Business Spotlight Small Talk - Test your conversation skills (Vorschau)

BusinessSpotlight
BusinessSpotlight
Englisch für den Beruf
November–Dezember l Ausgabe 6/2013
Easy English
Key tips for
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Small talk
Test your conversation skills
Intercultural
Doing business
with the Swiss
Careers
Work abroad
and succeed
Management
Crowdfunding
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Property
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■ EDITORIAL
Help is at hand
In an increasingly complex
business world, one factor that
can make the difference between
success and failure is whether you
receive enough support from your
colleagues. In our Business Skills
article (p. 30), Bob Dignen discusses
strategies for getting the
Ian McMaster, editor-in-chief
help you need and looks at ways that you can offer support
to others. Help is also the topic of our Management feature
(p. 72), in which Vicki Sussens presents some examples of
crowdfunding, an innovative way for start-ups to raise money
for their projects. Meanwhile, our Language Test (p. 38) will
help you to improve your small-talk skills.
Someone who will be receiving some help with her
business English is Melanie Frankl from Landshut, the winner
of our competition in Business Spotlight 4/2013. Our sincere
congratulations go to Melanie, who won a two-week intensive
business English course at the EF language school in
Manchester. And many thanks to all of you who took part in
the competition!
One way that you can help yourself to keep up with
the latest developments in the world of work is to take part in
the first “Languages & Business” forum, on 4 December in
Berlin. Business Spotlight is
the media partner for
this special event,
which will focus on
in-company and
university courses,
online learning and
intercultural communication.
For details of the forum, go to
www.languages-business.com
Discussion forum:
come and join us
Ian McMaster, editor-in-chief
Contact: i.mcmaster@spotlight-verlag.de
6/2013

■ CONTENTS 6/2013
22 Switzerland
38 Small talk
N. Schaerer/swiss-image.ch
Fuse
WORKING WORLD
6 Names and News
The latest from the world of business
all levels
LANGUAGE TEST
➤38 Small Talk
Can you talk about more than just the weather?
all levels
GLOBAL BUSINESS
10 Nova Scotia Webcams
Explore Canada’s ocean playground in real time
14 Head-to-Head
Should politicians be able to work as lobbyists?
16 Profile
Jack Monroe, successful blogger for the poor
21 Business Press Behind the headlines
INTERCULTURAL COMMUNICATION
➤22 Switzerland
Understanding “Swissness”
27 Looking Back
Sarah Gough on being almost Swiss
28 Travel Tips
The Melbourne Cup and on the road in the US
English on the Move Passport control
BUSINESS SKILLS
30 Support at Work
A look at how staff can help each other
Survival Guide to cut out and keep
36 Toolbox
Ken Taylor on listening and understanding
37 Say It in Style
Stress in two-syllable words
medium
advanced
advanced
advanced
medium
medium
medium
easy
medium
medium
medium
medium
LANGUAGE SECTION
44 Vocabulary Celebrations
45 Grammar at Work Making suggestions
➤46 Easy English Meetings at work
48 Wise Words Deborah Capras on money and food
50 Short Story Steam solutions
52 Translation False friends and more
53 Language Cards To pull out and practise
➤55 SKILL UP! Property
56 English for… Auctions
58 Legal English In-house counsel
59 Economics and Finance Sector balances
60 Teacher Talk Interview with Michael McCarthy
62 Products What’s new?
63 Key Words Vocabulary from this issue
CAREERS
➤64 Working Abroad
Develop your talents in another country
68 Tips and Trends
Salary negotiations and the Twitter CV
70 Leisure Time
An art fair, books, food and DVDs
easy
medium
easy
medium
medium
medium
medium
medium
advanced
medium
medium
medium
medium
medium
Multimedia learning with Business Spotlight
Business Spotlight plus
Practise the language in the magazine
with our exercise booklet.
In this issue, we focus on property,
food and health, team meetings,
Swiss culture and making
suggestions. See page 19 for a
special offer.
plus This symbol indicates that
related excercises can be found
in Business Spotlight plus.
Business Spotlight in the classroom
This six-page supplement for teachers
and trainers provides lesson activities
based on articles in Business Spotlight.
It is free to those who subscribe to the
magazine. To order, send an email to:
schulmedien@spotlight-verlag.de
READERS’ SERVICE
Email: abo@spotlight-verlag.de
Internet: www.spotlight-verlag.de
Telephone: +49 (0)89/8 56 81-16
Fax: +49 (0)89/8 56 81-159

64 Working abroad
72 Crowdfunding
iStockphoto
Hemera
MANAGEMENT
➤72 Crowdfunding
A new way to start a business
76 What Happened Next
Whistleblower Karen Silkwood
77 Executive Eye
Adrian Furnham on the importance of looks
TECHNOLOGY
80 Profile
MIT’s Sherry Turkle on people and machines
82 Trends
The moon and California’s high-speed train
83 Language Focus
LED lighting
PEOPLE
86 My Working Life
Andrew Lacy, owner of an online travel site
REGULAR SECTIONS
3 Editorial
43 Index 2013
71 Classified Ads
78 SprachenShop
84 Feedback / Impressum
85 Preview
advanced
medium
medium
advanced
medium
advanced
easy
➤ Cover topics
55 Specialist
vocabulary
GUIDE
LANGUAGE IN BUSINESS SPOTLIGHT
Articles in the magazine use the style, spelling, punctuation and
pronunciation of British English unless otherwise marked.
US American style, spelling, punctuation and pronunciation
are used in these articles.
easy Approximately at CEF level A2
medium Approximately at CEF levels B1–B2
advanced Approximately at CEF levels C1–C2
All articles are marked with their level of language difficulty.
CEF stands for the Council of Europe’s “Common European
Framework of Reference for Languages”.
ifml.: informal word or phrase; vulg.: vulgar word or phrase;
sl.: slang word or phrase; non-stand.: non-standard word or phrase;
UK: chiefly UK usage; US: chiefly North American usage
Cover photograph: iStockphoto
Business Spotlight Audio
Our audio product offers more than 70 minutes of texts,
dialogues, exercises and interviews. On this CD, you
can listen to our short story, learn idioms relating to
property and hear views on quitting one’s job.
This symbol indicates that related texts and
exercises can be heard on Business Spotlight Audio.
Business Spotlight Online
Our website offers activities for even
more language learning, as well as
news and blogs. Subscribers have
full access to our online content.
www This symbol indicates that related
content can be found on our
website: www.business-spotlight.de
www.business-spotlight.de 5

■ WORKING WORLD NAMES AND NEWS
The scent of health:
aromatherapist
Annee de Mamiel
AUSTRALIA
Healing touch
Annee de Mamiel knows the value of natural healing. A
top athlete in her home country, she developed cancer
when she was in her early 20s. During chemotherapy, de
Mamiel looked for organic skincare products. When she
couldn’t find any that met her needs, she made her own.
Today, de Mamiel brand oils and teas are in demand
worldwide. The 42-year-old, now living in London, also
offers aromatherapy and acupuncture treatments. She has
a long waiting list. Richard Branson offers her awardwinning
products to guests at his exclusive Necker Island
hotel. De Mamiel told The Daily Telegraph that she grew
up in a village “70 miles from anywhere”. She says her
family didn’t even have a television until she was 11. She
did, however, have a Barbie doll. As a seven-year-old, she
spent hours with her Barbie perfume maker. After completing
university, de Mamiel worked in the pharmaceuticals
industry. Then she got interested in finance and became a
futures trader. Her experience with cancer inspired her to
study traditional Chinese medicine in China. She says she
develops the products with busy women in mind. Ideally,
using the products should help women “accept that it is
OK to take time for themselves,” de Mamiel says.
17.8% 2%
Percentage by which
company directors’ pay rose
in Britain in 2012
medium
Percentage by which the
average worker’s salary
rose in Britain in 2012
Marke
Krebs
Unternehmensvorstand
Terminhändler(in)
Historiker(in)
Bio-
hier: Parfümherstellungsset
Pharmabranche
Hautpflegeprodukt
brand [brÄnd]
cancer [(kÄnsE]
company director [)kVmpEni dE(rektE]
futures trader [(fju:tSEz )treIdE]
historian [hI(stO:riEn]
organic [O:(gÄnIk]
perfume maker [(p§:fju:m )meIkE]
pharmaceuticals industry
[)fA:mE(su:tIk&lz )IndEstri]
skincare product [(skInkeE )prQdVkt]
Sources: The Guardian; Incomes Data Services (www.incomesdata.co.uk)
Credit
“A person usually has two reasons
for doing something: a good reason
and the real reason”
Thomas Carlyle (1795–1881), Scottish writer and historian
6 www.business-spotlight.de

➡
➡
GLOBAL
Chanel Islands?
advanced
Apparently, there are still some things that can’t be trademarked, although there is no
shortage of companies ready to try. Case in point: French perfume manufacturers Chanel,
who have failed in their attempt to trademark the word “Jersey”, which is the name of a
new perfume.
Unfortunately for Chanel, Jersey also happens to be the name of one of the British Channel
Islands and the islanders were incensed by the thought of sole rights to the use of the
name being given to a perfume company. “It was important that we challenged this,” Jersey
senator Alan Maclean told The Guardian. “This was about ownership of the name Jersey — it
is not about stopping Chanel using the name.” Much to Maclean’s relief, the UK Intellectual
Property Office, the official government body responsible for patents, trademarks, copyright and
designs, denied Chanel’s trademark application.
Other unsuccessful trademark applications have been made by companies such as Disney,
which tried to trademark the name Dia de los Muertos (Day of the Dead). The US entertainment
company was making a film about this Mexican tradition but withdrew its trademark application
when more than 21,000 people signed a petition against it. Meanwhile, Harley-Davidson tried —
and failed — to trademark the sound of a motorcycle engine and the French retailers Eden Sarl
unsuccessfully attempted to trademark the scent of fresh strawberries.
www You’ll find more stories online: www.business-spotlight.de/news
Trademark battle:
sorry, there’s
another Jersey
The middle class in Colombia now makes up 30 per
cent of the country’s population of 47 million. This
is up from 15 per cent a decade ago, according to
government figures.
Source: Financial Times
The US has lost nearly 2 million clerical jobs
since 2007 as a result of new technology, which
has radically changed the way offices are run. The
number of retail cashiers has also dropped, as a
result of internet shopping and self-checkout
systems.
Bureau of Labor Statistics
Statistikamt des amerikani-
[)bjUroU Ev (leIb&r stE)tIstIks*] US schen Arbeitsministeriums
case in point [)keIs In (pOInt] typisches Beispiel
challenge sth. [(tSÄlIndZ]
etw. anfechten
clerical [(klerIk&l]
Bürodeny
sth. [di(naI]
hier: etw. ablehnen
incensed: be ~ [In(senst]
erzürnt sein
intellectual property
geistiges Eigentum
[IntE)lektSuEl (prQpEti]
manufacturer [)mÄnju(fÄktSErE] Hersteller(in)
retail cashier [)ri:teI&l kÄ(SIE] Kassierer(in) im Einzelhandel
retailers [(ri:teI&lEz]
hier: Einzelhandelskette
self-checkout system
Selbstbedienungskasse
[)self (tSekaUt )sIstEm]
sole right [)sEUl (raIt]
Exklusivrecht
trademark sth. [(treIdmA:k]
etw. markenrechtlich schützen
lassen
trademark application
Markenanmeldung
[(treIdmA:k ÄplI)keIS&n]
withdraw sth. [wID(drO:]
etw. zurückziehen
* This symbol marks standard US pronunciation that differs from standard UK pronunciation.
6/2013
Source: US Bureau of Labor Statistics (www.bls.gov)
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■ WORKING WORLD NAMES AND NEWS
BRITAIN/US
Diamonds for dollars
What comes to mind when you hear the word “pawnshop”?
Most of us think of shady characters dealing
in stolen goods or poor widows pawning their wedding
rings on the wrong side of town. Although such shops do
exist, so do luxury pawnbrokers. Here, companies can
pawn valuable jewellery or even cars to quickly raise
enough money to stay in business.
“Small business owners form 65 per cent of our business,”
says Paul Aitken, CEO of online pawnbroker Borro
in London. “Within that bracket we include people from
sole proprietorship to over 200 employees,” Aitken told
the Financial Times. “They are often people who have
bought assets when the going was good and now want to
Cash in a hurry:
modern pawnbrokers
help entrepreneurs
advanced
turn them back into cash without delay.” The Borro vault
in Chancery Lane contains things like a Cartier diamond
and pearl necklace worth £50,000. The company also
stores fine art with Christie’s auction house and has a
large number of Ferraris and Porsches.
The US online firm Pawngo offers a “five-star service”
according to its CEO, Todd Hills. “The thing I hear from
customers most often is that business is good but the
money is coming in slower,” Hills says. “Typically, my customers
are entrepreneurs who in the past had a lot of access
to credit, who are now finding banks more reluctant.
Nowadays, banks have to go through a lot of procedure
and are not really helping out small business.”
Listen to this text on Business Spotlight Audio
iStockphoto
What they said…
“Most of what we call management
consists of making it difficult for
people to get their work done”
Peter Drucker (1909–2005), Austrian-born author and management
consultant
“I used to sell furniture for a living.
The trouble was, it was my own”
Les Dawson (1931–93), British comedian
“There’s something boring about
people who have to go to an office
for a living”
Karl Lagerfeld, 80, German fashion designer
access [(Äkses]
hier: Zugriffsmöglichkeit(en)
assets [(Äsets]
Vermögenswerte, -gegenstände
boring [(bO:rIN]
langweilig
bracket [(brÄkIt]
Segment
CEO (chief executive officer) Hauptgeschäftsführer(in)
[)si: i: (EU]
entrepreneur [)QntrEprE(n§:] Unternehmer(in)
for a living [)fO:r E (lIvIN] zum Erwerb des Lebensunterhalts
going: when the ~ is good [(gEUIN] wenn alles gut läuft
management consultant Unternehmensberater(in)
[)mÄnIdZmEnt kEn(sVltEnt]
necklace [(neklEs]
Halskette
pawn sth. [pO:n]
etw. verpfänden
pawnbroker [(pO:n)brEUkE] Pfandleiher(in)
pawnshop [(pO:nSQp]
Pfandleihe(geschäft)
procedure [prEU(si:dZE] Modalität(en)
reluctant [ri(lVktEnt]
zurückhaltend
shady [(SeIdi] ifml.
zwielichtig
sole proprietorship
Einzelinhaberschaft; hier: Ein-
[)sEUl prE(praIEtESIp]
Personen-Unternehmen
vault [vO:lt]
Tresorraum
widow [(wIdEU]
Witwe
G. Gorman
“I always wanted to be somebody.
I should have been more specific”
Lily Tomlin, 74, US actress (Nine to Five) and comedienne
8 www.business-spotlight.de 6/2013

