商务英语词汇教程(学生).doc

商务英语与公共英语的关系 商务英语是专门用途英语(English for Special Purpose)大家族的一员，它与公共英语(General English)既相联系，又相区别，两者的关系可比作“毛”与“皮”的关系。我们中国有这样一句成语，对它们的关系做出了概括，即“皮之不存，毛将焉附。”大学一、二年级学习公共英语为进一步学习商务英语打好公共英语的基础。毕竟商务英语与公共英语在基本词汇和基本句型的使用上有相同的“共性”，如果忽视了两者之间的这一联系，基础没打好就急于开始商务英语的学习，单单在语言方面的困难就足以令我们因为举步维艰而蒙生退意了。 但是商务英语作为在外商务活动中所使用的英语，在词汇、句式、行文结构这三个层次上都表现出有别于公共英语的个性，譬如，我们要读懂西方报刊国际商务文章，就必须掌握一定的有关经济贸易的专业英语词汇，如涉及到有关描述经济贸易发展情况、趋势、国际贸易收支、贸易摩擦、跨国公司、商品市场等方面的一些专业英语词汇。 英语商务文章的句式及句子之间的连接也有其特点，如在对商务发展趋势进行比较时经常借助于多种语法手段，从而有机地把枯燥的数字和信息揉合在一起。为使句子之间的意思更好地连贯起来，常常使用连接词，介词和副词，如表明对比和情况变化关系的词有but，however，whereas，eitheror和neithernor等；表示情况内在联系的连接词和短语介词有and，as well as 和in the case of 等。 就文体而言，英语商务文章大体可分为四类：公共经济贸易消息报告；经济贸易情况简报；经济、贸易和商品市场调研报告；经济贸易评论。每一体裁又有不同的结构，如经济贸易评论文章主要由以下几个部分组成：简单叙述被评论观点或事情的背景；提出自己的观点和看法；阐述评论观点或事情的意义。经济、贸易和商品市场调研报告公共包括：对前一阶段情况作简单回顾；由统计材料或典型事例阐述对目前情况的看法；对下一阶段的形势发展提出预测；最后有时还提出应采取的对策或建议。另外，英语商务文章的选材的专业性要求我们必须具备一定的专业知识。如果我们对各主题所涉及的知识比较缺乏，必然会觉得文章难读难懂，因此，我们也必须想方设法克服背景知识方面的障碍，如能在进入本门课程学习前，先期学习国际贸易、国际金融等课程，则对于这门课的学习也是大有裨益的。 课程导入商务英语中有一些使用十分频繁的词汇很容易被误译，原因是商务英语中相同的单词在不同情况下具有不同的含义。例一：floating1. It is not surprising, then, that the world saw a return to a floating exchange rate system Central banks were no longer required to support their own currencies.2. Floating policy is of great importance for export trade; it is, in fact, a convenient method of insuring goods where a number of similar export transactions are intended, e.g. where the insured has to supply an overseas importer under an exclusive sales agreement or maintains sales representatives or subsidiary companies abroad.译文：1. 在这种情况下，世界各国又恢复浮动汇率就不足为奇了。各国中央银行也就无须维持本币的汇价了。2. 统保单对出口贸易至关重要。它实际上是货物保险中的一种便利的办法，特别适合于分不同的时间出口的一批类似货物，如：当被保险方根据独家代理协议书向国外的进口方供货，或在国外委任了销售代表，设立分支机构时用之。注解：floating 在上述两个句中的意思完全不一样，floating exchange rate 意为“浮动汇率”，即可自由浮动，完全受市场力量决定的汇率制度。而 floating policy 则指用以承保多批次货运的一种持续性长期保险凭证，常译为“统保单”。例二：confirm1. Wed like to inform you that our counter sample will be sent to you by DHL by the end of this week and please confirm it ASAP so that we can start our mass production.2. Payment will be made by 100% confirmed, irrevocable Letter of Credit available by sight draft。译文：1. 很高兴通知您，我们的回样将于本周末用特快专递给您，请尽快确认，以便我们开始大批生产。2. 付款方式为100% 即期，保兑，不可撤消信用证。注解：confirmed 一词在这两句话的意思也不一样。在第一个句子中，confirm 的意思是“确认”。在第二个句子中，confirmed L/C 应翻译为“保兑信用证”，即指一家银行所开的由另一家银行保证兑付的一种银行信用证。例三：negotiable1. Part time barman required. Hours and salary negotiable.2. This Bill of Lading is issued in a negotiable form, so it shall constitute title to the goods and the holder, by endorsement of this B/L.译文：1. 招聘兼职酒店保安，工作时间和薪水面议。2. 所签发的提单可为转让的，故只要在提单上背书, 便确定了货物和持票人的所有权。注解：在第一句话中，negotiable 的意思是“可商议的”，在第二句话中的意思则是“可转让的”，“可转让提单”经过背书后即可将所有权转让给他人，值得注意的是，negotiating bank 则是议付银行，即购买或贴现汇票的银行。例四：discount1. You may get a 5% discount if your order is on a regular basis.2. If a seller extends credit to a time draft, they have made a trade acceptance. The seller can request that the bank finance the transaction by buying the draft. The bank is said to discount the draft.译文：1. 如果你方定期给我方下定单，你方便可得到 5% 的折扣。2. 如卖方开出的是远期汇票，以此向买方提供信用，此时就做了一笔商业汇票承兑业务，卖方可以请银行买下商业承兑汇票，银行用这个办法对出口商融资，也就是说，银行对该汇票贴现了。注解：discount 在这两句话中的意思一个是折扣，另一个是贴现。折扣是指商品在原价的基础上按百分比降价，贴现则是指未到期的票据向银行融资，银行扣取自买进日至到期日的利息，并收取一定的手续费后，将余下的票面金额付给持票人。例五：endorse1. Our products have been endorsed by the National Quality Inspection Association.2. Draft must be accompanied by full set original on board marine Bill of Lading made out to order, endorsed in blank, marked freight prepaid.译文：1. 我们的产品为全国质量检查协会的推荐产品。2. 汇票必须附有全套印有“货物收讫”字样的正本海运提单，凭指示、空白背书，并写明“运费已付”。注解：在第一个句子中，“推荐”是指用过某种产品后感到满意，并通过媒体介绍给公众。而第二句中的“空白背书明是指背书人(endorser) 只在票据背面签上自己的名字，而不注明特定的被背书人 (endorsee)。例六：average1. If a particular cargo is partially damaged，the damage is called particular average.2. Its obvious that the products are below the average quality.译文：1. 如果某批货是部分受损，我们称之为“单独海损”。2. 很明显，这批产品的品质是中下水平。注解：在第一个句子中，particular average 的意思是“单独海损”，是指在保险业中由于海上事故所导致的部分损失， 因此average 一词的意思是损失或损坏，而第二句中的 average 为“平均”之意。例七：tender1. Under CIF, it is the sellers obligation to tender the relative documents to the buyer to enable him to obtain delivery of the goods.2. He became as exhilarated as if his tender for building a mansion had been accepted.译文：1. 在 CIF 价格术语项下，卖方的责任是向买方递交有关单证，使其能在货物到达后提取货物。2. 他欣喜若狂，好像他承办大厦建筑的投标被接受了。