职场应当避免的七种表达

Are you at a disadvantage at work simply because of your vocabulary?

你是否仅仅因为措辞不当而在职场身处劣势？

Melody Wilding, who coaches high-achieving, ambitious women to overcome the emotional challenges of success, believes you could be.

梅洛迪?怀尔丁认为你可能真是如此。她指导成就不凡且心怀抱负的女性克服成功带来的精神挑战。

In a recent blog post for Forbes, she recommended that workers be 'on the lookout¹' for seven words and terms cropping up in their vocabulary - and to stop using them with immediate² effect. 

在最近为美国商业杂志《福布斯》所写的一篇博文中，她建议职场人士警惕自己语言中出现的7种词汇和表达，并且立刻停止使用它们。

But which words, terms and even symbols are they?

到底是哪些词汇、表达甚至符号呢？

职场应当避免的七种表达

JUST

仅仅，只是

'This word minimizes the power of your statements and can make you seem defensive³ or even apologetic,' writes Melody.

梅洛迪写道：“这个词弱化了你表述的力量，会让你看起来在自我辩护甚至带有歉意。”

'It can often be a defense⁴ mechanism⁵ subconsciously⁶ used to shield ourselves from the rejection⁷ of hearing “no" or a way to avoid the discomfort⁸ of feeling like we’re asking for too much.'

“它往往代表了一种防御机制，我们下意识地用它用来保护自己在听到拒绝时不受伤害。或者把它用作一种消除不适感的方法，免得感觉自己要求太多。”

I'M NO EXPERT, BUT 

我不在行，但是

Avoid this phrase, even if you're saying it to try not to sound pushy⁹. Suggesting you may be wrong before even giving your opinion can make your statement seem less credible¹⁰. 

不要使用这种表述，即使你这么说是为了听起来不那么强硬。在发表观点前暗示自己可能是错的，这会削弱你观点的可信度。

WHAT IF WE TRIED…?

如果我们试着……？

State your ideas in a straightforward¹¹ manner and you're more likely to be taken seriously, advises Melody.

梅洛迪建议使用直截了当的方式陈述观点，这样你才更有可能被认真对待。

'Masking your opinions as questions invites rebuttal and can lead to you feel criticised.'

“用问句隐藏观点会招来反驳，还让你觉得受到了批评。”

When posing an idea, don't 'poll'. Make it clear that you think your ideas are valid¹² and worth everyone's time to listen to.

提出观点时，别小心翼翼试探别人的看法。应当清楚地表示你认为自己的观点有理有据，值得每一个人认真倾听。

I CAN'T

我不能

'When you say “I can’t,” you’re sacrificing ownership and control over you actions,' writes Melody. Make sure not to use 'I can't' when you really mean 'I won't', an active phrase.

梅洛迪写道：“当你说‘我不能’的时候，牺牲的是自己行动的自主权和控制权。”确保你想表达“我不会（去做）”的时候不要使用“我不能”。前者是一种主动性的表达。

THAT IS LIKE, SO GREAT!

那像是，太棒了！

Don't distract your audience from what you're saying by using words such as 'like' and raising your voice at the end of your sentence.

不要使用“好像”这类的词，也不要在句子结尾提高音量。这会使听者的注意力从你所讲的内容上转移。

According to Melody, this can 'indicate uncertainty¹³, make you appear hesitant, and create a lack of trust among your audience'.

据梅洛迪所说，这类表述会“显示不确定性，让你显得犹豫，听众会对你缺乏信任”。

EXCLAMATION¹⁴ MARKS OR EMJOIS

感叹号或表情符号

Using exclamation marks or emojis can suggest you feel insecure in your message.

使用感叹号或表情符号可能在消息中暗示：你在感到不安。

AM I MAKING SENSE?

我把意思说明白了吗？

Don't open up the possibility to your audience to question whether you are.

别让你的听众有机会质疑你到底说没说明白。

Even if you think you're encouraging interaction, it 'speaks to an underlying¹⁵ belief you may have that you’re an impostor, and unqualified to be speaking on the matter', writes Melody.