Calling home?
It’s going to cost him
a lot of money
U.S.
Behind bars
Phone calls are cheap these days. Well, cheap in most
places at least. But if you are a prison inmate, calling
home can be very expensive indeed.
That’s because prisoners don’t have Skype or flat rates.
The Economist reports that an inmate in a state prison in
Georgia has to pay $9.99 (€7.50) for a six-minute call to
a neighboring state. This is what most Americans pay in a
month — for an unlimited number of domestic calls.
Cheap phone rates are a result of tough competition. But
most states give a single company a monopoly on prison
telephone services. To avoid high prices, prisoners frequently
deal in illegal cell phones.
Foster Campbell of the Louisiana Public Service Commission
describes prisoners as “poor people in bad situations
with no voice and no political clout.” Politicians
don’t support them because they don’t want voters to think
they are soft on criminals. But social workers say that
many prisoners are parents. The 2.7 million children of
prisoners are suffering because their parents cannot afford
89
Percentage of professionals
worldwide who told the social-media
platform LinkedIn they were unable
to complete all the tasks on their
daily to-do lists. The respondents
said this was mainly because of
interruptions: email, unscheduled
meetings and telephone calls.
Sources: Chicago Tribune; LinkedIn (www.linkedin.com)
Behind bars [bi)haInd (bA:rz*]
caucus [(kO:kEs]
hinter Gittern
Gremium; hier: parlamentarische
Interessengruppe
Handy
Macht, Einfluss
Wettbewerb
Inlands-
hier: überhöht, überteuert
Gefängnisinsasse/-insassin
Berufstätige(r) mit qualifizierter
Ausbildung
Befragte(r)
nachsichtig mit jmdm. sein
ungeplant
cell phone [(sel foUn*] US
clout [klaUt]
competition [)kA:mpE(tIS&n*]
domestic [dE(mestIk]
excessive [Ik(sesIv]
prison inmate [(prIz&n )InmeIt]
professional [prE(feS&nEl]
respondent [ri(spQndEnt]
soft: be ~ on sb. [sO:ft*] US
unscheduled [Vn(Sedju:ld]
* This symbol marks standard US pronunciation that differs from standard
UK pronunciation.
easy US
Comstock
to call them. Politician Eleanor Holmes Norton wants to
help. Norton is head of the Congressional Black Caucus’s
Prison Telecom Reform Working Group. She says telecommunications
companies are charging “excessive telephone
rates from the people in society least able to pay them.”
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6/2013
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iStockphoto
Call of
the sea
Wie wär’s mit einer kurzen Besichtigungsreise durch
Nova Scotia, und zwar jetzt gleich? Kein Problem! Eine
Firma, die Webcams installiert, macht es möglich.
Begleiten Sie MARGARET DAVIS zu Sehenswürdigkeiten in
der zweitkleinsten Provinz Kanadas.
medium
Nova Scotian symbol:
Peggys Cove Lighthouse

NOVA SCOTIA WEBCAMS GLOBAL BUSINESS ■
You may never have heard of Nova Scotia —
and that’s not surprising. Despite its breathtaking
coastal scenery, the second-smallest
province in Canada is not high on the list of international
destinations. Most European flights
to Canada land in Montreal, Toronto or Vancouver, not
the Nova Scotian capital of Halifax.
According to the provincial government, the workforce
in Nova Scotia has Canada’s highest level of post-secondary
education. But finding jobs there has never been easy. Traditionally,
like the rest of Atlantic Canada, Nova Scotia has
had a resource-based economy. Although farming and
forestry remain important, the region has been hard-hit by
the decline of the fishing, coal mining and steel industries.
Tourism has played a role in the economic life of the
province since the 1870s, when sport fishermen and
hunters began visiting Nova Scotia, travelling by boat and
train from the US. The rise of private automobile travel
in the 1920s and 30s increased the number of visitors.
It also encouraged the province to develop marketing
programmes aimed at wealthy travellers from the US and
other parts of Canada. The slogan “Canada’s Ocean Playground”,
which still appears on
the province’s car number plates,
was created in 1926. In 1922, the
first year for which statistics are
available, 49,000 people visited
Nova Scotia. Today, that number
is closer to two million visitors a
year. According to the Nova Scotia
Tourism Agency (NSTA), tourism is worth Can$ 2 billion
(about €1.5 billion) and provides 24,000 jobs. Still,
tourism numbers have been dropping in Canada, and
Nova Scotia is no exception. That’s why the newly formed
agency has launched a five-year strategy to develop new
markets, including emerging ones like Brazil and China. It
is also focusing on new media. “Sixty-five per cent of travellers
research destinations online before deciding where to
go; 85 per cent use their smartphones while travelling, and
70 per cent update their Facebook
status while on vacation,” the NSTA
writes in a position paper. “Twothirds
of would-be tourists view
videos to help select destinations.”
Originally
from near Nuremberg, Pickart
emi-grated to Nova Scotia in 2004
after spending a week in the province
during a 1999 holiday to Canada.
“That was enough to get me hooked,”
he says.
Ralf Pickart: German
entrepreneur in Canada
Pickart is the CEO of QVISTO Inc., a company that provides
webcams and mobile cameras, as well as producing
time-lapse videos. He also owns Nova Scotia Webcams, an
award-winning tourism-marketing platform that makes
use of live, high-resolution images and social-media components.
Visitors to the website can choose from over 60
cameras, with views from around the province, ranging
from the Halifax waterfront to Peggys Cove Lighthouse to
a golf course in the Cape Breton Highlands. Extra features
Tourism has played a role in the province’s
economic life since the 1870s
include a 24-hour history button and, in the case of webcams
in Halifax Harbour, a ship tracker. Clicking on the
“location” button takes visitors to a map of the province
so that they can see the surrounding area.
Pickart started Nova Scotia Webcams in 2010. “I was
self-employed in Germany in the computer business, so I
thought something similar would work in Nova Scotia as
well,” he explains. “I was also in contact with a German
manufacturer of security cameras, so I set up a business to
4
billion [(bIljEn]
Milliarde(n)
Nuremberg [(njUErEmb§:g]
button [(bVt&n]
Schaltfeld, -fläche
on vacation [)A:n veI(keIS&n*] N. Am.
CEO (chief executive officer) [)si: i: (EU] Hauptgeschäftsführer(in) playground [(pleIgraUnd]
coal mining [(kEUl )maInIN]
Kohleabbau,- förderung
position paper [pE(zIS&n )peIpE]
cove [kEUv]
Bucht
post-secondary education
decline [di(klaIn]
Niedergang
[)pEUst )sekEndEri edju(keIS&n]
develop (a market) [di(velEp]
(einen Markt) erschließen research sth. [ri(s§:tS]
emerging market [i)m§:dZIN (mA:kIt] Schwellenland
resource-based economy
extra feature [)ekstrE (fi:tSE]
Sonderfunktion
[ri)zO:s )beIst i(kQnEmi]
forestry [(fQrIstri]
Forstwirtschaft
self-employed: be ~ [)self Im(plOId]
golf course [(gQlf kO:s]
Golfplatz
set sth. up [)set (Vp]
high-resolution [)haI rezE(lu:S&n] hochauflösend
ship tracker [(SIp )trÄkE]
hooked: get sb. ~ [hUkt] ifml.
jmdn. total begeistern
Inc. (incorporated)
etwa: AG
time-lapse video [)taIm lÄps (vIdiEU]
[In(kO:rpEreItId*] N. Am.
launch sth. [lO:ntS]
etw. ins Leben rufen, starten
update sth. [)Vp(deIt]
waterfront [(wO:tEfrVnt]
lighthouse [(laIthaUs]
Leuchtturm
work [w§:k]
Nova Scotia [)nEUvE (skEUSE]
Neuschottland
workforce [(w§:kfO:s]
number plate [(nVmbE pleIt] UK Nummernschild
would-be tourist [)wUd bi: (tUErIst]
* This symbol marks standard North American pronunciation that differs from standard UK pronunciation.
Nürnberg
im Urlaub
hier: Tummelplatz
Positions-, Arbeitspapier
Universitätsstudium bzw. Besuch
einer Berufsfachschule
etw. recherchieren
auf Ressourcen basierende
Wirtschaft
selbstständig tätig sein
etw. einrichten; gründen
Programm zur Verfolgung von
Schiffspositionen
Zeitraffervideo
etw. aktualisieren
Hafenviertel
hier: funktionieren
erwerbstätige Bevölkerung
Person, die verreisen möchte
6/2013
www.business-spotlight.de 11

■ GLOBAL BUSINESS NOVA SCOTIA WEBCAMS
Webcam views: the appeal of
coastal scenery
sell security cameras as a wholesaler and the webcam part
came as a side effect. I met someone who offered me a
place on a tall building overlooking Halifax Harbour, so I
set up a demo camera. We got very good comments from
visitors to the website and from there, one camera came after
another and in the meantime, we have 65 or so.”
Today, more than 50,000 virtual tourists visit Nova Scotia
Webcams every month. And they aren’t just looking —
many of them post their own pictures or upload screenshots
from the cameras. Discussions are lively, on everything
from Nova Scotian ancestors to moose sightings. “It’s
a community,” Pickart says. “I don’t know if you recognize
this as a visitor to the site, but different people meet
at different cameras and start conversations. So you don’t
have all the same people on all the cameras.”
also the
quirkiest — the Lobster Cam. Launched in 2011, it is in a
lobster trap at the bottom of Halifax Harbour. The camera
got 14,000 hits on its first day and continues to draw
visitors from all over the world, some of whom visit every
day and stay on the camera for hours. “There’s a market
for underwater cameras, so combining something Nova
Scotian with a technology I have to offer — that’s basically
how it came about,” Pickart says.
The camera is operated in cooperation with a Halifax
restaurant and tour business, Murphy’s Cable Wharf.
ABOUT NOVA SCOTIA
Total population: 921,727 (2011)
Capital: Halifax (population 297,943)
Languages: English (92.53%), French (3.62%)
Ethnic origins: Scottish (28.3%), English (28.1%),
Irish (19.9%), French (17.7%), Aboriginal (10.2%),
German (10%)
First European settlement: 1605 by French colonists
at Port-Royal (now Annapolis Royal)
“They have educational lobster licences from the department
of fisheries for their nature tours,” Pickart explains.
“They take tourists out with boats to show them how to
catch lobster. They have to release the lobsters after they
catch them and they also have to keep statistics about the
size of the lobsters they catch. So we can tell our visitors
that the lobsters in the trap don’t end up in the pot — at
least not directly from our trap!” he adds with a laugh.
model is
selling advertising around images and partnering with businesses
that want to promote their attractions. “We offer
the webcams as a service, so we come and check the location,
see what place shows the best view and then install
the camera and bring it online on the website,” Pickart
says. “These businesses pay an initial setup fee and then a
monthly fee. We sell the advertising space to advertising
networks, or customers buy directly from us.” Advertising
can be aimed at specific groups within the province, in
other parts of Canada, the US or the rest of the world.
A third aspect of the business are time-lapse videos,
especially for construction companies, such as the one
aboriginal [)ÄbE(rIdZ&nEl]
ancestor [(ÄnsestE]
come about [)kVm E(baUt]
construction company
[kEn(strVkS&n )kVmpEni]
department of fisheries
[di)pA:tmEnt Ev (fISEriz]
hits: get … ~ [hIts]
initial [I(nIS&l]
in the meantime [)In DE (mi:ntaIm]
lobster cam [(lQbstE kÄm]
moose [mu:s]
quirky [(kw§:ki]
release sb./sth. [ri(li:s]
screenshot [(skri:nSQt]
setup fee [(setVp fi:]
side effect [(saId E)fekt]
trap [trÄp]
wharf [wO:f]
wholesaler [(hEUlseI&lE]
eingeboren; Eingeborene(r)
Vorfahr(in)
zustande kommen
Baufirma
Fischerei-Ministerium
...mal aufgerufen werden
anfänglich
mittlerweile
Hummer-Kamera
Elch
schrullig; hier: ausgefallen
jmdn./etw. freilassen
Bildschirmfoto
Einrichtungsgebühr
Nebeneffekt
Falle
Kai
Großhändler(in)
12 www.business-spotlight.de 6/2013

“Many visitors go to places where we have
cameras and call friends to watch them online”
Privacy concerns? Not with
these cameras
currently building a new convention centre in downtown
Halifax. “The construction company wants to see the
progress from the beginning to the finished building,”
Pickart explains. “So we offer the live view on our website
but also the high-resolution images, with HD quality,
on our servers. We create a time-lapse video at the end of
every month or so.”
Has Pickart ever
had complaints about people being recognized on the webcams?
“We discuss privacy concerns with the camera
sponsor before setting up a new camera,” he says. “Usually,
our cameras are placed in a way which does not allow
the identification of any person. In cases where this
is possible or even intended, signs make visitors aware of
the camera and the website.” In fact, he says, some people
actually want to be seen. “Our cameras are meant to
encourage travel. Many visitors go to places where we have
cameras installed and call friends to watch them online.”
Pickart, who gives his job title on LinkedIn as “Chief
Webcam Guy”, describes the business as a “one-man operation”,
although he does have freelancers working on
advertising sales and helping to install cameras. Management
of the Facebook and Twitter sites is also outsourced,
Chief Webcam Guy [)tSi:f (webkÄm gaI]
(guy ifml.
convention centre
[kEn(venS&n )sentE]
convert [(kQnv§:t]
easy-going [)i:zi (gEUIN]
freelancer [(fri:lA:nsE]
fund [fVnd]
HD (high-definition) [)eItS (di:]
job title [(dZQb )taIt&l]
outsource sth. [(aUtsO:s]
privacy [(prIvEsi]
unanimous [ju(nÄnImEs]
etwa: Hauptwebcammer
Mann, Typ)
Kongresszentrum
Konvertit(in); hier: Fan
locker, relaxed
Freiberufler(in)
Fonds
hochauflösend
Berufsbezeichnung
etw. auslagern
Privatsphäre
einstimmig
although Pickart does post himself if he sees something
interesting. “It’s a pretty easy-going company,” he says. “It
works very well right now.”
Earlier this year, Nova Scotia Webcams was the winner
of a Can$ 36,000 award from the Extreme Tourism Fund,
which is sponsored by provincial tourism organizations
and the Extreme Group, a marketing agency. The unanimous
choice of the judges, Nova Scotia Webcams was
praised for its “initiative and vision”. The award, which
includes free marketing services, will allow the company
to redesign and improve its website.
to Nova Scotia
rather than staying in Germany or moving to another part
of Canada, Pickart answers like a good businessman —
and a Nova Scotia convert: “It’s a completely different
lifestyle with a higher quality of life,” he says. “Check out
Nova Scotia Webcams, spend a vacation here and you’ll
know why.”
■BS
For more information
WEBSITES
■ Nova Scotia Webcams: www.novascotiawebcams.com
■ Watch a time-lapse video of a hurricane at Peggys Cove:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=7lzfOJ-IkVY
■ Information on emigrating to Nova Scotia can be found here:
http://novascotiaimmigration.ca
■ The Nova Scotia Archives has a detailed feature on the history
of tourism in the province: www.gov.ns.ca/nsarm/virtual/
tourism/default.asp?Language=English
MARGARET DAVIS is a Canadian journalist. She is the
editor of the Careers and Global Business sections of
Business Spotlight — and comes from Nova Scotia herself.
Contact her at: m.davis@spotlight-verlag.de
6/2013
www.business-spotlight.de 13