注解：商务英语中的重要条款用词非常正规，在第一句话中，tender 是用作动词，相当于 give。而在第二句中，tender 是用作名词，意思是“投标”。在一些由中文翻译的英语样本、合同、广告和其他文件材料中常见一些翻译错误，现仅举几个出现频率较高的例子，试作分析。1. 由港澳国际投资公司投资的海口电站工程因其建设速度和质量得到高度评价。原译文：The Haikou Power Station Project invested by the Hongkong-Macau International Investment Co, Ltd. was highly appraised for its construction speed and quality.注：投资某项工程应为invest in a project，在被动语态中不能漏去前置词in。应译为：The Haikou Power Station Project invested in (在某些情况下可用financed or funded）by the Hongkong-Macau International Investment Co., Ltd. was highly appraised for its construction speed and quality. 2. 上海SFECO拥有5个控股子公司。原译文：Shanghai SFECO Group has 5 share-holding companies.注：share-holding company指控制或持有某公司股权的股东公司。上述译文意思是5个公司持有Shanghai SFECO Group的股份，换句话说，这5个公司是“老子”公司，因此显然不符合中文原意。应译为：Shanghai SFECO Group is a holding company of 5 subsidiary companies. 或Shanghai SFECO Group holds shares of 5 subsidiary companies.3.中国民生银行有限公司原译文：China Minsheng Banking Corporation, Ltd.注：corporation本身即为有限公司，相当于limited company，英译中无需再加“Ltd”。应译为：China Minsheng Banking Corporation4.项目中标之后，我们将立即开始前期准备工作。原译文：After the bid is awarded, we shall immediately start our advance-phase preparation.注：项目中标应为accept a bid or award the contract。显然上述译文把两种表达法相混淆了。应译为：After the bid is accepted (or the contract is awarded), we shall immediately start our advance-phase preparation.5.欢迎您参观我们交易会原译文：Welcome you to visit our fair!注：译文中welcome是动词，因此此句是祈使句形式，省略的主语为第二人称你（你们），而不是中文所含的我（我们）之意。应译为：We welcome you to visit our trade fair!更简洁而地道的译法是：Welcome to our trade fair!商务英语词汇教程l landed terms Sample Sentences1. Obviously，landed price is higher than FOB price.2. Landed price is an export price in which the exporter pays all the charges to the port of destination and also pays the landing charges but not any dock dues or onward carriage charges to the importers factory or warehouse.l fill ones orderSample Sentences1. We are sorry that we cannot fill your order for TFLD watches.2. We should like to fill your order，but the fact is that we have received more orders than we had expected，with the result that our large reserve stock has been sold out.l mortgageSample Sentences1. When granting mortgage loan to individuals, banks should closely evaluate any assets being put up as collateral.2. He planned to keep the house for 12 years and to let the mortgage get paid down faster.l by sample Sample Sentences1. Quality as per Buyers Sample.2. Quality to be strictly as per sample submitted by the Seller on February 15，2008.l on the usual trade terms Sample Sentences1. Please offer us your best prices on the usual trade terms.2. The agreement stipulates that our products are to be sold on the usual trade terms.l go Dutch Sample Sentences1. Once a fortnight she and a group of friends would go Dutch at one of their three favorite restaurants.2. The office outing is always a Dutch treat.l case studycase analysisSample Sentences1. We provide consulting services to clients, usually through case analysis.2. The cases used for study at the business schools are no longer only those from the Western businesses；some from the Chinese businesses themselves.l covert dealSample SentencesTo prevent covert deals，the construction unit and the water supply project headquarters signed a lifelong responsibility contract on quality and safety.l ounce IOU white knight general wholesale Sample SentencesGeneral Wholesale covers all your needs in one stop.l semi-finished productintermediate goods break even minimum earnings Sample Sentences1. What are the minimum earnings before paying taxes?2. According to the contract，Party Bs minimum earnings are $200.000.l bonded area / tariff-free zone或bonded area。Sample SentencesBy and large，Hong Kong businessmen have set up shops in tariff-free zones.l cover Sample Sentences1. Do you handle open cover? What I mean is if the insured party wished to make a long-term arrangement with the insurance company，say，for a year.2. Insurance of the goods shall be covered by us on 110of the CIF value，and any extra premium for additional insurance，if required，shall be borne by the Buyers.l strong-rooml underwriterSample Sentences1. The underwriter has calculated the risk.2. We talked about it with our underwriter，and we would like to get a policy for total loss only (TLO).l caution moneyearnest moneycash deposit Sample