常犯错的办公室用语
基于礼貌,如果你说出的英文句子有误,对方通常会在心中努力猜测你的意思,而不会直接点出来。要找到自己的英文盲点,求人不如求己!
1 已经10点了,却只有我开始认真工作。
(×)It was nearly 10:00 am, but only I had started to work seriously.
(○ )It was nearly 10:00 am, but only I had got down to work .
get down to work的意思是“以严正的态度开始认真工作”,这是相当口语的用法。原来的说法暗示着,我之前不认真,10点才开始认真,并不恰当。
2 张先生即将接任王先生的副总职位。
(×)Mr. Zhang is going to overtake Mr. Wang's position as vice president.
(○ )Mr. Zhang is going to take over Mr. Wang's position as vice president.
take over的意思是“原有的工作或职务由另一个新来的人接手”,而overtake则是指“赶上、超过”。
3 容我介绍一下新同事约翰,他来自加拿大。
(×)Allow me to introduce our new colleague, John. He is coming from Canada.
(○ )Allow me to introduce our new colleague, John. He comes from Canada.
用现在进行时的话,这个句子的意思会变成约翰正从加拿大赶来,所以用一般现在时即可。
4 银行经理很乐意借钱给公司。
(×)The bank manager is happy to borrow the money to our company.
(○ )The bank manager is happy to lend the money to our company.
lend和borrow同样有“借”的意思,但前者是“借出”,后者是“借入”,银行当然是“借出”钱给公司,所以要用lend。
5 乔迪因为工作不力被解雇了。
(×)Jody received the sack for not taking enough care with her work.
(○ )Jody got the sack for not taking enough care with her work.
get the sack是口语的用法,意指雇主不满意你的工作表现或态度,而要你卷铺盖走人,正式的说法是be dismissed。