讀孫子兵法學英文/遠在天邊 近在眼前
經濟日報/朱文章
2009.10.9
新揆吳敦義認為,經濟興衰指標很多,但股市行情、餐廳生意、高速公路貨櫃車數量等各種「庶民經濟指標」,更能反映人民對經濟環境的感受。
國內生產總值、失業率等學術專有名詞,在專家或有心人手中,有時候能有不同解讀,導致見樹不見林(you can't see the forest for all the trees)的效果,既非一般百姓能懂,自然就不能讓人切身感受(lost in the twilight zone)。
專業語彙
一般人鴨子聽雷
例:"When the minister started quoting all the numbers, people couldn't see the forest for all the trees and all lost in the twilight zone."「部長滔滔不絕搬弄數字,民眾紛紛墜入五里霧中。」
群眾心理(herd mentality或mob mentality)雖然有時候不免盲從,但跟著別人而行動(go with the flow)其實有時更是安全感的來源。從這個觀點,股市行情、餐廳消費等數據,的確是觀察經濟的指標。
例:"I told him I did not like to follow the herd mentality, but he told me that I should go with the flow."「我不想盲從,但他勸我不要太堅持己見。」
貼近民意
與老百姓站同邊
一般民眾不會用百分比來形容市面榮枯,但會用「好年冬」、「歹年冬」等抓個約略數字(ballpark figures);也由於人們心中有這把尺,所以「撿好聽的來說」(tell them only what they want to hear),或許只能一時有效,但難擋人民自己的裁判。吳院長擔任民意代表多年,深知「與民同呼吸」才能貼近民意的這種道理。
例:"If I were to give you a ballpark figure, I'd say for example we give each victim 10,000 dollars on a monthly basis."「如果你要我給個約略數字,那我認為每月應該發給每個災民1萬元。」
"His small circle of advisers is now composed mostly of yes-men, who tell him what he wants to hear rather than what he needs to know."「身邊近臣皆唯唯諾諾之輩,他當然聽不到真話了。」
孫子雖然講大戰略,但對戰場各種狀況如「塵高而銳者,車來也;鳥集者,虛也;殺馬肉食者,軍無糧也。」無不瞭若指掌,並以之做為經營戰場重要依據。
所以有時候我們一味追求高明的答案(staring at the stars),卻忽略了生活上各種細節所代表的學問;極可能最後才發現,踏破鐵靴,費盡工夫得來的答案,其實就在眼前(right under our nose)。
踏破鐵靴
答案就在你身邊
例:"He said if we start a half hour earlier each day, we'll see an increase in revenue, profit, lower costs, and even higher pay, but I think he is just staring the stars on this one."「他認為如果每天大家提早半小時上班,全公司的營收、利潤、所得都會增加,費用也會減少。我認為他的想法有點不太實際。」
"The answer is right under our nose when we frantically run around and look far and wide for it."「 答案就在眼前;真是踏破鐵靴無覓處,得來全不費工夫。」
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