Sentences1. Members of the association must deposit caution money before being allowed to use the associations facilities.2. Earnest money is money given to the seller as a first payment by the buyer to show that he agrees to the contract of sale and intends to honor it.l shelf lifepull dateSample Sentences1. The product has a shelf life of one week under normal temperature.2. The pull date of these packets of milk is end of this month.3. The quality of this product is promised to be guaranteed for a year.l report forms Sample Sentences1. Report forms are required to be submitted monthly.2. Although the final report forms are generated automatically, manual check is still needed.l declare sth at customs Sample Sentences1. Have you got anything to declare?2. Customs declaration for imports and exports is a necessity in a countrys control of its foreign trade.l quotation Sample Sentences1. We are enclosing our Quotation No.3571 for your consideration，and hope to receive your trial order in the near future.2. The rates quoted above are net，and the delivery of goods will be made at your office as desired at our expense.l offer Sample Sentences1. Thank you for your recent fax telling us that there is a good demand for our Panda televisions in your market. We are pleased to offer them as follows.2. We acknowledge with thanks receipt of your letter of January 19.In reply，we are pleased to make the following offer，subject to our final confirmation.l nosediveSample Sentences1. Coffee prices nosedived yesterday.2. The stock prices of China went into a nosedive at the beginning of 2008.l upstartl sudden huge profitsl skyrocketl backup1. She made a backup copy of all the files on her computer.2. We wont be able to do it unless we have a technical backup.l endorsementSample SentencesIf a blank endorsement is made, the holder of the bill has the right to take delivery of the goods.l backerendorser Sample SentencesHe is the backer of this bill.1. Has the bill been signed by the endorser? l capital Sample Sentences The company was started with a capital of US$10，000.l small business Sample Sentences1. Ours is a very small business，and we just dont have enough cash to carry on.2. This is just a small business，and we cant make much money.l rate of exchangeSample Sentences1. The rate of exchange between American dollars and Euro dollars show the fall of the value of the US dollars.2. The exchange rate today is 300 Japanese yen to the pound.l tax haven Sample Sentences1. The Bahamas，Monaco and Singapore are tax havens.2. A tax haven is a place where certain taxes are levied at a low rate or not at all. The tax havens phenomenon started as taxes arise.l seven-eleven7-Elevenl a lemonSample Sentences1. Not until several days later did he find that the car he bought was a lemon.2. To reduce loss and increase overall profits, the CEO told his product managers to get rid of all the dogs. l acquisitionmergertakeover Sample SentencesThe directors of both companies met to discuss the terms of the merger.l importsimported goodsl small profits but quick returns Sample Sentences1. Due to increasingly fierce competition，many household appliance companies have adopted the strategy of “small profit margins，big sales”.2. The business strategy for our company is small profits but quick returns.l real estatel ice-free port Sample Sentences1. Xiamen Port is one of the top ten ports in China. It is a huge，deepwater，ice-free port that never silts up.2. Dalian Port is a world-known deep and ice-free harbor, having shipping relations with over 160 countries and regions.l keep ones head above water Sample Sentences1. The company had great difficulty keeping its head above water during the economic crisis.2. We are in the black. We should be able to keep our head above water from now on.l dirty bill of ladingSample Sentences1. Dirty B/L is one into which the ship-owners have put a clause stating that the conditions of the goods or packing when received were unsatisfactory.2. Foul BL is BL with adverse remarks by the carrier that the goods received for shipping look wet，damaged，or otherwise in doubtful condition，etc.l force majeure Sample Sentences1. Force Majeure：The Sellers shall not be held responsible, if they，owing to Force Majeure cause or