2022-07-08
如何中肯而溫和宣布壞消息、技巧地逃避責任?要學識主動與被動語氣分別!(附實用Email範例)
(Credit:https://stock.adobe.com/ )
要宣布壞消息怎麽辦?在英文書信中,大部分情況下都會使用「主動語氣(active voice)」來直接描述你想表達的主旨。尤其是在促進產品、服務、活動或業務嘅時候,「主動語氣」能帶來直接和強而有力的感覺。然而,在某些情況下,我們卻必須以較迂迴、委婉的「被動語氣(passive voice)」表達,否則容易讓人有被冒犯與不禮貌的感覺。
在甚麼情況下我們應該使用被動語氣?包括「宣布壞消息」或「規避責任」時。若在這三種狀況中使用主動語氣,會讓對方有不舒服的感覺。相反,使用被動語氣(主詞+ "be" 動詞+過去分詞)的話,反而可以産生較中肯與溫和的語氣,既不會造成對方的壓迫感,還可以為你帶來理性與沉穩的形象。
以下是最常使用「被動語氣」的三種狀況,大家不妨嘗試比較以下三組E-mail,對比一下使用主動與被動語氣在態度上的變化吧。
Situation 1:宣布壞消息
(Credit:https://stock.adobe.com/ )
Email 1A:
Subject: Employment status
Dear Victoria,
Since you failed to meet the sales quotas last month, I have to terminate(終止)
your position. 15th July will be your last day. I wish you the very best of luck in your job search.
(在過去一個月,你一直無法達到業績目標。因此,我必須終止你的職務。七月十五日是你上班的最後一天,我祝你能成功找到一份合適的工作。)
Regards,
Charlie
**Email 1A使用了主動式語氣,感覺嚴厲而強硬**
Email 1B:
Subject: Employment status
Dear Victoria,
Unfortunately, the sales quotas (業績目標) were not met. As a result, I'm sorry to be the one to tell you that your position has been terminated(終止). This decision will be effective生效 as of 15th July. I wish you the very best of luck in your job search.
(很遺憾地,你並未達成業績目標。因此,我很遺憾告訴你,你的職務被終止了,這個決定將於十一月十六日生效,我們祝你能找到一份適合的工作。)
Regards,
Charlie
**Email 1B使用了被動式語氣,感覺較Email 1A中肯、溫和**
Email 1A及Email1B出現過的主動句及被動句:
● (主動句1)
Since you failed to meet the sales quotas,……
因你無法達成業績目標,……
● (被動句1)
The sales quotas were not met.
業績目標沒有達到。
● (主動句2)
I have to terminate your position.
我心須終止你的職務。
● (被動句2)
Your position has been terminated.
你的職務被終止了。
● (主動句3)
15th July will be your last day.
七月十五日是你上班的最後一天。
● (被動句3)
The decision will be effective as of November 16th.
這個決定於七月十五日生效。
Situation 2A:規避責任
(Credit:https://stock.adobe.com/ )
Email 2A:
Subject: There was an unfortunate incident last night
Dear Ms. Webster,
I just want to let you know about an incident that happened last night. I left the door unlocked. As a result, a thief broke into the office and stole $6,500 in cash. We've filed a police report, but the police have no suspects yet.
(我只是想通知你昨天晚上發生的一件事。因爲我沒有鎖門,結果小偷闖進辦室偷走六千五百元。我們已經向警察局備案,不過警方到目前為止還沒有
到嫌疑犯。)
Regards,
Phoebe
**Email 2A 使用了主動式語氣,直接暴露錯誤**
Email 2B:
Subject: There was an unfortunate incident last night
Dear Ms. Webster,
I just want to let you know about an incident that happened last night. The door was left unlocked last night. As a result, the office was broken into and $6,500 was stolen in petty cash(辦公室裏的)小額現金. We've filed a police report, but the police have no suspects yet.
(我只是想通知你昨天晚上發生的一件事。由於昨晚門沒有鎖,結果辦公室被闖空門且被偷走了六千五百元。我們已經向警察局備案,不過警方到目前為止還沒有找到嫌疑犯。)
Regards,
Phoebe
**Email 2B 使用了被動式語氣, 迂迴規避責任**
Email 2A及Email2B出現過的主動句及被動句:
● (主動句1)
I left the door unlocked.
我沒有鎖門。
● (被動句1)
The door was left unlocked last night.
昨晚鬥沒有鎖。
● (主動句1)
A thief broke into the office and stole $86,500.
小偷闖進了辦公室還偷了六千五百元。
● (被動句1)
The office was broken into and $6,500 was stolen.
辦公室被闖空門且被偷走了六千五百元。
以下是另外兩個例子,供大家對比主動與被動句在語氣上的分別:
(Credit:https://stock.adobe.com/ )
● 主動句(一):
因為一個電腦錯誤,我們損失了所有存在資料庫裏的檔案。
Due to a computer error, we lost all the files saved on our database.
● 被動句(一):
因為一個電腦錯誤,存在資料庫裏的所有檔案都損失了。
Due to a computer error, all the files saved on our database have been lost.
● 主動句(一):
我們還沒有找到引起錯誤的原因。
We have not found the cause of the error.
● 被動句(一):
引起錯誤的原因還沒被找出來。
The cause of the error has not been found.
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