■ GLOBAL BUSINESS HEAD-TO-HEAD
Politicians as lobbyists?
Wer könnte als Lobbyist politische Entscheidungen besser beeinflussen als ein Politiker selbst? Doch sollte
ihm das auch tatsächlich gestattet sein? VICKI SUSSENS gibt Argumente dafür und dagegen wieder. advanced
NO!
“This undermines
America’s faith
in government”
JACK ABRAMOFF
For more than ten years, I lobbied Congress in
Washington, DC. During that time, I spared no
effort to make sure my clients succeeded in their
goals. Some of these efforts, unfortunately, turned
out to be illegal, causing my demise and eventual imprisonment.
The controversy that followed caused many American
political leaders to lose their careers, and resulted in a
change in the control of Congress, as well as in legislation
reform. The media attention on the US lobbying industry
and the efforts of activists wanting reform made life more
difficult for lobbyists.
The legislation they promoted focused on preventing lobbyists
from using financial resources to create inappropriate
relationships with members of Congress. However, very
little was done about another major source of political
corruption: the “revolving door”, whereby people move
between jobs as lawmakers and as lobbyists.
Members of Congress and their staff are prime recruitment
targets for lobbying firms because of their unparalleled
access to the decision-makers. In the lobbying business,
access and persuasion are the two main things required,
and virtually all lobbyists come to the business with
a public-service background.
In my book Capitol Punishment, I showed that the
employment starts long before the politician considers
leaving Congress, at least, indirectly. I found that simply
asking someone whether they wanted to work for our firm
gave me a more powerful influence on them than any political
[financial] contributions would have. Even candidates
who didn’t want to leave politics found being asked
so ego-affirming that it changed our working relationship.
It was rare that people I had asked did not then give great
consideration to all my lobbying requests.
Several politicians who planned to join our firm in the
future had in reality already started working for us. Like
anyone with their eye on their career, that next position
consumed them. And, worse, while they were doing a huge
service to our firm, they remained on the public payroll.
Polls show huge public anger at people who train to be lobbyists
while on the public payroll. That behaviour undermines
America’s faith in government, which undercuts a
foundation of our civilization. This is devastating.
After surviving the scandal that bore my name and a
long prison sentence, I reflected on my lobbying career and
decided to join the forces of reform. I realized that the revolving
door was perhaps the most dangerous and corrupting
challenge we faced. Dangerous because it seems so
harmless and is defended from high moral grounds. Corrupting
because human instinct cannot be changed, and the
idea of future wealth is a powerful lure for a government
employee. It would be far better to ban government employees
from entering the lobbying industry and to relieve
our public servants of this relentless pressure to compromise
their high standards.
JACK ABRAMOFF, now promoting lobby reform, was a highly influential
lobbyist in the Bush Administration. In 2006, he was
sentenced to six years in prison for corruption. He tells the story
in Capitol Punishment: The Hard Truth about Washington Corruption
from America’s Most Notorious Lobbyist. The film Casino
Jack, with Kevin Spacey playing Abramoff, is based on his life.
capitol punishment
Wortspiel mit „capital pun-
[)kÄpIt&l (pVnISmEnt]
ishment“ (Todesstrafe)
demise [di(maIz]
Niedergang; hier: Ende der
Karriere
devastating [(devEsteItIN]
verheerend
ego-affirming [(i:gEU E)f§:mIN]
das Selbstgefühl stärkend
high moral grounds: from ~
aus dem Gefühl heraus,
[)haI )mQrEl (graUndz]
moralisch im Recht zu sein
inappropriate [)InE(prEUpriEt]
unangemessen
lure [ljUE]
Verlockung
poll [pEUl]
Meinungsumfrage
public payroll: be on the ~ [)pVblIk (peIrEUl] beim Staat angestellt sein
recruitment target [ri)kru:tmEnt (tA:gIt] Ziel(person) der Anwerbung
relentless [ri(lentlEs]
unablässig
relieve sb. of sth. [ri(li:v]
jmdn. von etw. entlasten
revolving door [ri)vQlvIN (dO:]
Drehtür
sentence [(sentEns]
Strafe
spare no effort [)speE nEU (efEt]
keine Mühen scheuen
undercut sth. [)VndE(kVt]
etw. unterhöhlen
14 www.business-spotlight.de 6/2013

Digital Vision
Too much power: how corrupt
is the lobbying system?
YES!
“All politicians
are lobbied —
and lobby
themselves”
MARK BOLEAT
The role of lobbyists is often controversial, with adjectives
such as “shadowy” and “secretive” being
used to describe it. The impression is sometimes
given that public policy is unduly influenced by
rather sinister people, offering generous hospitality and,
occasionally, actual bribes.
The normal response to controversy is regulation, and
in many countries, lobbyists are indeed regulated — although
the effect is not clear. Proposals for legislation that
would require “consultant lobbyists” to be registered have
assessment [E(sesmEnt]
bribe [braIb]
donor [(dEUnE]
draft sth. [drA:ft]
exempted: be ~ from sth. [Ig(zemptId]
funding [(fVndIN]
hospitality [)hQspI(tÄlEti]
impact [(ImpÄkt]
raise funds [)reIz (fVndz]
retainer [ri(teInE]
secretive [(si:krEtIv]
shadowy [(SÄdEUi]
sinister [(sInIstE]
trade association [(treId EsEUsi)eIS&n]
trade union [)treId (ju:niEn]
unduly [Vn(dju:li]
Bewertung
Bestechung
Spender(in), Geldgeber(in)
etw. abfassen
von etw. ausgenommen sein
Finanzierung
Gastfreundschaft
Auswirkung(en)
finanzielle Mittel beschaffen
Vorschuss; hier: Pauschale
heimlichtuerisch
zwielichtig
finster
Berufs-, Wirtschaftsverband
Gewerkschaft
übermäßig
recently been published in Britain. However, this legislation
seems to have been so badly drafted that, under the
current proposals, all lobbyists would be exempted from
registration.
One particular concern is whether current or former
politicians should be allowed to be lobbyists. In many
countries, members of parliament are often paid retainers
by lobbying firms. This is generally in exchange for contact
with politicians, general advice on the political scene
and the occasional introduction to ministers.
Lobbyists no doubt exercise some undue influence.
However, so too do many groups, including trade unions,
trade associations, foreign governments and even local
banks. It seems unreasonable to pick out for special treatment
the lobbyists who provide a service to interest groups
rather than the interest groups themselves.
Any attempt to define “lobbying” or to ban particular
groups of people from being lobbyists is going to run into
almost impossible definitional problems. This is the case
with the British legislation, which strangely seems concerned
only with lobbyists making personal representations
to ministers or civil servants.
To ban politicians from lobbying also makes no sense.
All politicians are lobbied — and lobby themselves. Even
David Cameron, the British prime minister, has to spend
much of his time lobbying other world leaders. Members
of parliament frequently lobby for their favourite projects
or lobby for tactical reasons.
So what should be done? State funding of political parties
would reduce the need for the parties to raise funds
from large donors who expect to get something in return.
And to prevent undue influence, there should be a proper
declaration of interests by national politicians. And policy
proposals should be accompanied by an assessment of their
impact. If third parties, not just lobbyists, generally have
too much influence, there is something wrong with the political
system. Preventing politicians from being lobbyists
wouldn’t solve this problem.
■BS
MARK BOLEAT is the chairman of the City of London’s Policy and
Resources Committee and chairman of the Channel Islands Competition
and Regulatory Authorities. He has extensive experience
in policymaking as a regulator and politician and as head of national
trade associations.
6/2013
www.business-spotlight.de 15

At home in the
kitchen: blogger and
cook Jack Monroe
Blogging for
the poor
H. Hamilton/The Guardian
Wer einmal am Existenzminimum lebt, findet nur schwer aus seiner Armut wieder heraus. PATRICK BUTLER
berichtet von einer Alleinerziehenden, die zunächst in einem Blog ihre verzweifelte Lage beschreibt und auch
auf andere Weise aktiv wird, um ihre eigene Situation und die anderer zu verbessern.
advanced
Ayear ago, a clever, unemployed 24-year-old
single mother in Southend, England, wrote a
blog post about the fear, humiliation and desperation
of living on the breadline. It is a moving
and powerful description of the reality of
modern poverty. Jack Monroe wrote the blog post, called
“Hunger Hurts”, when she was desperate: no money, the
food cupboard bare, the housing benefit cheque inexplicably
£100 less than usual. Monroe describes in detail how
she had asset-stripped her life to pay the bills: sold her
watch, iPhone and TV. She writes of the paradox that the
poorer she gets, the more expensive her electricity becomes,
as the supply is moved from mains to meter.
“Poverty is the sinking feeling when your small boy finishes
his one Weetabix and says: ‘More, Mummy, bread
and jam, please, Mummy,’ as you’re wondering whether to
take the TV or the guitar to the pawnshop first, and how
to tell him that there is no bread or jam,” she wrote. This
and other posts are filled with an exact description and details
of a life in poverty: the forensic accounting that accompanied
every trip to the supermarket; the shame of
asset-strip one’s life
[)Äset )strIp wVnz (laIf]
forensic accounting
[fE)rensIk E(kaUntIN]
housing benefit [(haUzIN )benIfIt] UK
humiliation [hju)mIli(eIS&n]
live on the breadline
[)lIv Qn DE (bredlaIn] UK
mains [meInz] UK
meter [(mi:tE]
pawnshop [(pO:nSQp]
single mother [)sINg&l (mVDE]
sinking [(sINkIN]
Weetabix [(wi:tEbIks]
seine Wertsachen veräußern
forensische Rechnungsprüfung
Wohngeld, Mietzuschuss
Demütigung
am Existenzminimum leben
Hauptstromleitung,
Stromversorgungsnetz
Zähler
Pfandleihe(geschäft)
Alleinerziehende
bang
Vollkorn-Weizen-Keks (Marke)
16 www.business-spotlight.de 6/2013

PROFILE GLOBAL BUSINESS ■
being sent to a food bank; the time
she sold the entire contents of her
house — dishes, curtains and all —
to pay rent arrears; the hundreds of
failed job applications, carefully
typed out on a mobile phone; the fear
that all of this might somehow attract the attention of
children’s social services.
It isn’t just the stories of poverty that make the blog A
Girl Called Jack so unusual, however, but the recipes.
Dozens of them, beautifully presented and photographed,
and carefully calculated: Mumma Jack’s Best Ever Chilli,
30p, or Oh My God Dinner, 28p.
Filled with humour and practical advice about the
weekly price movements of supermarket food, it is a plainspeaking
austerity cookery guide — how to feed yourself
and your toddler on £10 a week, in ways that are healthy,
tasty and, importantly, varied.
The recipes require a minimum of kitchen equipment.
They are fuel-efficient, rarely taking longer than 15 minutes
to prepare. Ingredients are what you might find in an
ordinary local supermarket. There is a risk, of course, that
Monroe’s recipes will be seen as proof that food poverty
is a myth, or that benefit payments must be too high.
Cooking can be done cheaply, she says, but it is more complicated
than that. She had been passionate about cooking
Entbehrung, Spar-
Sozialhilfezahlung
Jugendamt
austerity [O:(sterEti]
benefit payment [(benIfIt )peImEnt]
children’s social services
[)tSIldrEnz )sEUS&l (s§:vIsIz] UK
council house
[(kaUns&l haUs] UK
escapism [I(skeIp)IzEm]
food bank [(fu:d bÄNk] US
fuel-efficient [(fju:El i)fIS&nt]
housing benefit [(haUzIN )benIfIt] UK
infuriated [In(fjUErieItId]
ingredient [In(gri:diEnt]
in the first place [)In DE (f§:st pleIs]
lentil stew [)lentIl (stju:]
light bulb [(laIt bVlb]
p (pence) [pi:]
person on benefits [)p§:s&n Qn (benIfIts]
plain-speaking [(pleIn )spi:kIN]
price sth. out [)praIs (aUt]
quid [kwId] UK ifml.
ready meal [)redi (mi:&l] UK
recipe [(resEpi]
rent arrears [(rent E)rIEz]
shopping basket [(SQpIN )bA:skIt]
shopping trolley [(SQpIN )trQli] UK
strand [strÄnd]
toddler [(tQd&lE]
unplug sth. [)Vn(plVg]
unscrew sth. [)Vn(skru:]
Welfare Reform Act
[)welfeE ri(fO:m Äkt] UK
“Poverty is wondering how to tell your
son there is no more bread or jam”
Haus im sozialen
Wohnungsbau
Flucht (aus der Wirklichkeit)
Lebensmitteltafel für
Bedürftige
kraftstoffsparend; hier:
wenig Energie verbrauchend
Wohngeld, Mietzuschuss
wütend
Zutat
von vornherein
Linseneintopf
Glühbirne
Pence
Sozialhilfeempfänger(in)
klar, eindeutig
hier: etw. aufgrund des
Preises ausschließen
Pfund
Fertiggericht
Rezept
Mietrückstand/-rückstände
Warenkorb
Einkaufswagen
Strang; hier: Art
Kleinkind
den Stecker von etw. herausziehen
etw. herausschrauben
etwa: Gesetz zur Reform der
Sozialhilfe
ever since her food technology course at school (“a form
of escapism from all the words and numbers”). Not only
did she have the skills to experiment with her own dishes,
she says, but, more importantly, she had the confidence.
“Food poverty comes in two strands. The first is not having
enough money to buy food for yourself and your family.
The second is poverty of education. If you give someone
£20 and say, ‘Feed your family for the week on it,’
a lot of people just couldn’t do it adequately and that’s
because there’s — and I do blame the ready-meal industry
for it, because it is so easy and so attractively packaged,
and you just put it in a microwave — a disconnection between
what’s in that packet, and how simple and cheap
it might be to make it for yourself. I think if we can solve
food education then we are part of the way to solving
food poverty.”
The blog is a colourful response to those who say that
people on benefits should just make a cheap lentil stew
to feed themselves all week: “I do use lentils in my cooking
— I make polenta bolognaise, I make burgers out of
them — but I do get infuriated by people who say, ‘Oh, just
eat lentils.’ Actually, if you were to buy a bag of dried
lentils, it would cost you a couple of quid. Some people
don’t have that to spend in the first place. And not everyone
wants to eat lentils.”
Monroe talks about how difficult it is for people
who are already on low incomes to deal with further cuts
to their budgets. Losing £14 a week to the bedroom tax
may not seem a lot to some people, but for others, she says,
it will mean they go hungry. “There are people who can’t
[even] save £4 a week. There are people like me who, when
Sainsbury’s put the price of a basic jar of jam up from 29p
to 35p, it means you have got to put something back in
your shopping trolley because that 6p price rise has priced
it out of your shopping basket.
“I think back to this time last year. When you’ve got to
the point where you have unplugged your fridge and you
have unscrewed your light bulbs and you have sold every-
A CLOSER LOOK
The bedroom tax refers to a section of Britain’s Welfare
Reform Act of 2012 that reduces the amount people can get
as a housing benefit if they are judged to have more space
than they need in a council house. Among the requirements
of the act are that two children of the same sex under the age
of 16 are expected to share a bedroom; two children under
ten are expected to share a room whatever their sex.
4
6/2013
www.business-spotlight.de 17

