In today's lesson we're going to look at a bit of business writing,

在今天的課程中，我們將要來看商業寫作

and more specifically, we're going to look at abbreviations and acronyms.

具體來說，我們要看的是縮寫以及首字母縮略字

But before I even start, I want you to understand that a lot of what you're going to see today

在開始之前，我希望你們明白今天即將學到的東西

applies in many situations outside of business, but I'll explain those when we get to them.

不僅能夠應用在商業，還適用於其他的領域，等一下我會做進一步的解釋

So, first of all: What's the difference between an abbreviation and an acronym?

首先：縮寫和首字母縮略字的差別在哪裡？

An "abbreviation" is a shortening of a word. Okay? It's one word that we cut out a bunch of letters and

「縮寫」是將一個字縮短，懂嗎？我們將一個字裡的許多字母剔除，

we make it shorter. So, for example, the abbreviation of the word "abbreviation" is "abbr." Okay?

將其變短，例如「abbreviation」的縮寫為「abbr.」

"Acronyms", on the other hand, are basically initials.

另一方面「首字母縮略字」基本上就是詞首的首字母

Initials means the first letter

也就是每個字

of each word. And initials we usually use with people's names, like John Smith, his

的第一個字母，通常我們用在人名，例如 John Smith 的首字母是

initials are JS. But when we want to take a bunch of words and we don't want to write

JS ，當需要用到很多字卻又不想全部寫下來的時候，

all these words, we just want to make something short, but it has to be understood by basically

我們要將其簡化，同時必須兼顧任何人在閱讀時都能夠理解，

whoever is going to read it, then we're going to use acronyms. Okay?

那麼就必需使用首字母縮略字，明白了嗎？

So, let's start with the abbreviations, and in terms of business. Now, especially when

讓我們以商業的角度來介紹縮寫字，以下的

we're writing, either a letter by hand like on paper or an email, these are very common.

縮寫字常常會出現在我們手寫或撰寫電郵商業信件時

"Attn:" means: Who are you writing to? So, "attention".

「Attn:」的意思是：你寫信的對象，因此「attention」，

Whose attention are you trying to get with this letter? "Re:" means "regarding",

你希望誰能夠關注這封信？「Re:」的意思是「關於」，

means: About what? Now, a lot of people might

指的是這封信的內容與什麼有關？很多人誤以為

think that "re:" in an email means "reply", it doesn't. "Re:" in an email or a letter

「re:」在電郵裡代表「回覆」，但其實不是 ，「Re：」在電郵或一封信裡

always means "regarding". What is the topic of the conversation? So, you know in the email

總是「關於」的意思，對話的主題是什麼？因此你知道在電子郵件的欄位

bar it has "re:", what are you talking about when you reply to somebody? The topic. Okay?

上看到「re：」，你就知道回覆對方時的主題是什麼了，這樣明白了嗎？

Next, when we end our letter, we should say who we are and what our position is in the

接下來，當我們要結束信件時，無論你是助理或是董事，

company. So, whether you're the Assistant or the Director, you can write: "Asst.", "Dir."

都必須表明身分和在公司裡的職位，你可以寫「Asst.」，「Dir.」

or "Director", or Manager: "Mgr." Notice that all three of them have a capital. So, it doesn't

或「Director」，「Manager」或「Mgr.」，請注意這三個職務都有大寫字首

matter if you're using the full word or an abbreviation, you still have to capitalize

因此無論你使用完整的字或是縮寫字，你仍然需要以大寫字母寫

the title of a position, or the title of the person's place in the company. Okay? So, if

下職務頭銜，或是在公司裡的職位，懂嗎？

you're the Assistant Director, you write: "Asst. Dir."

如果你是副董事，就是「Asst. Dir.」

Now, you're wondering why there's no dot here, and there is a dot there. There's a few ways

如果你不知道什麼時候加上一點，什麼時候不加，有幾個方法

to figure out which one to use, yes or no on the dot. Firstly, the more you read and

可以幫助你了解，首先，當你閱讀的越多

the more you engage in this sort of writing, you will just see: What is the most common

越頻繁地從事商業寫作，你就會自然而然地發現最常使用的方法

approach? But another way is a style guide. You can use The Chicago Manual of Style, that's

是什麼，另一個方法是參考寫作指南，你可以參考「芝加哥格式手冊」，在一般用途上，它是

the most common one for general purposes. Or if your company has its own style guide

被廣泛應用的，如果你的公司有專屬的寫作指南或

or a style sheet, look at it to see if they want a dot or they don't want the dot. It's

樣式，參考並確認需不需要加上一點

really a personal choice of the company's. Okay?

這其實是公司的個別選擇，好嗎？

So, now, the main thing we have to consider is when we're writing something from the company,

因此我們首要考慮的是當在替公司寫信時，

we're writing it on company stationery. So, the company has pages with a letterhead. It

我們是寫在公司信紙上，信紙上有信籤，

means all the information is already at the top; the name, the logo, the address, etc.

