英語で「お仕事は何をしていますか?」と聞かれたら?

英語で「お仕事は何をしていますか?」と聞かれたら?

090427「お仕事は何をしていますか?」と聞かれて「会社員です」と答えたことはありませんか。英語に直訳すると”I am an office worker” でもネイティブスピーカーの間ではこんな受け答えはしないそうです。日本人が「サラリーマンです」とか「OLです」というような説明だけで、なんとなくコミュニケーションが成立してしまう理由は、日本の名刺文化が関係しているのではないかと、ETCのカーラ先生は考えているそうです。

■出演 ・カーラ先生(ETCマンツーマン英会話)

■聞き手 ・青樹洋文

☆番組の中で紹介した書籍

51pro5e%252BbaL__SL75_.jpg『その英語、ネイティブにはこう聞こえますSELECT』
(David A.Thayne、小池信孝 著、主婦の友社 刊) 

 

番組 Transcript
先生の自宅でゆったりマンツーマン英会話プライベートレッスン
オンラインレッスンも!
サービス内容・授業料時間・場所・その他条件にあった先生のお問い合わせはお気軽にどうぞ

(※ 出演者が話した言葉をそのままテキストにして掲載しています。)

Why not? I mean because normally in Japan everybody has a name card to give it right way. So actually your title or what you are doing is quite important in Japan. At least, in a paper, or at least in a name card. I don’t know. I’m wondering, when you are speaking why people don’t want to say something more or why people don’t want to listen to hear what you are exactly doing. Is that also unpoliteness to ask too much? Or is unpoliteness too, how you call, aggressive. Not aggressive, but like showing what you are doing?

Q: Maybe we have very typical image of 会社員、or OL. Just saying that, then I have quite good …

Yeah But an office worker is not same as if you are manager. So my question is if you are the manager, would you just say, “I am the manager”? Or would you just say “I am an office worker”.

Q: If we say the position of the company, it sounds like he is proud of his position. 私は部長です。

But even BUCHO will say, “I am an office worker”?

Q Again this is an expression of modesty.

I see. It’ is very hard to understand psychology behind.

Q Then after giving their name card, then people will notice he is quite good position in that company.

I think it’s interesting culture thing. Because in a way, it’s true if you say I am the president, even in another country, it can sound a little bit too much of an ego person, personality, or to proud.

But it’s true that maybe it’s a good way in Japan to just say I am a worker, I am an office worker, that’s why, I am wondering, the MEISHI, the name card are so important in this country. I mean everybody knows that Japan is No1 for the name card.

Q: You feel like that

Yes, I do. I think it’s not a critic or it’s just a fact, it’s a reality. So maybe it comes from their idea that you can not say what you are correctly, when you meet people. So in order of that you give the name card. Maybe.

But in this case, in English, If you say office worker is too vague. It’s too open. Office worker can be the person who works in a factory, to person who works in a company. So it’s too wide range. That is why you got to make more details what are you doing. Again it’s not about showing, or proudness. It’s about explanation. Maybe later people will ask, “do you have a name card?” “Can I have a name card?”

◆使用楽曲 (BGM)
“A nice world” of Electric grocery from DOGMAZIC

 
先生の自宅でゆったりマンツーマン英会話プライベートレッスン
オンラインレッスンも!
サービス内容・授業料時間・場所・その他条件にあった先生のお問い合わせはお気軽にどうぞ