What is Business English?
America, like any other country, has its own special terminology for doing business. I found an article about this, which is written for Americans, and gives examples of words:
Nine-to-five - from nine to five
We are talking about a normal working day from 9:00 to 17:00. In conversation it sounds like: “the majority of people prefer to work the regular hours of a nine-to-five-job,” that is, “the majority of people prefer to work during regular hours from 9 am to 5 pm.” Or here’s another example: “she quit the nine-to-five-job,” that is, “she quit her job from 9 to 5.”
Bottom line - result, essence
Literally: bottom line/border, as if you are emphasizing the most important thing. Let me give you an example: “a company’s bottom line is it’s net profit” means that “the company’s bottom line is its net profit.”
Pink slip - dismissal
At first glance, the “pink slide” has nothing to do with business. But legend has it that some companies used to put pink slips in an employee's pay envelope to tell them they were leaving. Nowadays they hardly do this, but the expression has caught on: “management started issuing pink slips yesterday,” that is, “management started firing people yesterday.” Also, “pink slip” can be used to mean breaking a relationship, presenting a fine or something negative.
Such phrases and idioms will not be taught to those who are just starting to learn English. Nevertheless, they will certainly be useful to people who are thinking about starting a business in America. Let me remind you that this is not prohibited as a student. And if you decide to do this, you can simultaneously study at school on a “business English” course. I did the same when I reached the required level of English, although I myself started as a beginner.
Author: Anton Nayanzin
