VOA慢速英语2011--Business English Speakers Can Still Be Divided by a Common Language

Economics¹ Report - Business English Speakers Can Still Be Divided by a Common Language

 

经济报道 - 英语技能对商业人士尤为重要

This is the VOA Special English Economics Report.

这里是美国之音慢速英语经济报道。

Business is the most popular subject for international students in the United States. At last count, twenty-one percent of foreign students at American colleges and universities were studying business and management.

商科是美国国际学生最热门的专业领域。在最近的一次统计中，美国院校21%的国际学生就读的是商业管理专业。

The Institute of International Education in New York says engineering is the second most popular field, in case you were wondering.

位于纽约的国际教育协会表示，工程是第2大热门专业领域，如果你想知道的话。

Thomas Cossé is a professor of marketing² and business at the University of Richmond in Virginia. He says international students who want to study business need to have good English skills -- and not just to study at his school.

Thomas Cossé是弗吉尼亚州里士满大学营销与商务专业教授。他表示，想读商科的国际学生必须有良好的英语技能--不仅仅是他所在的学校这么要求。

THOMAS COSSÉ: "At least among business schools, more and more worldwide are requiring that their students take English, and they are teaching more in English."

THOMAS COSSé：“至少在商学院中，全球越来越多的商学院要求其学生学习英语，这些学校也越来越多的使用英语教学。”

But the world has more non-native speakers of English than native speakers. As a result, Americans working with foreign companies may need to learn some new English skills themselves.

但全球母语非英语者多于英语母语者。因此，在外企工作的美国人本身可能也需要学习一些新的英语技能。

English is a common language for business, but communication is not just about language

At the University of Richmond, teams of graduate students work with companies seeking to enter the American market. The students learn about writing market entry studies. The reports are written in English. But Professor Cossé tells his students to consider who will read them.

在里士满大学，一些研究生就职于一些寻求进入美国市场的公司。这些学生在学习用英语撰写市场准入研究报告。但Cossé教授提醒学生们要考虑到谁会阅读这些报告。

THOMAS COSSÉ: "My students have to write the report in such a way that it can be understood by someone who is an English speaker but not a native English speaker."

Thomas Cossé：“我的学生撰写报告时必须使用一种能让讲英语的母语非英语人士看得懂的方式。”

For example, he tells his students to avoid jargon³ and other specialized⁴ terms that people might not know in their own language. This can be good advice even when writing for other native speakers.

例如，他告诉学生们避免使用母语非英语人士无法理解的术语和专业词汇。即使是给英语母语者写报告，这也是个好建议。

But effective communication involves more than just words. Kay Westerfield is director of the international business communication program at the University of Oregon.

但有效沟通涉及的不仅仅是词汇。Kay Westerfield是俄勒冈大学国际商务交流项目主任。

KAY WESTERFIELD: "If you just have the language awareness⁵ or the skills without culture, you can easily be a fluent fool."

Kay Westerfield：“如果你只有语言意识或技能，却缺乏文化背景，你很容易成为一个语言流利的傻瓜。”

Cultural intelligence means the need to consider local behaviors in everything from simple handshakes to speaking to large groups.

具有文化背景的智慧意味着考虑到当地的一切行为举止，从简单的握手，到向一大群人发言等方方面面。

Still, Kay Westerfield says the ability of local workers to speak English is becoming more important to companies looking to move operations to other countries. Or, as she puts it, to "off-source."

然而，Kay Westerfield表示，对于希望将业务迁入其它国家的公司来说，本土雇员的英语能力越来越重要。或者用她的原话来说就是，本土雇员的英语能力对资源转移越来越重要。

KAY WESTERFIELD: "While cost remains⁶ a major factor in decisions about where to off-source, the quality of the labor⁷ pool is gaining importance, and this includes English language skills."

Kay Westerfield：“当成本仍是决定资源转移方向的一个重要因素时，劳动力素质的重要性就会不断增强，其中就包括英语语言能力。”

Also, she says English skills often provide a competitive⁸ edge for business students when they seek jobs.

此外，她表示，英语技能通常能为商科学生求职提供一种竞争优势。

KAY WESTERFIELD: "As one business student in West Africa put it, 'English is a lifeline.'"

Kay Westerfield：“正如西非一名商科学生所说，英语就是命脉。”

And that's the VOA Special English Economics Report, written by Mario Ritter. You can read and listen to our programs and find activities for English learners at voanews.cn. We're also on Facebook, Twitter and YouTube at VOA Learning English. I’m Steve Ember.

1 economics   

n.经济学，经济情况

参考例句：

• He is studying economics,which subject is very important.他正在学习经济学，该学科是很重要的。
• One can't separate politics from economics.不能把政治与经济割裂开来。

2 marketing   

n.行销，在市场的买卖，买东西

参考例句：

• They are developing marketing network.他们正在发展销售网络。
• He often goes marketing.他经常去市场做生意。

3 jargon   

n.术语，行话

参考例句：

• They will not hear critics with their horrible jargon.他们不愿意听到评论家们那些可怕的行话。
• It is important not to be overawed by the mathematical jargon.要紧的是不要被数学的术语所吓倒.

4 specialized   

adj.专门的，专业化的

参考例句：

• There are many specialized agencies in the United Nations.联合国有许多专门机构。
• These tools are very specialized.这些是专用工具。

5 awareness   

n.意识，觉悟，懂事，明智

参考例句：

• There is a general awareness that smoking is harmful.人们普遍认识到吸烟有害健康。
• Environmental awareness has increased over the years.这些年来人们的环境意识增强了。

6 remains   

n.剩余物，残留物；遗体，遗迹

参考例句：

• He ate the remains of food hungrily.他狼吞虎咽地吃剩余的食物。
• The remains of the meal were fed to the dog.残羹剩饭喂狗了。

7 labor   

n.劳动，努力，工作，劳工；分娩；vi.劳动，努力，苦干；vt.详细分析；麻烦

参考例句：

• We are never late in satisfying him for his labor.我们从不延误付给他劳动报酬。
• He was completely spent after two weeks of hard labor.艰苦劳动两周后，他已经疲惫不堪了。

8 competitive   

adj.竞争的，比赛的，好竞争的，有竞争力的

参考例句：

• Some kinds of business are competitive.有些商业是要竞争的。
• These businessmen are both competitive and honourable.这些商人既有竞争性又很诚实。