.借方,借项,记人借方的款项
- To whom shall I debit this sum?此款应记入谁的账户的借方?
- We undercharge Mr.Smith and have to send him a debit note for the extra amount.我们少收了史密斯先生的钱,只得给他寄去一张借条所要欠款。
vt.开发票;n.发票,装货清单
- The seller has to issue a tax invoice.销售者必须开具税务发票。
- We will then send you an invoice for the total course fees.然后我们会把全部课程费用的发票寄给你。
开发票(invoice的过去式与过去分词形式)
- The manufacturer invoiced our company for two typewriters. 制造厂家给我公司开了一张两部打字机的发票。
- Claims for shortage, some electrical appliances invoiced but not delivered. 索赔数量不足,有些电气用品开过发票,但却未到货。 来自商贸英语会话
v.退还,偿还;n.归还,偿还额,退款
- They demand a refund on unsatisfactory goods.他们对不满意的货品要求退款。
- We'll refund your money if you aren't satisfied.你若不满意,我们愿意退款给你。
n.加付款;赠品;adj.高级的;售价高的
- You have to pay a premium for express delivery.寄快递你得付额外费用。
- Fresh water was at a premium after the reservoir was contaminated.在水库被污染之后,清水便因稀而贵了。
adj.多余的,过剩的;(食物)丰富的;被解雇的
- There are too many redundant words in this book.这本书里多余的词太多。
- Nearly all the redundant worker have been absorbed into other departments.几乎所有冗员,都已调往其他部门任职。