■ GLOBAL BUSINESS PROFILE
“People see me in the
media and forget
I sleep on a mattress
on the floor”
Endless choices:
but not if you are poor
thing you own and you
are eating value kidney
beans out of the pan, or
using the child’s formula
milk that the food bank
gave you. Where was I
supposed to find £14
back then?”
Things have since improved
for Monroe. The
blog (agirlcalledjack.com)
is a huge success. Penguin
has asked her to write an austerity cookbook, which
will appear in February 2014. She makes occasional TV
appearances, talking about poverty and benefits. In February
2013, her local paper, the Echo, gave her a job as a
trainee reporter. In May, her blog won the judges’ choice
prize at the Fortnum & Mason food awards (they praised
Monroe’s recipes as “so nutritious and thrifty that they are
being handed out by food banks as examples of how to
manage on next to nothing”).
Not bad for the working-class girl who got a place at an
exclusive grammar school, but left at 16, bullied and disillusioned.
Monroe might still be a call handler for Essex
benefit scrounger
[(benIfIt )skraUndZE] ifml.
bully sb. [(bUli]
call handler [(kO:l )hÄndlE]
cause [kO:z]
champion sth. [(tSÄmpjEn]
evict sb. [I(vIkt]
fire service [(faIE )s§:vIs]
formula milk [(fO:mjUlE )mIlk]
grammar school [(grÄmE sku:l] UK
house share [(haUs SeE] UK
loaded [(lEUdId] ifml.
make ends meet [)meIk endz (mi:t]
margin [(mA:dZIn]
mattress [(mÄtrEs]
nutritious [nju(trISEs]
stamp one’s feet
[)stÄmp wVnz (fi:t]
thrifty [(TrIfti]
turn sb. down [)t§:n (daUn]
value [(vÄlju:]
Sozialschmarotzer(in)
jmdn. mobben, schikanieren
Mitarbeiter(in) in der Telefonzentrale
Sache, Anliegen
sich für etw. einsetzen
jmdn. auf die Straße setzen
Feuerwehr
Flaschenmilch (für Säuglinge)
etwa: Gymnasium
Wohngemeinschaft
stinkreich
über die Runden kommen
(äußerster) Rand
Matratze
nahrhaft
mit den Füßen stampfen;
hier: seinem Unmut Luft
machen
sparsam; hier: kostengünstig
jmdn. ablehnen
hier: aus einem günstigen
Angebot
fire service had she not resigned because she could no
longer combine night shifts and motherhood. The blog
might not have happened had she not been unemployed for
18 months, and been turned down for hundreds of jobs,
many of them because she was considered “too old” at the
age of 24. Poverty, almost paradoxically, gave her a voice.
Yet she still has financial problems. When the
BBC reported that she would be paid £25,000 for her book
deal last year, the housing benefit office stopped payments
until it could see her book contract, nearly causing her to
be evicted. She has now moved to a cheaper house share
to escape the tyranny of housing benefit. “Because I’m in
the media quite a lot now, everyone assumes that everything
is fine. People forget I sleep on a mattress on the floor
with my son in a house I share with five other people. They
see me on Sky News and think, ‘Oh, you must be loaded
now.’” Yet she is one of the working poor: “I go out to
work every day, but I still can’t afford to make ends meet.”
Monroe is an energetic anti-poverty campaigner, angered
equally by the media’s brutal attacks on “benefit
scroungers” and the inability of politicians and policymakers
to understand the margins of breadline life. “I’m not
going to stop championing causes, campaigning and
stamping my feet about things that are wrong, just because
I may not be in that position any more. Until people realize
‘benefits’ doesn’t mean ‘scrounger’, and austerity isn’t
a fun middle-class way to grow your own vegetables,
there’s still a lot of work to do.”
■BS
© Guardian News & Media 2013
plus For exercises on this topic, see Business Spotlight plus
Sainsbury’s
18 www.business-spotlight.de 6/2013

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BUSINESS PRESS GLOBAL BUSINESS ■
Behind the headlines
Headlines in the English-language media are often difficult to understand because they use jargon and
wordplay, and leave out words. Here, we look at the meaning of recent business headlines.
advanced
Financial Times
The Guardian
Cashmere if you can: This is a play on words. “Catch me
if you can” is a playful phrase used to mean: “You won’t
be able to catch up with me.” Here, it refers to the French
luxury-goods group LVMH, which bought an 80 per cent
stake in Loro Piana, after having acquired three other Italian
luxury-goods firms in the past two years. Loro Piana
produces cashmere products. LVMH’s head, Bernard Arnault,
is also nicknamed “the wolf in cashmere”.
In simple English: A business involving cashmere is doing
so well that others will find it hard to catch up.
The Economist
Airport expansion uncertainty: This compound noun refers
to the uncertainty as to whether or not the London airports
Heathrow, Stansted and Gatwick will be expanded (and
whether or not a new airport will be built in the Thames
Estuary).
blights: To “blight” something means to “spoil, harm or
destroy it”.
property values: The value of people’s houses near the current
and proposed airports.
In simple English: The uncertainty as to whether airports
(in London) will be expanded is destroying the value of
nearby houses.
The Wall Street Journal
Green and back: This headline uses wordplay. “Greenback”
is an informal word for the US dollar. It comes from
the name of legal tender notes issued by the US during the
American Civil War (1861–65). Printed on one side only
with green ink, they came to be known as “greenbacks”.
Here “green” is also used symbolically. If one is given the
“green light” on something, one has the permission to go
ahead with it. The headline refers to a rise in the dollar after
a signal was given by the Federal Reserve that it will
stop buying so many bonds with newly created money. The
headline is saying that the dollar is making a “comeback”.
In simple English: The US dollar is showing strength again.
bond [bQnd]
capital letter [)kÄpIt&l (letE]
cashmere [(kÄSmIE]
catch up with sb. [)kÄtS (Vp wID]
compound noun [)kQmpaUnd (naUn]
down payment [)daUn (peImEnt]
estuary [(estjUri]
Federal Reserve [)fedErEl ri(z§:v]
impose sth. on sb./sth. [Im(pEUz Qn]
issue sth. [(ISu:]
legal tender [)li:g&l (tendE]
nicknamed: be ~ [(nIkneImd]
stake [steIk]
Thames [temz]
wordplay [(w§:dpleI]
Anleihe
Großbuchstabe
[wg. Aussprache]
jmdn. einholen
zusammengesetztes Substantiv
Anzahlung
Mündung
US-Notenbank
etw. jmdm./etw. auferlegen
etw. ausgeben
gesetzliches Zahlungsmittel
den Spitznamen haben
Beteiligung
Themse
Wortspiel
Boom in motorcycles: “Boom”, which is being used as a
noun here, refers to increasing sales in the (Indonesian) motorcycle
market. Note the use of capital letters, which is
typical in US headlines. This headline contains four words
that can be used either as a verb or as a noun — “boom”,
“kick-starts”, “limits” and “loans” — making it difficult
to understand.
kick-starts: This is a play on words. A “kick-start” is the
action of starting a motor with a pedal. Here, it is used as
a verb meaning “to cause”.
limits on loans: “Limits” is a noun and refers to restrictions
imposed by the Indonesian central bank on loans for
buying motorcycles. The central bank has demanded that
motorcycle buyers make a down payment of at least 25
per cent.
In simple English: The motorcycle-industry boom (in Indonesia)
has caused the central bank to impose restrictions
on loans for buying motorcycles.
www Are you confused by the language in the press? Keep your
English up to date at www.business-spotlight.de/news
6/2013
www.business-spotlight.de 21

Like
clockwork
medium
Symbol of quality: Switzerland
stands for reliability
iStockphoto

SWITZERLAND INTERCULTURAL COMMUNICATION n
Switzerland’s central position in Europe between
France, Germany, Austria and Italy, its neutrality
and political stability have helped it to become one
of the world’s wealthiest countries, with a significant
banking industry. As a result of its international
character, many visitors or migrants from other cultures
— especially those who are close neighbours — under -
estimate the importance of distinct features of Swiss business
culture. Things commonly associated with Switzerland
include mountains, watches, cuckoo clocks, Emmental
cheese, Toblerone chocolate, Swiss army knives and banks.
What do you associate with Switzerland and the Swiss?
Here is what people from other countries have to say:
n “‘Swissness’ … stands for democracy, fairness, stability,
quality, meticulousness, punctuality, thrift, efficiency, openness
and all sorts of other desirable things. For the buyer
of a Swiss watch, it means clockwork reliability. The rich
man will confidently entrust his money to a Swiss bank.
The holidaymaker is sure to have a comfortable night,
courtesy of Swiss hotel-school training. And Swiss chocolate
will be dependably delicious.”
German-born journalist Barbara Beck in The Economist
n “I was amazed at the language skills of the person at the
newspaper kiosk at the station. She spoke French to the
first customer, German to the second and English to me.
It sounded pretty fluent.”
Elizabeth, British banker
n “I spoke German when I moved to Switzerland but soon
realized that if I wanted to be accepted by my colleagues,
I needed to learn Swiss German. Once I had done this, they
really opened up and talked about personal things as well
as work-related issues. I got much closer to them.”
James, American systems analyst
FACTS ABOUT SWITZERLAND
Capital: Berne
Population: 7,996,026 (July 2013)
Official languages: German 63.7 per cent; French 20.4 per
cent; Italian 6.5 per cent; Romansh 0.5 per cent
Religions: Roman Catholic 41.8 per cent; Protestant 35.3
per cent; Muslim 4.3 per cent
n “The struggle here throughout the centuries has not been
in the interest of any private family, or any church, but
in the interest of the whole body of the nation, and for
shelter and protection of all forms of belief. This fact is
colossal.”
Mark Twain (1835–1910), American author
n “Switzerland is a vivid example of what the UN stands
for — a peaceful and multicultural society built on strong
democratic foundations.”
Kofi Annan, Ghanaian former secretary general
of the United Nations
Cultural standards
Source: CIA World Factbook
(https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook)
Intercultural researchers Tina Lechner and Professor
Alexander Thomas have identified eight important aspects
of Swiss culture:
1. Consensus orientation. Everybody in a group is involved
in decision-making. Everybody’s opinion counts. Preparation
is needed before decisions can be made.
4
n “When my colleagues from Berlin or Hamburg
call me, they usually get to the point pretty quickly
and tell me what they want. But I was surprised by
my Swiss colleague, whom I have never even met in
person. She seemed to want to have a chat before we
got down to business.”
Wolfgang, Austrian sales representative
“Switzerland is an example of
what the UN stands for — peaceful,
multicultural and democratic”
amazed [E(meIzd]
body [(bQdi]
clockwork reliability
[)klQkw§:k ri)laIE(bIlEti]
colossal [kE(lQs&l]
courtesy of [(k§:tEsi Qv]
cuckoo clock [(kUku: klQk]
dependably [di(pendEbli]
distinct [dI(stINkt]
entrust sth. to sb. [In(trVst tE]
feature [(fi:tSE]
fluent [(flu:Ent]
foundation [faUn(deIS&nz]
überrascht
hier: Wesen
absolut zuverlässiges Funktionieren
gewaltig; hier: sehr bedeutsam
dank
Kuckucksuhr
auf verlässliche Weise; hier: stets
ausgeprägt; hier: charakteristisch
jmdm. etw. anvertrauen
Merkmal
flüssig
Grundlage, Fundament
get to the point [)get tE DE (pOInt]
get down to business
[get )daUn tE (bIznEs]
issue [(ISu:]
meticulousness [mE(tIkjUlEsnEs]
researcher [ri(s§:tSE]
Romansh [rEU(mÄnS]
sales representative
[(seI&lz repri)zentEtIv]
shelter [(SeltE]
Swiss army knife [)swIs (A:mi naIf]
thrift [TrIft]
vivid [(vIvId]
zum Wesentlichen kommen
zur Sache kommen
Angelegenheit
(peinliche) Genauigkeit, Akribie
Forscher(in)
Rätoromanisch
Vertriebsmitarbeiter(in)
Schutz, Zuflucht
Schweizer Offiziersmesser
Sparsamkeit
anschaulich
6/2013
www.business-spotlight.de 23

n INTERCULTURAL COMMUNICATION SWITZERLAND
Bench with a view: looking
out at the Matterhorn
Key concepts
Diversity
The Merriam-Webster Dictionary defines “diversity” as “the
condition of having or being composed of differing elements
… especially: the inclusion of different types of people (as people
of different races or cultures) in a group or organization”.
In 2001, UNESCO published its “Universal Declaration on
Cultural Diversity”. Article 1 sees cultural diversity as part of
the “common heritage of humanity”, and continues: “As a
source of exchange, innovation and creativity, cultural diversity
is as necessary for humankind as biodiversity is for nature. In
this sense, it is the common heritage of humanity and should
be recognized and affirmed for the benefit of present and
future generations.”
In business, diverse workforces are increasingly seen as a
source of innovation and a solution to the demographic changes
that have created a shortage of labour in some countries. Some
companies have a chief diversity officer and a diversity strategy.
2. Swiss German. Within Switzerland, Swiss German is
more prestigious than High German. Swiss Germans prefer
to use their own language to differentiate themselves from
Germans. High German is treated like a foreign language.
3. Face-saving. It is important to respect other people’s
dignity. When the Swiss want to criticize another person,
they do it cautiously, privately and in person.
4. Etiquette. The Swiss do not give orders. Instead, people
are asked to do things in a friendly and neutral way.
5. Reserved behaviour. The Swiss do not show off what they
have or what they have done. People are often friendly but
distanced. Close relationships tend to develop slowly.
6. Showing appreciation. It is essential to show interest in
other people. Small talk is important.
7. Defined responsibilities. A task is carried out only by the
person who is responsible for it.
8. Patriotism. The Swiss strongly identify with their country
and their canton. Traditions are valued.
(Adapted from Beruflich in der Schweiz. See “For more information”,
p. 26.)
affirm sth. [E(f§:m]
appreciation [E)pri:Si(eIS&n]
biodiversity [)baIEUdaI(v§:sEti]
cautiously [(kO:SEsli]
chief diversity officer (CDO)
[)tSi:f daI(v§:sEti )QfIsE]
differentiate oneself from sb./sth.
[)dIfE(renSieIt wʌnself frɒm]
dignity [(dIgnEti]
face-saving [(feIs )seIvIN]
heritage [(herItIdZ]
inclusion [In(klu:Z&n]
prestigious [pre(stIdZEs]
shortage of labour [)SO:tIdZ Ev (leIbE]
show sth. off [)SEU (Qf]
workforce [(w§:kfO:s]
etw. bejahen, bekräftigen
Wertschätzung; Verständnis
Artenvielfalt
vorsichtig
Leiter(in) Diversitätsfragen
sich von jmdm./etw.
unterscheiden
Würde, Ansehen
Vermeiden von Gesichtsverlust
Erbe
Einbeziehung
angesehen
Arbeitskräftemangel
mit etw. angeben
erwerbstätige Bevölkerung
iStockphoto
24 www.business-spotlight.de 6/2013