causes, fail to make delivery within the time stipulated in the Contract or cannot deliver the goods. However，in such cases, the Sellers shall inform the Buyers immediately by cable and, if it is requested by the Buyers，shall also deliver to the Buyers by registered post，a certificate attesting the existence of such a cause or causes.2. The insurance policy covers your house against all types of damage，excluding those caused by acts of God.l Comparisons are odious Sample SentencesIts often said in the business world that comparisons are odious.l Bretton Woods systeml deep pocket Sample SentencesBy bringing a partner with deep pockets，the company was in a position to offer more attractive deal that could be completed by year-end.l make sb redundant Sample Sentences1. Our branch is badly overstaffed. We have now decided to make eight clerks redundant.2. Owing to bad business，over 500 workers of the company come under the axe.l lottery ticketl carry out management painstaking Sample Sentences1. Though having kept it going by painstaking effort through over 20 years，the enterprise went bankrupt last year.2. Now business is dull，so small shops like ours have to take great pains to keep them going.l catering Sample Sentencesl shipping space Sample Sentences1. We could book shipping space on S.S. “Manhattan Maru” before 5 May. This is the only vessel sailing direct for Tianjin within these two months；otherwise，we have to wait for another two months，as the next sailing for Tianjin will be on 5 July.2. Its necessary to book a cabin seat or berth five days，in advance.l price differenceSample Sentences1. Regional price differences will be taken into account at the time of setting prices.2. Seasonal variations in price are very big.l find Sample Sentences1. Please find ten samples enclosed herewith.2. Enclosed please find our latest catalogue.l double spotting Sample SentencesIf double spotting did occur，it was usually done with two 30-second commercials.l call money Sample Sentences Last month the bank advanced very large sums of call money to the money market.l rob Peter to pay Paull product mix1. An adjustment in product mix will be the focus of the next round of restructuring.2. We have worked hard to get the right marketing mix for the launch of the new range.l awareness of the productSample Sentences1. The advertising campaign has been planned to raise the awareness of the product amongst the public.2. You need to launch an advertising campaign to raise the awareness of the product if you want to forge a world brand.l industrial chainSample SentencesDifferent companies in different nations will have their own advantages，which decide their positions in the world industrial chain.l adulteration1. The adulteration of foodstuffs is illegal.2. They have adulterated wine with water.l watered-down stocksSample SentencesWatered-down stocks are stocks that can be bought by insiders at a cost lower than their face value.l long tonshort tonmetric tonSample SentencesIf you can reduce your price of urea to 1200 US dollars per metric ton, we may be able to place an order of 150 180 metric tons.l best-seller Sample Sentences1. Our new product sells very well.2. This book is the best-seller of this year.l excessive consumptionSample Sentences1. The media undoubtedly played their part in the creation of excessive consumption.2. Excessive consumption affects the rise of prices to a great degree.l XXLdouble extra largel speculate in sharesl 炒作 hypel bank billbank paperl strike a bargain Sample Sentences1. They have to negotiate about the payment terms before concluding a transaction.2. We struck a bargain with the buyer by allowing 2discount on a purchase of not less than one great gross of individual itemsl system of basic cost of living allowances for urban residentsl acceptl hold the lineSample SentencesBusinesses are holding the line on hiring and spending plans because of uncertainty about the economy.l export (tax) rebate。Sample Sentences1. Export rebates have helped many enterprises survive the financial crisis.2. Tourist may have a tax rebate up to 20of the invoice value of the commodities.l bargain price1. These computers and other household appliances will be sold at bargain prices.2. These substandard items can be sold only