The english we speak(BBC教學)第207期:To downsize 精簡

Neil and Feifei discuss a verb usually applied to businesses but is also used in a personal context. Listen to the programme to learn how it's used now.

尼爾和菲菲在討論一個曾應用在商業中但現在個人情境中也使用的動詞。請收聽今天的節目，學習這個單詞現在如何使用。

Neil: Hello. Neil here with you. And this is Feifei.

尼爾：大家好。我是尼爾。這是菲菲。

Feifei: Hello!

菲菲：大家好！

Neil: The word we are going to focus on today is the verb 'to downsize'. That's the word companies use to describe cutting a number of jobs and making employees redundant. 'Downsizing' is the noun.

尼爾：今天我們要關注的單詞是動詞“精簡”。這個單詞用來形容公司縮減崗位、進行裁員。Downsizing是它的名詞形式。

Feifei: Yes. When they make workers redundant the companies become smaller in size. They downsize.

菲菲：對。downsize就是通過裁員來縮減公司規模。

Neil: You might have heard or read this verb during the economic downturn of the last few years. As most people were short of money, they decided to save the money they did have and it had an impact on businesses all over the world.

尼爾：你可能在描述近幾年經濟衰退的材料中聽到或看到過這個動詞。因爲大多數人都缺錢，所以他們決定節省他們擁有的錢款，這種做法對全世界的商業產生了影響。

Feifei: And some people have started applying the term to their own situations. If you've had to sell your house and move to a smaller flat, for example, you might say you were 'downsizing'.

菲菲：一些人開始將這個單詞用在個人情境中。比如，如果你不得不賣掉你的房子然後搬去一個小公寓，你可能會說你在“減少成本”。

Neil: 'To downsize' is today's expression in The English We Speak. Let's hear some examples of how it's used.

尼爾：To downsize就是今天地道英語要學的表達方式。我們來聽些例句，看看這個單詞如何應用。

Examples

例句

The growth of online sales in the UK has forced many retail businesses to downsize. Some of them have reduced their number of outlets in the high street.

英國在線銷售的增長迫使零售商縮減規模。一些零售商已經減少了商業街上的門店數量。

Now that I am going to university, my parents have decided to downsize. They are selling the house, moving to a flat and using some of the money to travel the world.

我馬上要上大學了，所以我父母決定縮減花費。他們會把房子賣掉搬到公寓去，然後用一部分賣房錢去環遊世界。

Feifei: And if you don't mind me saying, Neil, I think you would benefit from downsizing.

菲菲：如果你不介意，尼爾，我覺得你會從“精簡”中獲益。

Neil: What do you mean? I don't own a company and I'm not selling my house or anything.

尼爾：你是什麼意思？我又沒有自己的公司，而且我也不打算賣掉房子。

Feifei: No but I've noticed you've… well, you know, you really enjoy your food, don't you?

菲菲：不是，我只是注意到你……你知道，你很喜歡美食，對吧？

Neil: Are you calling me fat!?

尼爾：你是在說我胖嗎！？

Feifei: Oh no, no, no… well, yes. A little.

菲菲：哦，不，不，不是……其實是的，有一點胖。

Neil: How dare you! And anyway, we don't use 'downsize' for bodies, so you're confusing our audience!

尼爾：你怎麼敢這麼說！不過，在形容身材時我們不用downsize這個詞，你會讓我們的觀衆困惑的！

Feifei: Sorry, Neil.

菲菲：對不起，尼爾。

Neil: I am a bit fat, actually…

尼爾：實際上我是有一點兒胖……

Feifei: Well, maybe if the company downsizes, you won't be able to afford all those meat pies.

菲菲：嗯，如果公司裁員，你可能就買不起這些肉餡餅了。

Neil: That's what I like about you, Feifei. You always look on the bright side.

尼爾：菲菲，這就是我喜歡你的地方。你總是看到事物好的一面。

譯文屬僅供學習交流使用，未經許可請勿轉載

重點講解：
1. apply to
適用；適合；
eg. His study habits don't apply to you.
他的學習習慣不適合你。
eg. This rule applies to freshmen only.
這條規則只適用於大學一年級學生。
2. a number of
許多的；大量；
eg. I have a number of important things to do today.
今天我有許多重要事情要做。
eg. John has a number of nagging worries.
約翰有不少牽腸掛肚的心事。
3. short of
短缺的；不足的；
eg. The proposal is all right in itself, but we are short of fund now.
這個提案本身很好，可我們目前缺少資金。
eg. He had been short of exercise for a long time.
他長期缺乏鍛鍊。
4. have an impact on sth.
影響；作用；
eg. He said that there was no evidence yet that trying to slow down mealtimes for children would have an impact on future obesity rates.
他認爲還沒有證據表明兒童減緩吃飯速度會影響未來肥胖症的發生。
eg. Analysts said the move was not unexpected, and would have little impact on the day-to-day running of the company.
有人分析此舉並不出乎意料，並且這對公司的日常運行不會造成什麼影響。
5. or anything
或其他什麼的；諸如此類；
eg. Listen, if you talk to him or anything make sure you let us know, will you.
聽着，如果你和他說話或什麼的，一定要讓我們知道，好嗎？
eg. He didn't cry or scream or anything.
他沒哭也沒喊，什麼事也沒有。