Roland Fischer
Banking centre:
Credit Suisse in Zurich
The Swiss are proud of the diversity of their
country, which has a large non-Swiss population
Communication style
The Swiss are proud of the diversity of their country (see
“Key concepts”, p. 24), which has four official languages
and a large non-Swiss population (about 22 per cent).
Many Swiss business people can speak several languages.
Small talk is important but it is best not to start with personal
topics — they can come later. Formal meetings tend
to be clearly structured, with an agenda that is adhered to.
Punctuality is usually very important.
Although Swiss communication in business is often considered
to be direct, it is somewhat less direct than in Germany.
Germans are often considered to be rude or unfriendly
by Swiss business partners when they communicate
too directly. Ulrich Schmitz and Samuel van den
Bergh, who have set up a training programme for foreign
adhere to sth. [Ed(hIE tE]
agenda [E(dZendE]
confirm sth. [kEn(f§:m]
distinguish [dI(stINgwIS]
power distance [(paUE )dIstEns]
rude: be ~ [ru:d]
topic [(tQpIk]
sich an etwas halten
Tagesordnung
etw. bestätigen
unterscheiden
Machtdistanz
schlechte Manieren haben
Thema
managers coming to Switzerland, give some examples of
indirect Swiss style when compared with direct German
style (see “For more information”, p. 26). In the following
example, they examine two ways of saying the same
thing. The first sentence, by a Swiss speaker, is polite and
rather indirect. The second, from a German, is very direct:
Swiss version
Chönd’s ächt sii, dass Si de Uftrag ned beschtätiged händ?
(Could it be that you haven’t confirmed the order?)
German version
Sie vergaßen, den Auftrag zu bestätigen.
(You forgot to confirm the order.)
Management style
When looking at management style, it is important to distinguish
between the different regions of Switzerland. According
to Dutch researcher Geert Hofstede, Germanspeaking
Switzerland has a relatively low power distance
(the degree of difference between the lowest and highest
people in a hierarchy), while in the French-speaking part,
4
6/2013
www.business-spotlight.de 25

n INTERCULTURAL COMMUNICATION SWITZERLAND
Historic:
Berne,
the Swiss
capital
power distance is much higher. In low power-distance cultures,
the manager tends to consult team members and encourage
them to be involved in making decisions. In high
power-distance cultures, there is a tendency for managers
to be more autocratic.
A confusing feature for business people from Germany
is that Swiss management style can be less formal than they
are used to. German managers in Switzerland are often
criticized for not involving their subordinates enough.
Many Swiss managers offer the informal du to their employees
from the very start. People who are technically
competent are often more highly respected than managers.
Business entertaining
Business entertaining usually takes place at lunchtime in a
restaurant. The Swiss make a strong distinction between
their private and working lives, and normally prefer to entertain
during office hours. As there are many regional
variations in cuisine in the cantons, this can be a useful topic
of conversation. A popular form of entertaining is the
apéro, or stand-up drinks party, where wine, soft drinks
and finger food are normally served.
nBS
For more information
BOOKS
n Beruflich in der Schweiz, Tina Lechner, Alexander Thomas
(Vandenhoeck & Ruprecht)
n Culture Shock! Switzerland, Max Oettli (Marshall Cavendish)
n Culture Smart! Switzerland, Kendall Maycock (Bergli Books)
n Gebrauchsanweisungen für die Schweiz, Thomas Küng
(Piper Taschenbuch)
n Living and Working in Switzerland, David Hampshire (Survival
Books)
n Swiss Watching: Inside the Land of Milk and Money, Diccon
Bewes (Nicholas Brealey)
ARTICLES
n “A Special Case: A Survey of Switzerland”, Barbara Beck,
The Economist (14 February 2004)
n “‘Swiss Business Culture’ — wie Führung in der Schweiz
funktioniert”, Ulrich Schmitz, Samuel van den Bergh, io new
management, no. 7–8 (2009)
WEBSITES
n Advice on doing business in Switzerland: www.switzerlandge.com/en
n Intercultural business information on Switzerland: http://
interculturalnow.com/About-Swiss-Business-Culture.html
n “Mark Twain’s Travel Letters from 1891–92”: www.
twainquotes.com/Travel1891/March1892.html
n Results of Geert Hofstede’s research: http://geerthofstede.com/switzerland.html
n Swiss government information portal: www.swissworld.org/en
Swiss-image.ch
Geschäfts-, Unternehmenskultur
Küche
Unterscheidung
Bürozeit(en)
Studien, Untersuchungen
leitende(r) Berater(in)
schlau; hier: kundig
Steh-
Untergebene(r)
Studie
business culture
[(bIznEs )kVltSE]
cuisine [kwI(zi:n]
distinction [dI(stINkS&n]
office hours [(QfIs )aUEz]
research [rI(s§:tS]
senior consultant [)si:niE kEn(sVltEnt]
smart [smA:t]
stand-up [(stÄnd Vp]
subordinate [sE(bO:dInEt]
survey [(s§:veI]
Listen to Robert Gibson on Business Spotlight Audio
plus You’ll find a culture quiz in Business Spotlight plus
www Read Robert Gibson’s blog at www.business-spotlight.de/blogs
ROBERT GIBSON is a senior consultant for intercultural
business competence at Siemens AG in Munich
(www.siemens.com) and the author of Intercultural
Business Communication (Cornelsen). Contact:
gibson.rob@siemens.com
26 www.business-spotlight.de 6/2013

LOOKING BACK INTERCULTURAL COMMUNICATION ■
“Switzerland has always struggled with its identity, but
it has common values that it will strongly defend”
SARAH GOUGH ON CLICHÉS ABOUT SWITZERLAND
medium
La Suisse
n’existe pas*
In dieser Kolumne schreiben unsere Mitarbeiter über ihre Heimat. Diesmal
wirft SARAH GOUGH einen Blick auf die Vorurteile, die viele der Schweiz
gegenüber hegen, wo sie geboren wurde und aufgewachsen ist.
our planet, we studied French history,
literature and politics — with a little
Swiss history and literature. We had
five hours of High German a week
(which we hated) but no hours of
Schwyzerdütsch. And in Zurich,
I spoke only English and French. Not
much of a nation-building education.
When I tell people where I come
from, I get a range of reactions.
There’s slight embarrassment: “Oh
dear, you poor thing.” There are the
clichés: “Ah, all that nice chocolate,
the watches, the beautiful mountains,
and the Swiss are so reliable.” There
are awful attempts at Schwyzerdütsch
by German speakers, and equally bad
attempts at our accent by French
speakers. And finally, there’s hostility:
“The evil banks, racism and anti-EU
stance — how can you live with that?”
Clichés may contain some truth but
these reactions still raise my blood
pressure. They also imply that there is
one Switzerland — and that the Swiss
are boring, insular and amoral, if not
corrupt. Oh yes, and humourless, too.
A chip on my shoulder? A little one,
maybe. Few countries face as much
prejudice as Switzerland. The govern-
ment seems to agree. Presence Switzerland,
an official body formed in 2000
at the height of the “dormant assets”
scandal, is an attempt to improve
the country’s image, “safeguarding
Switzerland’s interests abroad using ...
public-relations tools”. Budget for
2013: SFr. 10.2 million (€8.3 million).
Ironically, most people with strong
opinions know little about the country
— or countries, I should say.
Switzerland is made up of three main
islands, linguistically and culturally.
Growing up in the French part in an
English-speaking family, I had almost
no contact with the German cantons
until I spent six months at Zurich
University. And I was hardly aware of
Tessin. Italian, like French and German,
was on all the packaging, but
Locarno was a different planet. On
chip on one’s shoulder: have a ~
einen Komplex wegen etw. haben
[(tSIp Qn wVnz )SEUldE] ifml.
dormant assets [)dO:mEnt (Äsets]
nachrichtenlose Vermögenswerte
embarrassment [Im(bÄrEsmEnt]
Verlegenheit
grass-roots democracy
Basisdemokratie
[)grA:s )ru:ts di(mQkrEsi]
hostility [hQ(stIlEti]
Feindseligkeit(en)
imply sth. [Im(plaI]
etw. andeuten; hier: (indirekt) unterstellen
insular [(InsjUlE]
engstirnig
negotiation [nI)gEUSi(eIS&n]
Verhandlung
prejudice [(predZudIs]
Vorurteil(e)
pulling teeth: be like ~ [)pUlIN (ti:T] etwa: äußerst schwierig, fast unmöglich sein
safeguard sth. [(seIfgA:d]
etw. sichern
stance [stÄns]
Haltung
universal exposition [ju:nI)v§:s&l ekspE(zIS&n] Weltausstellung
Ullstein Bilderdienst
Power to the people: calling
the next referendum
So Switzerland doesn’t exist? That’s
not quite true. Switzerland has always
struggled with its identity, but it has
common values that it will strongly
defend. A belief in equal opportunities
is one. Grass-roots democracy is
another: the Swiss vote on half a
dozen referendums a year, all introduced
by citizens. In March, they voted
to limit the salaries of managers.
Most of all, there is independence.
The Swiss negotiations with the EU
are like pulling teeth. But how can
people used to more or less independent
communes and cantons accept
the monstrous Brussels bureaucracy?
Finally, there is loyalty. This is why
the ignorance and hostility make me
so angry. And I’m not even Swiss. ■BS
SARAH GOUGH has a British-Australian
father, a Dutch-German mother and a
British passport. She was born and grew
up in the French part of Switzerland,
studied in England and lives in Munich.
* French (and Swiss) artist Ben Vautier’s motto for Switzerland’s pavilion at the 1992 Universal Exposition in Seville.
6/2013
www.business-spotlight.de 27

n INTERCULTURAL COMMUNICATION TRAVEL TIPS
Where to go and what to do
Sie planen eine Geschäfts- oder Urlaubsreise? SARAH GOUGH empfiehlt Ihnen Orte und Ereignisse, die
Sie nicht verpassen sollten, und gibt Ihnen noch weitere interessante Informationen. medium
What’s on?
Tourism Australia
Getty Images
The Melbourne Cup:
highlight of
the racing season
n One of the highlights of the horseracing
circuit is the yearly Melbourne
Cup, which takes place on the first
Tuesday in November. It is part of the
four racing days that make up the Melbourne
Cup Carnival, which attracts
hundreds of thousands of visitors. Marketed
as the “race that stops a nation”,
it is a public holiday in Melbourne. The
Cup, which first took place in 1861,
offers more prize money than any other
two-mile race in the world: a staggering
Aus$ 6.2 million (approximately
€4.2 million). Fashion also plays a big
role. “Be seen” is the motto and winning
one of the Myer Fashions on the
Field awards is as important as having
placed a bet on the winning horse.
http://melbournecup.com
DID YOU KNOW?
Britain is the best place to shop, Italy the best place
to eat (followed by France) and Spain the best place
to party. This is according to a survey by YouGov, a
UK research company, carried out in seven European
countries. Long live clichés!
accommodation [E)kQmE(deIS&n] UK Unterkunft
cliché [(kli:SeI]
[wg. Aussprache]
horse-racing circuit [(hO:s )reIsIN )s§:kIt] Pferderennsaison
itinerary [aI(tIn&rEri]
Reiseroute
market sth. [(mA:kIt]
etw. vermarkten
outfit sth. [(aUtfIt]
etw. ausstatten
place a bet on sth. [)pleIs E (bet Qn] auf etw. setzen
research [ri(s§:tS]
Forschung
sleep (X number of people)
für X Personen) eine
[sli:p]
Schlafmöglichkeit
bieten
staggering [(stÄgErIN]
schwindelerregend
stopover [(stQp)EUvE]
Zwischenstopp
survey [(s§:veI]
Umfrage
trailer [(treIl&r*] US
Wohnwagen, -anhänger
* This symbol marks standard US pronunciation that differs from standard UK pronunciation.
Places to stay
Going native
Looking for a home away from home? Airbnb might be
the answer. A community accommodation marketplace,
it offers 33,000 places to stay in 192 countries. And
you could list your flat while you’re away, to finance your
next trip. www.airbnb.com
On the road
Rent a classic Airstream trailer and travel in style
through the south-west United States. The trailers sleep
between four and six people and are fully, and luxuriously,
outfitted. Airstream2Go can organize the whole
trip, if you wish, arranging the itinerary and stopovers.
You even get a driving lesson. www.airstream2go.com
28 www.business-spotlight.de
Stylish: Airstream holiday

