[English Skills] 英文小技巧 - 時間怎麼寫？

最近看了一篇網路文章，談論到了關於把基本功做紮實就能與眾不同一事。

這讓我想起許多走在台灣街頭隨處可見的簡單英文，卻也充滿著許多瑕疵。剛好那天早上出門前經過了一家店，就立刻看見這樣的牌子：



基本功 - 時間怎麼寫？


我不禁想著：這樣的表達方式，是想寫給台灣人看？還是寫給外藉人士看？

對我來說，既然要寫外文，目的就是要讓主要使用該語言的人們能看得懂，那麼…這樣的台式英文…到底，是有必要還是…？

有發現該修正的地方了嗎？

我們來找出這張照片可以進步的重點吧：

1、所謂的 a.m. 與 p.m.，這是12小時制的時間表達方式；a.m. 起源於拉丁文的 ante meridiem，意指中午以前 (before noon)；p.m. 則是 post meridiem，意指中午以後 (after noon)。因此，若依照該圖片所想表達的中午12點營業至晚上10點，前半部的a.m.就應該改成：p.m. 12：00，句子才能有意義。(注意哦，a.m.的時間裡，只有a.m. 00：00 ~ a.m. 11：59，沒有a.m. 12：00這個字喲。)

2、前面提到的12小時制，相反的，時間的另一個表示方法為24小時制，也就是中午12點過後的時間，就由12+1=13點成為下午1點的表示方法。所以，再回到舉例的圖片來看，就能看見後半部的晚上10點，要嘛就改成p.m. 10：00；不然就直接將整段改成10：00 ~ 22：00，句子才能表達完全。

所以，回想到我所讀到的網路文章，這些最基本的英文表達方式，我們，是否在學過之後，就都忘了呢？

基本功，我相信我們於求學的過程中都有學到，那麼，就把它們紮紮實實的應用於生活上吧，讓我們都有能力成為與眾不同的那一群。

[Business Tips] Return to the Basic - Connections

Recently, I read some data from Bureau of Labor Statistics talked about fast-growing occupations, they all had one thing in common - connecting with people.

Imagine, when you stepped into a coffee shop, the staff was doing something else and said 'Hi' without even look at you; so you had to find yourself a seat and had to wait until the staffs are free to take your order. The other day, you walked into another coffee shop, the staff were all busy, but once you opened the door, they all stopped whatever they were busy at and turned their head to smile at you with warm greetings like 'Hello, how are you today?'

What is the difference between these two shops?

The empathy and connection between human beings.

We all live in a world that needs team work; no matter how much technology can help us in our daily lives, the one thing that makes us different from robots is the warm connection between us. There were chances that we met well-trained staffs who say whatever greeting words to us like a robot, but we did not feel the passion. Those five-star hotels, chain stores, department stores, or those MNCs with large capital to do staff training, they might have trained their staff well, as in following their SOPs properly; but they might all miss out the basic core idea - all of those actions are for one intention, to make their customers feel the connection.

When technology is taking our places at work, what we shall not do is walking alone with no emotions to those people around us. Return to our basic simple core idea for doing business - connections for long term relationships.

Do not forget, that is what we hoped to sustain our business / personal relationships. Otherwise, competitors can always win over your clients to their side.

[English Skills] 英文小技巧 - 為什麼說不出口？

從小到大在台灣的教育體制下學習英文，我深深的明白許多台灣孩子英文考了高標、各種英文檢定考出將近滿分；但是走在路上，遠遠一位外國人靠近來問個路，大家卻立刻閃得遠遠的，或是逼不得已的情況下，發抖著聲音吐出幾個單字這樣的情境。

到底，為什麼說不出口？我接觸的案子裡，有已踏入職場多年的社會人士、有剛上過兩學期幼兒英文的小朋友、也有大學剛畢業的新鮮人，他們，都告訴我類似的原因：怕錯，怕丟臉、怕腔不好聽、不標準…

我希望大家回過頭來想想一個簡單的重點：學語言的目的，是什麼？

對我來說，學語言是為了能溝通。所以，既然是要能溝通，那麼，能把重點傳達出去，這對我來說才是重點。

在台灣，或許因為沒有那個英語環境，確實讓人不易練習。你是否也因為以下這些原因而開不了口呢？…

• 在聽見英文的時候，需要把對方的整個句子在口中 / 或腦中重覆一次，才能理解對方到底在說什麼？
• 想要回答時，總是得要在腦中把句子組合好，確認好文法正確，然後才敢說出口？結果說出口的時候，回答的時機已經過了…別人已經聊到下一個話題了？
• 單純因為一個想講的字不會講，所以反覆的卡在腦子裡，句子完全出不了口？
• 因為團體中感覺有其他人的英文能力比較佳，所以就完全不敢開口？