梅洛迪写道，即使你认为自己是在鼓励互动，“这句话指向了你可能持有的潜在观点——自己是个冒牌货，不够格在这件事上发表意见。”

Vocabulary

with immediate effect: 即日起，立即生效

rebuttal: 反驳，辩驳

1 lookout   

n.注意，前途，瞭望台

参考例句：

• You can see everything around from the lookout.从了望台上你可以看清周围的一切。
• It's a bad lookout for the company if interest rates don't come down.如果利率降不下来，公司的前景可就不妙了。

2 immediate   

adj.立即的；直接的，最接近的；紧靠的

参考例句：

• His immediate neighbours felt it their duty to call.他的近邻认为他们有责任去拜访。
• We declared ourselves for the immediate convocation of the meeting.我们主张立即召开这个会议。

3 defensive   

adj.防御的；防卫的；防守的

参考例句：

• Their questions about the money put her on the defensive.他们问到钱的问题，使她警觉起来。
• The Government hastily organized defensive measures against the raids.政府急忙布置了防卫措施抵御空袭。

4 defense   

n.防御，保卫；[pl.]防务工事；辩护，答辩

参考例句：

• The accused has the right to defense.被告人有权获得辩护。
• The war has impacted the area with military and defense workers.战争使那个地区挤满了军队和防御工程人员。

5 mechanism   

n.机械装置；机构，结构

参考例句：

• The bones and muscles are parts of the mechanism of the body.骨骼和肌肉是人体的组成部件。
• The mechanism of the machine is very complicated.这台机器的结构是非常复杂的。

6 subconsciously   

ad.下意识地，潜意识地

参考例句：

• In choosing a partner we are subconsciously assessing their evolutionary fitness to be a mother of children or father provider and protector. 在选择伴侣的时候，我们会在潜意识里衡量对方将来是否会是称职的母亲或者父亲，是否会是合格的一家之主。
• Lao Yang thought as he subconsciously tightened his grasp on the rifle. 他下意识地攥紧枪把想。 来自汉英文学 - 散文英译

7 rejection   

n.拒绝，被拒，抛弃，被弃

参考例句：

• He decided not to approach her for fear of rejection.他因怕遭拒绝决定不再去找她。
• The rejection plunged her into the dark depths of despair.遭到拒绝使她陷入了绝望的深渊。

8 discomfort   

n.不舒服，不安，难过，困难，不方便

参考例句：

• One has to bear a little discomfort while travelling.旅行中总要忍受一点不便。
• She turned red with discomfort when the teacher spoke.老师讲话时她不好意思地红着脸。

9 pushy   

adj.固执己见的，一意孤行的

参考例句：

• But she insisted and was very pushy.但她一直坚持,而且很急于求成。
• He made himself unpopular by being so pushy.他特别喜欢出风头，所以人缘不好。

10 credible   

adj.可信任的，可靠的

参考例句：

• The news report is hardly credible.这则新闻报道令人难以置信。
• Is there a credible alternative to the nuclear deterrent?是否有可以取代核威慑力量的可靠办法？

11 straightforward   

adj.正直的，坦率的；易懂的，简单的

参考例句：

• A straightforward talk is better than a flowery speech.巧言不如直说。
• I must insist on your giving me a straightforward answer.我一定要你给我一个直截了当的回答。

12 valid   

adj.有确实根据的；有效的；正当的，合法的

参考例句：

• His claim to own the house is valid.他主张对此屋的所有权有效。
• Do you have valid reasons for your absence?你的缺席有正当理由吗？

13 uncertainty   

n.易变，靠不住，不确知，不确定的事物

参考例句：

• Her comments will add to the uncertainty of the situation.她的批评将会使局势更加不稳定。
• After six weeks of uncertainty,the strain was beginning to take its toll.6个星期的忐忑不安后，压力开始产生影响了。

14 exclamation   

n.感叹号，惊呼，惊叹词

参考例句：

• He could not restrain an exclamation of approval.他禁不住喝一声采。
• The author used three exclamation marks at the end of the last sentence to wake up the readers.作者在文章的最后一句连用了三个惊叹号，以引起读者的注意。

15 underlying   

adj.在下面的，含蓄的，潜在的

参考例句：

• The underlying theme of the novel is very serious.小说隐含的主题是十分严肃的。
• This word has its underlying meaning.这个单词有它潜在的含义。