Guides
Alastair Sawday, a friend of good food, good drink and unusual
places to stay, is rightly famous for his guides, such
as Eat Slow Britain or Special Places to Stay: British Bed
& Breakfast. Some European countries are covered, but
the focus is on the UK and Ireland. “We believe in what
we do, passionately and honestly. We love all things local
and independent… We reject the bland, the corporate and
the impersonal,” says their website. The site allows you to
book accommodation, with carefully chosen properties
in Britain, Ireland, Italy, Spain and France. B&Bs, tree
houses, hotels, inns and self-catering — it’s all there. An
app is also available. www.sawdays.co.uk
The travel guides published by Rough Guides are in the
Lonely Planet spirit — personal, informative and practical.
Choose from over 200 destinations in print and digital
form. www.roughguides.com
bland [blÄnd]
component [kEm(pEUnEnt]
corporate: the ~ [(kO:pErEt]
customs officer [(kVstEmz )QfIsE]
fill sth. in [)fIl (In]
fly out [)flaI (aUt]
inn [In]
landing card [(lÄndIN kA:d]
liquid [(lIkwId]
passport officer [(pA:spO:t )QfIsE]
property [(prQpEti]
reject sth. [ri(dZekt]
roaming fee [(rEUmIN fi:]
self-catering [)self (keItErIN] UK
tear-off section [(teEr Qf )seks&n]
wi-fi [(waI faI]
langweilig, fade
Bauteil
das (Groß-)Firmenmäßige
Mitarbeiter(in) der Zollkontrolle
etw. ausfüllen; hier: eintragen
(aus-/ab)fliegen
Gasthaus
Einreiseformular
Flüssigkeit
Mitarbeiter(in) der Passkontrolle
Immobilie; hier: Objekt
etw. ablehnen
Roaming-Gebühr
Selbstversorgung
Abschnitt zum Abreißen
WLAN
App
The free Wi-Fi Finder app
does just that: it finds you
a free Wi-Fi connection. If
you’re planning a trip
abroad, you can search for
Wi-Fi spots beforehand and
save them on your phone,
thus avoiding roaming fees.
English on the Move
Passport control
Auf welche Fragen müssen Sie bei Pass- und Zollkontrolle
gefasst sein? KEN TAYLOR präsentiert typische Dialoge.
easy
Passport control
Passport officer: Good evening. Where have you come from?
Bruce: From Newark.
Passport officer: Are you here for business or pleasure?
Bruce: Business.
Passport officer: And what business are you in, sir?
Bruce: We produce electronic components.
Passport officer: And how long do you intend to stay?
Bruce: Three days in London, and then two days up north.
Passport officer: Flying out from here?
Bruce: Yes. On the 22nd.
Passport officer: You haven’t filled in a hotel on your landing
card.
Bruce: Haven’t I? Sorry. It’s the Sheraton. I’ve got the reservation
here, if that helps.
Digital Vision
Passport officer: That’s fine. [stamps the passport] Have a
good stay and keep this tear-off section of your landing card
with your passport until you fly out.
Bruce: Thank you.
Customs
Customs officer: Excuse me, sir. Could you bring your suitcase
over here, please?
Bruce: Certainly.
Customs officer: Would you mind opening it for me, please?
Bruce: Not at all.
Customs officer: Did you pack this yourself?
Bruce: Yes. Or my wife did, I’m ashamed to say!
Customs officer: [laughs] Has anyone asked you to take anything
for them?
Bruce: No. Nothing.
Customs officer: Any liquids?
Bruce: Just a bottle of duty-free whisky as a present for a
business partner.
Customs officer: Thank you, sir. Enjoy your trip. nBS
6/2013
www.business-spotlight.de 29

With a little
help...
Ohne die Hilfe von Kollegen lassen
sich manche Aufgaben oft nicht
fristgerecht oder zufriedenstellend
durchführen. BOB DIGNEN erklärt
Ihnen, in welchen Situationen es
durchaus ratsam ist, Kollegen um
Unterstützung zu bitten, und wie
Sie Ihre Bitte vortragen. medium
iStockphoto

SUPPORT AT WORK BUSINESS SKILLS n
Iwas in my office recently, preparing for an important
meeting, when a colleague came in and said very politely:
“Do you mind if I interrupt you for a second
to ask you a question about this invoice?” I could immediately
feel myself getting irritated. Couldn’t she
see that I was extremely busy? Also, we had spoken only
a week earlier about such invoices. But rather than learning
how to deal with this problem alone, it seemed that
asking me was the easier path. If only she could show more
responsibility.
Fortunately, I am not usually so intolerant. And the
episode got me thinking about how we can support each
other more effectively at work. Others need our help, perhaps
because they are inexperienced or stressed. And we
need the courage to ask for support rather than avoiding
difficult tasks or suffering in silence.
In this article, we look at the forms of support that are
most often needed at work, at the barriers that stop people
from asking for help and at strategies for getting the
support you need.
1. Forms of support
Think about a typical day at work and the number of ways
you might be asked to give support to colleagues. These
might include:
n getting someone a cup of coffee in the morning;
n taking a message on the phone;
n showing someone how to animate a presentation;
n giving advice on how to handle a customer complaint;
n extending a deadline for a project if a colleague is
unable to deliver on time;
n finding extra resources to support a project;
n defending a team member against criticism;
n giving someone a lift home in the evening.
n Fear. Asking for support can be challenging psychologically.
It suggests that you are unsure about something, or
lack the knowledge or skills that others have. Most people
want a sense of autonomy and control, but asking for
support means letting go and losing control. It is often easier
to avoid, postpone, blame and complain than it is to ask
for help.
“People love a warm
hug, or just a friendly
pat on the back”
Maya Angelou, 85, American author and poet
n Relationship issues. We might decide not to interrupt or
disturb others out of respect. Trust may also be a factor.
Can we be sure that the other person is willing to listen or
is really competent to support us? Will others reduce their
level of trust in our competence if we ask for help? Will
they maintain confidentiality or immediately gossip about
us to others?
n Cultural issues. In organizations with a more aggressive,
macho culture, where people are expected to be strong,
opportunities to ask for help are likely to be much more
limited than in contexts in which more nurturing forms of
cooperation are promoted.
There are many consequences of people not asking for
the support that they need at work. They are likely to become
less efficient because they don’t benefit from the
knowledge of their colleagues. And by working alone, they
risk doing things wrong and therefore creating even more
stress for everybody.
4
Some of these are small forms of support; others are
much more significant. But they are all part of the same
process and show how interaction and support are deeply
embedded in our working lives.
2. Why don’t we ask for support?
Many staff surveys report very unsatisfactory results back
to management. Top managers are often seen as being
disconnected and not listening. Resources are squeezed and
personal development is limited. People often feel that it
is dangerous to complain. Problems are buried and stress
levels are not discussed.
Yet to create open, dynamic organizations, we need to
remove the barriers that prevent people from asking for
support. These barriers are complex and have several
sources:
animate sth. [(ÄnImeIt]
challenging [(tSÄlIndZIN]
confidentiality [)kQnfI)denSi(ÄlEti]
deliver sth. [di(lIvE]
disconnected: be ~ [)dIskE(nektId]
embedded [Im(bedId]
gossip about sb. [(gQsIp E)baUt]
invoice [(InvOIs]
irritated [(IrIteItId]
issue [(ISu:]
lift: give sb. a ~ [lIft]
macho [(mÄtSEU]
maintain sth. [meIn(teIn]
nurturing [(n§:tSErIN]
on time [Qn (taIm]
pat on the back [)pÄt Qn DE (bÄk]
postpone sth. [pEUst(pEUn]
resources [ri(zO:sIz]
squeezed [skwi:zd]
suggest [sE(dZest]
survey [(s§:veI]
warm hug [)wO:m (hVg]
hier: etw. interessant gestalten
schwierig
Diskretion, Vertraulichkeit
etw. (ab)liefern; hier: eine
Arbeit abliefern
hier: nicht bei der Sache sein
verankert
über jmdn. tratschen
Rechnung
verärgert
Frage
jmdn. im Auto mitnehmen
[wg. Aussprache]
etw. wahren
pflegend; hier: hilfsbereit
pünktlich, fristgerecht
Schulterklopfen
etw. auf-, verschieben
Mittel
knapp
hier: den Schluss nahelegen
Umfrage
herzliche Umarmung
6/2013
www.business-spotlight.de 31

n BUSINESS SKILLS SUPPORT AT WORK
Stockbyte
3. Your need for support
Take a moment to think about the following questions,
all of which relate to the kind of support that
you might need if you wish to be more effective in
your job:
n What kind of support is most important for
you at work?
n How easy is it for you to ask for and get support
in your organization?
n What are the main barriers that prevent you
from getting support?
n Who could give you more support?
n What can you do to make sure you get the support
you need?
The most important step is the first one — to have the
courage to accept that you need help. Then you need to select
the right person or people to ask. Ideally, you need to
find people who have the relevant skills and emotional
expertise, who have time to support you and, of course,
who are willing to help you — some people may not see it
as their role to “do your job”.
4. Strategies for getting support
Once you have made your choice of people, you need a
strategy for asking for support. In this section, we look at
some possible plans of action. For more examples of the
language you can use, see the Survival Guide on page 35.
Remember also that people are more likely to support you
if you have offered help to them in the past.
a) Asking directly. This is the most obvious strategy. For example,
you could say, “John, could you help me prepare
the meeting room tomorrow for the workshop?” We can
add some micro-strategies to minimize the imposition felt
by the person we are asking:
Showing respect for roles
n I know it’s not your role to…
Acknowledging time pressure
n I realize you’re very busy, but...
Apologizing for the disturbance
n Sorry to disturb you, but…
Recognizing expertise
n I know you are good at this, so…
Using humour
n I have a great excuse for you to take a break…
b) Stating your challenge. A less direct approach is to talk
about the challenge you are facing. This appeals to the
altruistic motivation of your colleagues and works best
with people with whom you have a good working relationship.
Here is a possible dialogue:
Paula: Hi, John. How’s it going?
John: Fine, but busy.
Paula: Me, too. I’m organizing a management workshop
for tomorrow afternoon. There are so many
things to finalize, and I haven’t set out the room
yet. I have to do it today but I don’t think I have
enough time to do it on my own… [pause]
John: Can I give you a hand?
Paula: That would be great, thanks!
c) Requesting advice on whom to ask. Asking someone for advice
can have unexpected benefits. People are often happy
to offer support rather than pass you on to someone else:
Peter:
Pam:
Pam, do you know anyone who is good with international
taxation issues? I have a question
here from a client.
Petra is very good with things like that. But
maybe I can help. What’s the question?
d) Identifying ways to make support possible. If you are struggling
with a task, try to identify the parts that you yourself
absolutely have to complete, so that others can offer
support for the other elements:
acknowledge sth. [Ek(nQlIdZ]
appeal to sth. [E(pi:&l tu]
approach [E(prEUtS]
challenge [(tSÄlIndZ]
excuse [Ik(skju:s]
expertise [)eksp§:(ti:z]
finalize sth. [(faInElaIz]
give sb. a hand [)gIv E (hÄnd]
imposition [)ImpE(zIS&n]
pass sb. on to sb.
[)pA:s (Qn tu]
set sth. out [)set (aUt]
take a break [)teIk E (breIk]
taxation issue [tÄk(seIS&n )ISu:]
Choose your strategy: think about
how to ask for support
etw. zur Kenntnis nehmen;
Verständnis für etw. haben
an etw. appellieren
Vorgehensweise
schwierige Aufgabe, Problem
Ausrede
Kompetenz, Sachverstand
etw. zum Abschluss bringen
jmdm. helfen
Belastung
jmdn. an jmd. anderen verweisen
hier: etw. herrichten
eine Pause machen
Steuerangelegenheit
32 www.business-spotlight.de 6/2013

Sarah: Marco, I’m struggling to get the report completed by the end of
this week. Do you need everything done by Friday?
Marco: Well, if you can get me the raw data in an Excel file, that should
be fine. I just need the figures for the board meeting. The final
report can come next week. And maybe Marianne can help you
with the layout.
Sarah: OK, great.
Whatever strategy you use to get help, try to regard the support as an
opportunity to learn and upgrade your skills. Avoid establishing a reputation
as someone who always needs help, for example, with computer issues.
This may damage your reputation and make people less willing to
provide support in the future.
5. How to support others
Helping to build a supportive workplace culture is everyone’s responsibility.
In this section, we look at some ideas on how you can support your
colleagues more effectively. You can find further suggestions for the language
to use in the Survival Guide on page 35.
A creative-writing class was
asked to write a short essay
containing the following elements:
religion, royalty, sex
and mystery. The prize-winning
essay read: “‘My God!’ said
the queen. ‘I’m pregnant.’”
A creative-writing class was
asked to write a short essay
containing the following elements:
religion, royalty, sex
and mystery. The prize-winning
essay read: “‘My God!’ said
the queen. ‘I’m pregnant.’”
A creative-writing class was
asked to write a short essay
containing the following elements:
religion, royalty, sex
and mystery. The prize-winning
essay read: “‘My God!’ said
the queen. ‘I’m pregnant.’”
a) Being open to others’ needs. When we are under pressure, we tend to
retreat into our own world of priorities, closing ourselves to the needs of
others. Next time you are walking around your office, try to notice
whether people look stressed or anxious. Ask what they’re doing, and
check whether they need any support. And in each case, consider whether
a direct or indirect approach would be more suitable:
Direct: Do you need help?
Indirect: If you need any help, just let me know.
b) Don’t offer support too quickly. People may struggle at work for a number
of reasons: an excessive workload; lack of competence; low motivation;
poor time-management skills, etc. Taking work away from someone may
look like great support and solve a problem in the short term, however, it
doesn’t deal with underlying issues and may even undermine attempts by
the person’s manager to encourage them to learn new skills or work more
effectively.
Before offering your support to colleagues, try to understand the background
to their current situation. Also think about the type and level of
support that might be appropriate. Finally, think about whether you are
the right person to offer support and clarify what sort of support you are
prepared to give.
4
ENGLISCH LERNEN IST EIN WITZ?
Ja, mit diesem Spiel, in dem die Spieler Witze,
Reime, Zungenbrecher und lustige Zitate zum
Besten geben. Und da Spielen ja eine ernste
Angelegenheit ist, versuchen alle sich das
Lachen zu verkneifen, denn das gibt Extrapunkte.
Für 3 – 8 Spieler ab 12 Jahren. Mit 400 Witzen,
Zungenbrechern und Reimen, 252 Kärtchen
mit 504 Vokabeln und 1 Spielanleitung mit
ausführlichem Vokabelteil.
In Zusammenarbeit mit:
anxious [(ÄNkSEs]
appropriate [E(prEUpriEt]
board meeting [(bO:d )mi:tIN]
clarify sth. [(klÄrEfaI]
file [faI&l]
in the short term [)In DE (SO:t )t§:m]
raw data [)rO: (deItE]
retreat [ri(tri:t]
underlying [)VndE(laIIN]
undermine sth. [)VndE(maIn]
upgrade sth. [)Vp(greId]
workload [(w§:klEUd]
ängstlich, verunsichert
geeignet, passend
Vorstandssitzung
etw. (ab)klären
Datei
auf kurze Sicht
Original-, Ausgangsdaten
sich zurückziehen
tiefer liegend
etw. untergraben
etw. verbessern
Arbeitsbelastung
JETZT BESTELLEN!
www.sprachenshop.de/spiele
oder im Buch- und Spielwarenhandel
3 19,95 (UVP)
6/2013
Mehr Informationen auf
www.grubbemedia.de