也就是說在上面附有所有的資訊；公司的名稱、商標、地址等等

So, all of this stuff might already be included, for example: which department, which building

以下訊息也許會包含在地址內，像是你的部門，

you're in, for example, in the address. We always like to take shortcuts, and we don't

你所在的建築物名稱，我們習慣將事情簡化，不想要寫下所有

want to write everything. Write it short. "dept." is enough. Everybody knows "dept."

的東西，部門的縮寫「dept.」就足以代表了，每個人都知道「dept.」

means department. Building is building: "bldg." because we just want to shorten everything.

即是部門的意思，建築物的縮寫是：「bldg」因為我們就是想要縮短所有的東西

The less, the better. When you end it, you're writing your name, and underneath: Who are

越少越好，當做結尾時，你署名，在名字下註明：你是誰？

you? Like, okay, I know your name, but who are you in terms of the company? So, you're

也就是說，我知道你的名字，但是在公司裡你是？因此寫下的是你

writing your position. Now, you can see all this stuff on business cards, letterheads, etc.

的職位，在名片和信籤上都可以看到這些縮寫

So, next, let's look at acronyms. So, if you watched Rebecca's lesson on business acronyms,

接下來，我們要看的是首字母縮略字，如果你看過 Rebecca 的商用首字母縮略字課程，

you heard about Chief Executive Officer, "CEO", this is the boss of the company, he runs or

你就會知道首席執行長，「CEO」，代表是公司的老闆，他／她掌管

she runs the whole company. Everybody answers to him or her. So, "CO" basically means Chief

整間公司的營運，每個人都對他／她負責，「Co」代表

Officer, "Executive" means of the whole company, but then you have different departments or

首席官員，「Executive」代表整間公司，不過公司裡有不同的部門

different areas of the company. "CFO", Chief Financial Officer, Chief Operating Officer,

和區域，「CFO」, 首席財務長、首席營運長、

Chief Information Officer, and then there's many other ones that you can use.

首席資訊長，你還可以看到很多其他的例子

So, now we're going to look at some more acronyms. One thing to remember: Acronyms always use

現在我們要看更多的首字母縮略字，要記得一件事：首字母縮略字

capital letters. Even if you don't need capitals in the extended version, the acronym will

總是使用大寫字母，即使原字不需要以大寫字母代表，在以縮略字代表時

always be capital letters. "ETA", estimated time of arrival. So, you call a delivery person

一定是大寫，「ETA」，預計抵達時間，當你打電話給送貨員

or you call a client and you want to inform them or you want to find out when the product

或客戶，你想通知他們或是查明貨物

will arrive, so you say... I call Amazon, my book hasn't arrived yet, and I say:

送達的時間，好比⋯⋯我打給 Amazon 說我的書還沒送到，我會說：

"What's the ETA on my book?" And they write back: "Oh, it will be there sometime next week."

「請問我購買的書籍預計抵達時間為何？」他們回覆：「噢，書將在下週送達」

Or I need to contact somebody and get some things done, and I call the local place, and

或是當我需要連絡某人好完成一些事情，而我打電話過去，他們說：

they say: "Oh, sorry, we can't help you. You have to call HQ." Headquarters, the main office.

「噢，真抱歉，我們無法幫助你，你必須致電 HQ 」，也就是總部辦公室

It will probably be capitalized even in the extension, but not the "q", notice, because it's one word.

HQ 的原字也可能以大寫呈現，但是「q」不會是大寫，請注意，因為 headquarter 是一個字

"MSRP". So, now, when we're talking about big ticket items, like cars, computers, appliances,

「MSRP」，當談論到大件物品像是車子、電腦和電器用品，

then we want to know how much it costs. So, what you are paying the store might not necessarily

我們想知道價格，你付給店家的價格不一定是

be the MSRP, because the stores want to make it more competitive.

建議售價，因為商家希望提供更有競爭力的價格

The MSRP is the manufacturer's suggested retail price.

建議售價是製造商的建議零售價

So, the company that made the product tells the stores and tells

製造商告知店家及經銷商：

the distributors: "Oh, you should sell this for $100." Okay? That's what it's... That's

「你們應該將這個標價 100 元」，這是它⋯⋯這是你可以

what you can get for it. But then the stores, they want to compete with other stores, so

獲得的利潤，但是對於店家來說，他們要和對手競爭，因此

they go: "We will beat the MSRP by 10%. We will go under the manufacturer's price." Okay?

