2014.06.09
Tip 96 “plain and simple” 無料ビジネス英語学習
無料ビジネス英語学習 Words & Phrases 第96弾は、”plain and simple” です。
本人は複雑に考えてしまうことでも、他の人からはシンプルに見えることってありますよね。
例えば、ベンダーと値引きの交渉しているあなたの同僚が、
“I don’t think our vendor can give us a discount.”
と悩んでいる際に、
「もしそうならベンダーを変える。『簡単なことだよ』」と、
自分の考えを伝える場合に、あなたなら何と言いますか？
“If we can’t get a discount, we’ll change vendors. That’s all.”
“That’s all.” は、それ以外に選択肢がない、議論の余地がない、
という強い言い方になり、話を打ち切ってしまいます。
しかし本当は自分の意見を伝えたいだけなので、こんな場面では、
“that’s all” ではなく”plain and simple” 「簡単なこと」を使って、
“If we can’t get a discount, we’ll change vendors. Plain and simple.”
と言ってみましょう。
これなら相手も、あくまで「一つの意見」「選択肢の一つ」というとらえ方ができます。
この表現を覚えておいて下さい。
ぜひビデオを見て発音のチェックもしてみてください。
Hello and welcome to this Bizmates words and phrases
video series for Japanese businesspeople.
And today's phrase is plain and simple.
Hmmm... plain and simple.
What does it mean?
We will find out.
But first, let's do our usual test.
So, I'm gonna say,
hey, I'm looking at the profit and loss statement.
Our cost seem very low this month. Is there a problem?
And you say...
Come to think of it,
I didn't include our printing costs.
Did you get that? OK.
I hope you can use it in a real situation.
OK, so let's look at today's phrase.
Plain and simple.
It's simple. OK.
So here's what I often hear.
So imagine I'm talking to Taro about our vendor.
A supplier.
And we're gonna renegotiate the price
with this supplier or vendor. OK.
And I say,
I don't think our vendor can give us a discount.
I don't think so.
They won't give us a discount this time.
And Taro says, well if we can't get a discount,
we'll change vendors. That's all.
OK. That's all.
What's wrong with this?
Well it's really direct, that's all.
It's it's like top-down. This topic is finished.
If they can't give us a discount, we will change.
Period. Finished.
It just seems a little bit, it's really strong OK.
So instead, we could say this.
You know, I don't think our vendor can give us a discount.
And Taro can say, well if we can't get a discount,
we'll change vendors. Plain and simple.
Yeah, it's kinda the same meaning you know.
It's it's a simple, that's our only option.
It's plain and simple. It's a simple solution
but that's all we can do.
OK. So if it's something like that
where there's only one answer,
it's not complex. We don't have to think of other
options, there's only one answer, we just say plain and simple.
OK. Let's look at pronunciation.
OK. So if I, so if we can't get a discount
If we can't geta discoun with a pause.
If we can't geta discoun, we'll change vendors.
Plainan simple. It's not plain and simple.
But it's plainan simple. OK.
If we can't geta discoun, we'll change vendors.
Plainan simple. You try.
OK. Let's try it with my sentence.
I don't think our vendor can give us a discount.
OK. Were you able to get that?
Plain and simple.
For homework,
tell me something that's plain and simple.
OK. There's just one answer.
That's all.
OK. You tell me in the next lesson.
Thank you.
video series for Japanese businesspeople.
And today's phrase is plain and simple.
Hmmm... plain and simple.
What does it mean?
We will find out.
But first, let's do our usual test.
So, I'm gonna say,
hey, I'm looking at the profit and loss statement.
Our cost seem very low this month. Is there a problem?
And you say...
Come to think of it,
I didn't include our printing costs.
Did you get that? OK.
I hope you can use it in a real situation.
OK, so let's look at today's phrase.
Plain and simple.
It's simple. OK.
So here's what I often hear.
So imagine I'm talking to Taro about our vendor.
A supplier.
And we're gonna renegotiate the price
with this supplier or vendor. OK.
And I say,
I don't think our vendor can give us a discount.
I don't think so.
They won't give us a discount this time.
And Taro says, well if we can't get a discount,
we'll change vendors. That's all.
OK. That's all.
What's wrong with this?
Well it's really direct, that's all.
It's it's like top-down. This topic is finished.
If they can't give us a discount, we will change.
Period. Finished.
It just seems a little bit, it's really strong OK.
So instead, we could say this.
You know, I don't think our vendor can give us a discount.
And Taro can say, well if we can't get a discount,
we'll change vendors. Plain and simple.
Yeah, it's kinda the same meaning you know.
It's it's a simple, that's our only option.
It's plain and simple. It's a simple solution
but that's all we can do.
OK. So if it's something like that
where there's only one answer,
it's not complex. We don't have to think of other
options, there's only one answer, we just say plain and simple.
OK. Let's look at pronunciation.
OK. So if I, so if we can't get a discount
If we can't geta discoun with a pause.
If we can't geta discoun, we'll change vendors.
Plainan simple. It's not plain and simple.
But it's plainan simple. OK.
If we can't geta discoun, we'll change vendors.
Plainan simple. You try.
OK. Let's try it with my sentence.
I don't think our vendor can give us a discount.
OK. Were you able to get that?
Plain and simple.
For homework,
tell me something that's plain and simple.
OK. There's just one answer.
That's all.
OK. You tell me in the next lesson.
Thank you.