n BUSINESS SKILLS SUPPORT AT WORK
“It is often easier to
avoid, postpone, blame
and complain”
Here are ideas for managing support in virtual teams:
Wavebreak Media
Ask first: what
kind of support
is needed?
c) Providing support in the right way. You will need to choose
the right channel for support (by email, on the telephone,
in meetings, etc.), the right amount of time to commit and
the role you will play. Two potential roles are those of expert
and of coach.
If your role is mainly to transfer knowledge, you can
choose the role of expert, with an instructional “telling
style”. This can involve advising people on what to do and
how to do it, explaining why things are important and
warning about the consequences of particular actions.
In other situations, it may be more appropriate to act
more like a coach, helping someone to reflect on their
working style. This involves asking questions that encourage
people to identify their objectives, to reflect on the
methods they have used so far and to explore alternative
ways of working.
6. Support in virtual teams
Leaders of virtual teams often struggle to support their
team members effectively. The fact that the leader is in another
country makes it difficult to know whether, when
and why a team member needs support. This can also
make it very difficult for team members to support each
other.
Culture can also be a factor in international teams, in
which people can have different expectations of leadership.
In some business cultures, supportive leadership is valued;
in others, a more individualistic approach is the norm.
Leaders who try to provide support may be seen to be
questioning the ability of team members to do their own
jobs, which can cause serious resentment. And leaders who
trust team members to be successful independently may be
criticized for not providing enough support.
n Acknowledge the need for support as a result of
high workloads, time pressure, skills gaps, etc.
n Clarify the role of leader as a “supporter”, including
the scope of possible support.
n Talk with individuals about forms of support.
n Check regularly to see if further support is needed.
n Create a strong feedback culture, in which problems
can be discussed openly and positively.
7. Support and trust
Success in business is based on trust (see Business Spotlight
1/2011). And there is an important relationship between
trust and support. If we can’t trust that others can do their
job effectively, shouldn’t we offer them the support they
need? And if we need others to trust us, what could be better
than to provide them with support?
Earning the trust of our colleagues depends on three key
elements: whether they believe that we are competent;
whether they think that we have integrity; and whether
they believe that we care about them. Think about how
you might spend more of your time supporting your colleagues.
It will not only help them to be more effective, but
also increase the level of trust in your teams. nBS
For more information
BOOK
n Helping: How to Offer, Give, and Receive Help, Edgar H.
Schein (Berrett-Koehler)
WEBSITES
n An article about the challenges that colleagues may face if
they have mental-health issues: www.hamlet-trust.org.uk/
articles/supporting-colleagues.html
n An interesting statement from a British company about the
professional responsibility we have to support others at work:
www.aviva.co.uk/cr/colleagues.html
Do exercises on this topic on Business Spotlight Audio
www Watch our Business with Bob series of videos for more tips on
how to improve your communication skills: www.businessspotlight.de/videos/bob
business culture [(bIznEs )kVltSE]
commit (time) [kE(mIt]
mental-health issues: have ~
[)ment&l (helT )ISu:z]
objective [Eb(dZektIv]
resentment [ri(zentmEnt]
scope [skEUp]
skills gap [(skIlz gÄp]
Unternehmenskultur
(Zeit) aufwenden
psychische Probleme haben
Ziel(setzung)
Unmut
Umfang
Qualifikationsdefizit
BOB DIGNEN is a director of York Associates
(www.york-associates.co.uk), which specializes in language,
communication and intercultural training. He
is the author of many business English books, including
Effective International Business Communication
(Collins). Contact: bob.dignen@york-associates.co.uk
34 www.business-spotlight.de 6/2013

SURVIVAL GUIDE BUSINESS SKILLS n
Getting and giving support
Here are some suggestions for language you could use to offer or receive support at work. Use
only the language that you feel comfortable with in your specific work situations. medium
1. Getting support
a) Asking directly
n Mike, do you have a second? I’m having some problems
with the…
n Michael, can I just interrupt you for a second? I need some
help with…
n Jackie, could I talk to you about this report? Are you free
this afternoon?
Here are some ways that you can soften a direct appeal for
support:
Showing respect for roles
n I know that, technically, you’re not responsible for...
Acknowledging time pressure
n I know you have a lot on your plate, but…
Apologizing for the disturbance
n Sorry to interrupt you…
Recognizing expertise
n As you know a lot about marketing, I wanted to ask you…
Using humour
n Hey, I need you to teach me something. I still can’t…
b) Stating your challenge
n I’m really struggling to complete this…
n I have no idea how to…
n I’m totally exhausted at the moment.
n I don’t know how to influence [person X].
c) Requesting advice on whom to ask
n Do you know whom I can ask about… ?
n Who might be able to help me sort out… ?
n Or could you help? I know you have experience with…
d) Identifying ways to make support possible
n Do you need everything by Friday? Or can I focus on… ?
n Could we involve Jan in this? She’s not in the project, but
she could help with…
n Would it be OK if I just focus on… ?
2. Giving support
a) Being open to others’ needs
Direct offer: Can I give you a hand with… ?
Indirect offer: Just let me know if I can assist in any way.
b) Don’t offer support too quickly
Investigating the background
n Can you tell me a little more about… ?
Discussing the necessary support
n What do you need exactly?
Deciding if you are the right person
n Is there anyone you think could be of more help?
Clarifying the nature of support
n So, what you need is… Is that right?
c) Providing support in the right way
Supporting as an expert
n I think you should…
n The reason for this is…
n I would avoid…
Supporting as a coach
n So, what’s your goal?
n Is there anything more you could do?
n So, what’s the next step?
acknowledge sth. [Ek(nQlIdZ]
challenge [(tSÄlIndZ]
clarify sth. [(klÄrEfaI]
Do you have a second?
[)du: ju: (hÄv E )sekEnd]
exhausted [Ig(zO:stId]
expertise [)eksp§:(ti:z]
give sb. a hand [)gIv E (hÄnd]
goal [gEUl]
nature [(neItSE]
plate: have a lot on one’s ~
[pleIt] UK ifml.
soften sth. [(sQf&n]
sort sth. out [)sO:t (aUt]
technically [(teknIk&li]
etw. zur Kenntnis nehmen;
für etw. Verständnis haben
schwierige Aufgabe,
Problem
etw. (ab)klären
Hast du einen Moment Zeit?
ausgepowert, erschöpft
Kompetenz, Sachverstand
jmdm. helfen
Ziel
Art, Beschaffenheit
viel um die Ohren haben
etw. abschwächen
etw. lösen
eigentlich
3. Support in virtual teams
Acknowledging the need for support
n I think we need to support those who…
Clarifying the role of the leader as “supporter”
n It’s my role to support anyone who feels they are struggling
with tasks.
Talking with individuals about support
n So, how’s it going? How can I support you?
Checking on a regular basis
n Does anyone need more support on this project? If so,
please just let me know.
Establishing a feedback culture
n I’d like everyone to feel free to give honest feedback on the
way things are going.
nBS
6/2013
www.business-spotlight.de 35

■ BUSINESS SKILLS TOOLBOX
Listening and understanding
In dieser Rubrik nutzt KEN TAYLOR Erfahrungen, die er in vielen Organisationen und
in verschiedenen Ländern sammeln konnte, und beantwortet häufig gestellte
Fragen zur Kommunikation im internationalen Geschäftsleben.
medium
Photodisc
1. How can I quickly make it clear to a business partner
that I have not understood a particular word in
a sentence?
Be specific about what you don’t understand. For example,
if someone says, “I’ll be arriving on …day”,
you can ask, “Sorry, which day was that?” This
makes it clear to your speaking partner which part of
the sentence you missed. This technique saves a lot of
time and energy. Many non-native speakers prefer to
use more general ways of showing that they don’t understand.
They might say, “I’m sorry, but I didn’t catch
that” or “Could you repeat that, please?” This is fine,
but your speaking partner still doesn’t know exactly
what the problem is — being specific helps. Here are
a few examples of how this could work:
Speaker
My name’s…
I will be coming on
the …th of May.
She works in the
… department.
I’m calling from…
My colleague Mrs …
will call you.
I spoke to … about
this.
catch sth. [kÄtS]
consultancy [kEn(sVltEnsi]
department [di(pA:tmEnt]
director [dE(rektE]
feel confident [)fi:&l (kQnfIdEnt]
get the message
[)get DE (mesIdZ] ifml.
I see [)aI (si:]
on track: be ~ [Qn (trÄk]
phrase [freIz]
study [(stVdi]
summarize [(sVmEraIz]
summary [(sVmEri]
technique [tek(ni:k]
uh-huh [V (hV]
Your specific question
Sorry, what was your name
again?
Sorry, which date did you
say?
Sorry, which department?
Sorry, where are you calling
from?
Sorry, what was your
colleague’s name?
Sorry, who did you speak
to?
etw. verstehen
Beratungsfirma
Abteilung
Geschäftsführer(in)
zuversichtlich sein
etw. richtig verstehen
aha
hier: etw. richtig verstanden
haben
Formulierung
hier: beobachten
zusammenfassen
Zusammenfassung
[wg. Aussprache]
mmh
2. What is the best way to show someone that I am listening
carefully to what they are saying?
a) Use expressions like “uh-huh, mm-hm” to encourage
the speaker. These small sounds are there to tell
the speaker: “Please go on, I’m listening.”
b) You can also do this with words and phrases such
as “right”, “good”, “I see” or “yes”. These mean: “I
understand what you’re saying, so please continue.”
c) Repeat key words. In many conversations, you
hear something like this:
■ I’m coming to Germany next week.
■ Next week.
■ Yes, I’ll be there from Tuesday.
■ From Tuesday.
When you repeat a key word from a sentence, you are
saying: “Have I understood you correctly? If I have,
please continue.”
3. How can I make sure I’ve understood everything
someone has said?
Summarize. When working in a foreign language,
summarize what the other person has said frequently
to make sure you are still on track: “So what you are
saying is…” or “So if I’ve understood you correctly…”
These short summaries are useful for both conversation
partners. During your summary, the other person
can correct any misunderstandings. Afterwards, you
can feel confident that you have got the message. Then
summarize the main messages again at the end of the
conversation — especially during telephone calls.
In daily life, we spend 30 per cent of our time speaking,
15 per cent reading and 10 per cent writing. But
we spend 45 per cent of the time listening! So practise
your listening and understanding skills. Study good
listeners. Remember, though, that the key to effective
listening is wanting to listen to the other person! ■BS
Do an exercise on this topic on Business Spotlight Audio
KEN TAYLOR is the director of Taylor Consultancy
Ltd, an international communication consultancy in
London, and the author of 50 Ways to Improve Your
Telephoning and Teleconferencing Skills (Summertown).
Contact: KTaylor868@aol.com
36 www.business-spotlight.de 6/2013

Say it right:
some tips for
pronouncing
two-syllable words
SAY IT IN STYLE BUSINESS SKILLS ■
iStockphoto
Stress in two-syllable
words
Nach einem Blick auf drei- und mehrsilbige Wörter in der
letzten Ausgabe erläutert ANNA HOCHSIEDER diesmal typische
Betonungsmuster von zweisilbigen Wörtern. medium
Read these words aloud. What do you notice about the
syllable stress? Is it the same for all the words, or are
there differences?
■ message, office, paper, pencil, printer, sentence
■ careful, common, easy, famous, open, useless
■ agree, collect, compare, decide, exist, remove
Two-syllable nouns and adjectives (like the words in the
first two lines above) usually carry the stress on the first
syllable. In English coursebooks, this stress pattern is often
shown like this: Oo. Two-syllable verbs (like those in
the third line) are usually stressed on the last syllable, like
this: oO.
Of course, these are by no means rules. Some nouns and
adjectives have the stress on the second syllable, and some
verbs have the stress on the first. Read the following two
lines of verbs aloud:
■ fasten, happen, listen, open, shorten, strengthen
■ answer, differ, enter, matter, offer, wonder
Two-syllable verbs ending in -en are stressed on the first
syllable (Oo), as are most two-syllable verbs ending in -er.
However, here, again, there are a number of exceptions,
with the stress pattern being oO instead:
■ confer, deter, prefer, refer, transfer
Many English words are both nouns and verbs. Often, the
stress pattern follows the pattern described at the top of
this page: the noun is stressed on the first syllable, and the
verb on the second. Here are some examples:
■ Import figures are rising. (Oo)
■ The company imports textiles. (oO)
■ They are reporting record profits. (Oo)
■ Don’t forget to record the film. (oO)
Often, however, the syllable stress is the same for the noun
and the verb. For example:
■ an answer – to answer; a contact – to contact (Oo)
■ a reply – to reply; an account – to account for (oO)
To further complicate matters, some words are stressed differently
in British and American English. For example:
Oo
brochure UK
donate US
oO
brochure US
donate UK
Now read the two sentences below. The two-syllable
words in the first sentence follow the more common stress
pattern, while those in the second sentence don’t:
oO Oo Oo Oo
■ She received a lovely present from her colleagues at
Oo
the office.
Oo oO Oo
■ To cancel your account, please contact us at the
oO oO
above address.
Learning new words includes learning how to stress them,
so always make a note of their stress pattern(s). ■BS
www Learn more phrases at www.business-spotlight.de/skills
account for sth. [E(kaUnt fO:]
brochure [(brEʊʃə; US broʊ(ʃU&r]
cancel an account [(kÄns&l]
carry the stress [)kÄri DE (stres]
confer [kEn(f§:]
deter sb. [di(t§:]
donate [dEU(neIt; US (doUneIt]
noun [naUn]
stress pattern [(stres )pÄt&n]
syllable stress [(sIlEb&l stres]
über etw. Rechenschaft ablegen
Brochüre
ein Konto auflösen
betont werden
sich beraten
jmdn. abhalten, abschrecken
spenden
Nomen
Betonungsmuster
Silben-, Wortbetonung
ANNA HOCHSIEDER is a Munich-based teacher of
English as a Second Language who writes on language
issues in Spotlight and Business Spotlight.
Contact: a.hochsieder@googlemail.com
6/2013
www.business-spotlight.de 37

So much to discuss:
finding the right thing
to say is not hard
Let’s keep
talking
Muss es wirklich immer das Wetter sein?
CAROL SCHEUNEMANN und HILDEGARD RUDOLPH
präsentieren Ihnen Übungen zu Themen,
die Sie und Ihre Geschäftspartner darüber
hinaus sicherlich interessieren. all levels
BananaStock