提出的策略是：「我們比建議售價再便宜一成，價格優於製造商」，好嗎？

“POS”, point of sale. So then you go into a store, you find the product you like, you

「POS」，銷售點，當你進入商店，找到你喜歡的商品，你

want to go pay for it. The cash register, the machine where you actually pay or put

要付錢，收銀機，也就是你付款刷卡的機器

your card, or whatever, that's called the POS, the point of sale. Okay? "SOP", so now

就稱為 POS ，銷售點，可以嗎？「SOP」，當你現在

you've bought your product, you take it home, and you try to use it and realize:

已經購買了商品，帶回家試用後發現：

"You know what? This is not really good. This is not what I paid for." So you call the company,

「你知道嗎？這其實不太好用，不值得購買，你致電公司，

you say: "I want to return this. Can I just take it back to the store?" And the person

並說「我想要退貨，可以直接拿回去店面嗎？」，客服人員回答：

on the phone says: "No, I'm sorry, sir, that's not our SOP. You have to do it this steps.

「很抱歉先生，這不符合我們的標準作業程序，請您依照以下步驟

You have to go A, B, C, and then get back to HQ." "SOP", standard operating procedure.

首先是 A ， B ， C ，最後才是總部」，「SOP」，標準作業程序

Basically: How do we do this? How is it done? How is the...? What is the policy?

就是：我們如何做？這要怎麼完成？這是要⋯⋯？策略是？

Now, you're working at the store and you get your paycheque, and on your paycheque it shows

你工作並拿到薪資支票，在支票上可以看到

how much this cheque is for, what is your pay for this term, maybe two weeks, one month,

金額，這段時間你的工資，或許是兩個禮拜，一個月，

etc. And next to it, it will say "year-to-date". How much have you received so far from the

等等，其次你會看到「year-to-date」，從本會計年度的年初至今

beginning of the fiscal year until now? "Year-to-date". But notice that we have the hyphens, so technically,

你獲得了多少薪資？「Year-to-date」，但是請注意，我們使用了連字號，所以基本上

this is like one word, but we still have an acronym for it. Year-to-date. Then you take

這像是一個字，它的字母縮略字為YTD，這之後

all your financial information, and you go talk to your CPA about doing your taxes, for

你帶著所有財務資訊和你的 CPA 討論稅務，也就是

example. Your Chartered Public Accountant. This is an accountant who is recognized by

註冊會計師，一個政府認證的會計師，

the government, he... He or she has a license, and they can sign off and do your taxes, personal

他或她擁有執照，被授權處理私人

or corporate, etc.

或是公司的稅務等等

Now, the thing to remember is that a lot of this stuff is not only used in business. People

我們要記得這些字並不僅限於商業用途

use ETA all the time. So, especially when we're texting because, you know, texting uses

人們經常使用 ETA ，特別是傳簡訊時，會用到

a lot of acronyms, a lot of abbreviations because people don't like to type too much.

許多的首字母縮略字和縮寫字，畢竟沒有人喜歡打一堆訊息

So I'm typing my friend, he's supposed to come over for... To hang out tonight, and

當我在和我朋友傳訊時，他本來要來找我⋯⋯在今晚出去玩，

he didn't come, he hasn't come yet. So I say: "Hey. What's your ETA?" I don't write:

然而他沒來，還沒來 ，所以我傳訊息問：「喂，你的 ETA ？」我不會傳：

"When do you think you will show up?" I say: "What's your ETA?"

「你究竟幾點才會到啊？」我會說：「你的 ETA ？」

And he understands estimated time

他就會明白我要問他抵達的時間：

of arrival: When are you coming? When will you be here? Okay? "SOP" is another one we

你哪時要來？你的抵達時間？懂了嗎？「SOP」也是我們

use in many situations. The "SOP" means how something is done. And again, all of these

一般很經常用到的，「SOP」代表一件事是如何完成的

are used for addresses, for business situations, for non-business situations, etc. So it's

這些都被使用於對話，無論是商業性質或非商業性質

important to learn these. And again, the more you actually get involved in writing and reading

因此學習這些是非常重要的 你越是頻繁地學習將這些字應用於商業性的寫作或閱讀

business situations or other situations, you will see these all the time and eventually

情況當中，最終你就會因為老是看到它們而記得

you will remember how to use them. Okay?

要如何使用它們了，好嗎？

So, I hope this was pretty clear.

我希望我的解釋是能夠讓你們明白的

If you enjoyed this lesson, please subscribe to my YouTube channel.

如果你喜歡這個課程，請在 YouTube 上訂閱我的頻道

If you have any questions about this lesson, go to www.engvid.com, join the forum,

假使你有任何和本課程相關的問題，請到 www.engvid.com，加入我們的討論，

ask your questions-I will be happy to reply to them-and take the quiz.

並發問－我非常樂於解答－也可以參加測驗

There's also going to be a quiz to test your understanding and knowledge of these words. And, of course,

測驗你對這些字的了解

come back again soon and watch more helpful videos, and I'll see you then.

最後，希望你很快再回到這個頻道，看更多可以幫助你提升英文能力的影片，到時見

Bye.

Bye