我的經驗是，沒錯，這些原因都讓人容易緊張而說不出口。但是，應該如何克服呢？答案是：語言的目的是用來溝通的，請記得這點。所以不管文法好不好、腔調對不對、丟不丟臉…如果我們確實的讓對方明白我們的重點，那麼，我們就是成功了。

對於連開口都緊張到無法思考、手口冒汗、全身發軟的症頭，我們用這些方法來克服吧：

• 我的經驗告訴我，就連母語是英文的人們，文法也有用錯的時候、也有單字不會講或是看不懂的時候。反過來想想，我們講中文時，不也有些字不會發音、有些句子是根本不照文法來組裝的？我們講中文的時候，不會因為看到不會講的字而開不了口，反之，我們會用別的方式去形容；然後大部份的時候，對話的對象中，會有人知道這個字而讓我們學到了新東西。講英文，也是一樣的道理。
• 因為擔心英文的腔不好聽而緊張？光是小小的一個台灣，南北部的中文、台語就有不一樣的腔了，我們有因此而開不了口說話嗎？並沒有。所以請不要擔心，全世界有那麼多地方的人講英文，每個地方都有他們特有的口音或用字，但是，大家都順利的做成了想做的生意、唸完了他們該拿到的學位。我們，也應該鼓起勇氣的開口說！同樣的，別人的中文能力較好時，並不會阻止我們在他們面前開口講中文；所以講英文的時候，當然也可以不要擔心！

我認為要先求有再求好、求精。先把開口說英文的勇氣培養出來，想要用字得體、書寫漂亮、甚至發音與腔調精準，都得還是要靠能夠開口講才算數。那些考試考得高分的人，如果沒辦法像你一樣在路上用二二六六的英文單字替人報路，那麼，我會認為他們的英文都沒有你好。

勇氣有了，我們就可以來尋找語言中的成就感，進而讓自己更進一步的成長 (到最後可以成為東西掉了時，很順口的發出“oops!”的英文人…咦？)。今天開始，讓我們先拋開擔心受怕的緊張症頭吧！開口，就已經勝過從前紙上談兵的自己了…

[Branding] Intro - Why Branding?

When talking about doing business, developing partnership, designing products...marketers consider 'Branding'; for instance, what kind of company image should they give their clients, what logo design can catch consumers' eyes?

But when talking about you, me, or any individuals, do you remember / know how to do branding?

I joined a team called Protocol Ambassador (PA) when I studied in National Chia Yi University in Taiwan; it is a team that provide services for holding ceremonies like guiding guests, being the emcee, providing Chinese / English presentation to introduce our university...etc. It was then I realised how important it is to create a proper personal brand. Anytime, anywhere, when there is a PA member; he / she shows a strong image for the university, such as friendly, professional about what they are doing, and always smiling.

In this fast changing world, how do you do to let those people who just met you to remember you? What kind of image you want them to remember you? A person who always talking loudly and never listen to others? A person who only stands there without participating in any group discussions? A personal who talks the constructive opinions at the right time? A person who is humorous that makes everyone smile even when they are under stress? Or...

So why branding?

Because it tells everyone who you are, what you are professional at, what you like and dislike. Even when you are choosing what to wear every morning, you are preparing the 'image' that you are going to provide in front of others when you go out. On the other hand, when a company wants to have good brands, of course there are A LOT other facets they need to consider however; one of them will definitely be 'your employees' brand image. Will you like it when you go to a restaurant to enjoy a romantic dinner with your partner, the food is fascinating, the atmosphere is perfect for a date; and then every time when the servers come, they give you a long face like they hope you leave as soon as possible so then can finish their work early? Merely just because of ONE reluctant employee might stop you from stepping into that restaurant ever again. Will you like it when you go to a meeting with your future business partner, but almost everyone is looking at their iPhone or Blackberry during your talk? Their attitude and disrespect probably make you choose other potential business partner to work with.

How to show the strong brand image of a company? Always let EVERYONE of your employee represents your brand is one of the fundamental issues. Training them to build up their personal brands, creating sense of achievement from work and the environment to make sure your employees are confident and proud to work with you is the first step.

Each one of us represents ourselves and our companies. What brands you create to develop business or your personal life, it really depends on what you do.

Please feel free to give me any comments or share this article! :-)