SMALL TALK LANGUAGE TEST ■
THE SITUATION:
Phil Baxter, marketing manager for North America at Our Car Interiors, an automotive supplier,
has arrived from New York for a three-day visit to the company’s offices in Bavaria. It’s
his first time in Germany. He meets Heike Kaiser, who heads technical support. Let’s join
them as they talk about subjects ranging from their countries to the firm and current affairs.
Day 1
1.
Talking about holidays (7 points)
It’s Tuesday morning. Phil and Heike meet at the office. Put the letters in bold in the right
order to create the missing words.
easy
Heike:
Phil:
Heike:
Phil:
Heike:
Phil:
Hello, Phil. It’s good to see you again. How was your flight?
Fine, thanks. I arrived yesterday — and was surprised that all the stores were closed!
Oh, of course! Sorry — it was a(n) a) _________ (bucpli) holiday here.
How many holidays do you have in Germany?
Oh, Bavaria has 13. Some Länder, or states, have more b) _________ (sigoleriu) holidays
than others. And our Day of German Unity is a(n) c) _________ (tailonna)
holiday, on 3 October.
Right. I’ve heard you have more d)_______ (ovacatin) in Europe, too, right?
Heike: You mean our e) _________ (nunlaa) holiday? Most people have between 26 and 30
days. You can take f) _________ (ulei) days for overtime, too.
Phil:
Six weeks? That’s a lot of time off. I’ve only got two weeks, plus a few g) _________
(losernap) days.
2. Explaining the menu (8 points)
easy
For dinner, Heike and Phil go to a restaurant that serves local food. Phil asks Heike to explain some things
on the menu. Choose the correct word to complete each sentence.
Heidi explains typical German dishes:
a) Bratwurst is a fried / boiled sausage.
b) Semmelknödel is a doughnut / dumpling
made of bread.
c) Schweinsbraten is roast pork / duck.
d) Rote Grütze is a dessert made of cooked
berries / pears and served with vanilla
sauce.
And now Phil talks about foods from his homeland:
e) “Stew” is a type of thick soup that usually contains fruit /
vegetables and meat.
f) “Coleslaw” is thinly sliced cabbage / lettuce with a mayonnaise
dressing.
g) “Meat loaf” is a baked mixture of ground beef, eggs and
breadcrumbs / dough.
h) “Pie” is a baked dessert containing a fruit filling on a thin
pasta / pastry crust.
4
6/2013
www.business-spotlight.de 39

■ LANGUAGE TEST SMALL TALK
Day 2
3. Touring the company (5 points)
medium
The next morning, Heike gives Phil a tour of the factory. Choose the words that best
complete the sentences.
a) Our research and development (R&D) ___________ mainly deals with plastics.
1. department 2. compartment
b) I can’t comment on the possible ___________ with our competitor.
1. merger 2. union
c) The factory in Ireland is our newest ___________.
1. subsidy 2. subsidiary
What about you? Ask questions
and provide information
d) Have you met my ___________ manager?
1. line 2. time
e) We ___________ the car seats here, too.
1. finish 2. manufacture
4. Going to school (6 points)
medium
During the coffee break, Heike and Phil’s conversation about their children leads to the subject of education
systems. Choose the words from the box to complete the sentences.
academic
Heike: If I remember correctly, you have a daughter, right?
apprenticeship
daycare
Phil: Yes, Lillian is four, and she goes to a) _____________. We now also have a son,
David. He’s eight weeks old, and is in b) _____________.
high school
preschool
Heike: A baby! How nice. Don’t you get time off? Here, paid parental leave lasts for
up to 14 months if fathers stay at home for at least two months.
vocational
Phil: My wife got only three weeks off — and that was unpaid! And what about your children, Heike? They’re
teenagers, right? So I imagine they’re still in c) _____________.
Heike: Well, Florian is 13 and goes to Gymnasium — it’s a secondary school with a very d) _____________
focus. And Stefanie, who’s 15, is finishing Realschule — which has a bit more practical emphasis. She’s
interested in e) _____________ training and wants to do a formal f) _____________ as an electrician.
Phil: They grow up so fast, don’t they?
40 www.business-spotlight.de 6/2013

BananaStock
5. Keeping healthy (8 points)
medium
In the afternoon, Phil doesn’t feel well. While deciding whether
he needs to see a doctor, he and Heike exchange information on
health-insurance systems.
Heike:
a) Health insurance is mandatory / voluntary for all employees.
b) Employers pay half the insurance contributions / conditions.
c) Visits to and a(n) estimate / diagnosis by a general practitioner are
free of charge.
d) Patients might have to pay a fee for a recipe / prescription.
Phil:
e) The United States doesn’t have universal / unique health care.
f) About six in ten Americans have health insurance care / coverage
through their employer.
g) Most visits to a physician / medicare are not free.
h) The insured person usually must share treatment costs in the form
of a copayment / conversion.
on track
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Day 3
6. Discussing politics (8 points) advanced
As Heike and Phil head to the office the next day, they
find themselves talking about politics. Fill in the vowels
to create the missing terms.
Phil:
Heike:
So, who is the guy on that poster?
Oh, with that smile, he’s a a) p_l_t_c_ _n, of course!
He was a b) c_nd_d_t_ in the c) g_n_r_l _l_ct_ _ n
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von Business Spotlight!
this past September — he belongs to the centre-
Phil:
Heike:
right party in the d) c_ _l_t_ _n.
Ah, right. Sorry, I’m not really very familiar with the
political system in Germany. So you voted for the
chancellor...
Well, indirectly. Here, you have two votes: one for
the member of e) p_rl_ _ m_nt from your constituency,
and one for a political party. There is then a pro-
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Phil:
Right — they have a g) l_g_sl_t_v_ function, kind of
like our Congress?
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Heike:
Phil:
Yes, but they also h) n_m_n_t_ the chancellor.
OK. So, did your party win?
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SFR 35,80 (Audio-CD) oder SFR 30,40 (MP3)
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Heike:
Hey, Phil, do we really want to talk about politics?
4
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Fax: + 49(0)89/85681-159
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Die Audio-CD ist außerdem im Buchhandel erhältlich.

■ LANGUAGE TEST SMALL TALK
BananaStock
7. Getting ahead at work (8 points)
advanced
As Heike is driving Phil to the airport, they talk about careers and working
conditions. Translate the German terms in brackets into English.
Heike:
Phil:
Heike:
Phil:
Heike:
Phil:
Phil, could you tell me again how you became marketing manager?
Oh, let’s see... I got a BA in marketing and Spanish, but could only
find work as a(n) a) __________ (Praktikant). Then, my sister’s husband
offered me a job as a marketing assistant at his company in Lima, Peru.
Later, I became a(n) b) __________ (freiberuflich) marketing consultant.
I also had my own business, importing hardwood furniture from
Peru, which got me contacts to this firm. After all that, I was happy to
have c) ________ ________ (Festanstellung) status again.
Yes, lots of firms are using d) ________ ________ (Zeitarbeitskräfte)
to fill new positions. There is a(n) e) ________ ________ (Mindestlohn)
in the US, though, right?
Yeah, it’s $7.25 an hour, and higher in some states.
I see. We pay according to the f) ________ ________ (Tarifvertrag) for
the business sector and ... sorry, Phil, I didn’t mean to get off topic.
I’m meeting with the g) ________ ________ (Betriebsrat) later, so...
Hm, we probably have different opinions about h) ________ ________
(Gewerkschaften). Maybe we can talk about that during my next visit.
How did you do?
Giving opinions: if you are tactful,
conversations will go smoothly
45–50 points: Excellent. You can describe key
aspects of your company and society.
40–44 points: Very good. You know the English
terms for many organizations and institutions in
your country.
35–39 points: Good. You know the main vocabulary
for talking about business and your culture.
34 points or fewer: Nice try. Learn the vocabulary
offered here, and try the test again later.
You can do more exercises on this topic on
Business Spotlight Audio
www Find more language tests at www.businessspotlight.de/skills
ANSWERS
1. Talking about holidays
a) public (public holiday = gesetzlicher Feiertag)
b) religious (religious/church holiday = kirchlicher
Feiertag)
c) national (national holiday = Nationalfeiertag)
d) vacation US (holiday UK) = hier: Jahresurlaub
e) annual (annual holiday UK = Jahresurlaub)
f) lieu (lieu day UK; comp time US = Gleittag)
g) personal (personal day US = Sonderurlaubstag)
2. Explaining the menu
a) fried
b) dumpling = Kloß, Knödel
c) pork
d) berries
e) vegetables
f) cabbage = Weißkohl
g) breadcrumbs = Semmelbrösel
h) pastry = Teig (aus Mehl, Fett und Wasser)
3. Touring the company
a–1 department = Abteilung
b–1 merger = Fusion
c–2 subsidiary = Tochterunternehmen
d–1 line (line manager = direkte(r) Vorgesetzte(r))
e–2 manufacture = herstellen, fertigen
4. Going to school
a) preschool US (nursery school UK) = Kindergarten
b) daycare US (crèche UK) = Kindertagesstätte,
-krippe
c) high school US (secondary/grammar school UK) =
etwa: Gesamtschule mit Klassen 9 bis 12
d) academic
e) vocational (vocational training = Berufsausbildung)
f) apprenticeship = Lehre
5. Keeping healthy
a) mandatory (be mandatory = Pflicht sein)
b) contributions (premiums US) = (Versicherungs-)
Beiträge
c) diagnosis = Befund
d) prescription = (ärztliches) Rezept
e) universal (universal health care = allgemeine
Gesundheitsversorgung)
f) coverage US (cover UK) = (Versicherungs-)Schutz
g) physician = Arzt/Ärztin; Mediziner(in)
h) copay(ment) = Selbstbeteiligung
6. Discussing politics
a) politician = Politiker(in)
b) candidate
c) general election = hier: Bundestagswahl
d) coalition
e) parliament (representative to parliament = Abgeordnete(r))
f) distribution = (Sitz-)Verteilung
g) legislative = gesetzgebend
h) nominate
7. Getting ahead at work
a) intern
b) freelance
c) permanent employment
d) temporary workers
e) minimum wage
f) collective agreement
g) works council
h) trade unions
CAROL SCHEUNEMANN is a writer and editor at
Business Spotlight. She is also responsible for
Business Spotlight Audio.
Contact: c.scheunemann@spotlight-verlag.de
HILDEGARD RUDOLPH is a certified translator and
a freelance editor, teacher and book author.
Contact: bs.lektorat@spotlight-verlag.de
42 www.business-spotlight.de 6/2013

INDEX ■
BUSINESS SPOTLIGHT 2013
An overview of our main stories from the past year
GLOBAL BUSINESS
FEATURES ■ The Arctic 1/13 ■ Harris
Tweed 2/13 ■ Relocation 3/13 ■
BlackBerry 4/13 ■ Sumatra’s forests
5/13 ■ Nova Scotia Webcams 6/13
VIEWPOINT ■ A letter to Barack Obama
1/13
PROFILE ■ Stacey Coleman, gallery
owner 1/13 ■ Richard Branson, Virgin
Group 2/13 ■ Al Gore, former US vice
president 3/13 ■ Sheryl Sandberg,
Facebook 4/13 ■ Mark Carney, Bank
of England 5/13 ■ Jack Monroe, blogger
6/13
HEAD-TO-HEAD ■ Are language exams
useful? 1/13 ■ Should Britain
leave the EU? 2/13 ■ Should we be
forced to buy low-energy light bulbs?
3/13 ■ Do we need global tax rules?
4/13 ■ Should English be the official
EU language? 5/13 ■ Should politicians
become lobbyists? 6/13
INTERCULTURAL
COMMUNICATION
FEATURES ■ German values 1/13 ■
Working with France 2/13 ■ Culture
and medical care 3/13 ■ Working with
sub-Saharan Africa 4/13 ■ Money and
banking cultures 5/13 ■ Working with
the Swiss 6/13
DIALOGUE ■ Lessons for China and
Japan 1/13
LOOKING BACK ■ Vicki Sussens on
South Africa 2/13 ■ Maja Sirola on
Croatia 3/13 ■ Barbara Hiller on New
Zealand 4/13 ■ Carol Scheunemann
on the US 5/13 ■ Sarah Gough on
Switzerland 6/13
ENGLISH ON THE MOVE ■ Business
itineraries 1/13 ■ At the reception
2/13 ■ Saying goodbye 3/13 ■ The
London Underground 4/13 ■ Between
terminals 5/13 ■ Passport control 6/13
BUSINESS SKILLS
FEATURES ■ Communication: interview
with Bob Dignen; Tips from the experts
1/13 ■ Organizational politics
2/13 ■ Building relationships 3/13 ■
Making decisions 4/13 ■ Using psychology
to negotiate 5/13 ■ Support at
work 6/13
TOOLBOX ■ First calls, replies and
native speakers 2/13 ■ How to use
questions at work 3/13 ■ When to use
“I” and “we” 4/13 ■ Staying polite
5/13 ■ Listening and understanding
6/13
SAY IT IN STYLE ■ Sentence stress
2/13 ■ Vague language 3/13 ■ Avoiding
gender-specific language 4/13 ■
Syllable stress in long words 5/13 ■
Stress in two-syllable words 6/13
TESTS / LANGUAGE FEATURES
A fresh start: 13-page language test
1/13 ■ Creating a learning plan 2/13 ■
Meetings (test) 3/13 ■ Travel and
transport (test) 4/13 ■ Information
technology (test) 5/13 ■ Beyond small
talk (test) 6/13
CAREERS
FEATURES ■ Women in the police and
military 1/13 ■ Relaxation techniques
2/13 ■ A career in the arts 3/13 ■
Mediation 4/13 ■ Studying abroad
5/13 ■ Working abroad 6/13
MANAGEMENT
FEATURES ■ Iraq youth orchestra;
Faces to watch 1/13 ■ Anna Wintour,
editor, American Vogue 2/13 ■ Work
and private identities 3/13 ■ Business
venues 4/13 ■ Car design 5/13 ■
Crowdfunding 6/13
WHAT HAPPENED NEXT ■ Henry
Ford’s $5 pay offer 2/13 ■ Coca-Cola’s
biggest mistake 3/13 ■ Poison in
Tylenol pills 4/13 ■ The theory of
shareholder value 5/13 ■ Whistleblower
Karen Silkwood 6/13
EXECUTIVE EYE ■ Happiness 2/13 ■
Myths about talent 3/13 ■ Work rituals
4/13 ■ Staff appraisals 5/13 ■
Beauty at work 6/13
LANGUAGE
VOCABULARY ■ The motorway
2/13 ■ Election day 3/13 ■ The
boardroom 4/13 ■ Physiotherapy
5/13 ■ Celebrations 6/13
GRAMMAR AT WORK ■ Describing
processes 2/13 ■ Describing
products 3/13 ■ Speculating 4/13
■ Comparing options 5/13 ■ Making
suggestions 6/13
EASY ENGLISH ■ Writing emails
2/13 ■ Successful phone calls
3/13 ■ Small talk 4/13 ■ Project
updates 5/13 ■ Meetings at work
6/13
WISE WORDS ■ Lucky with numbers?
1/13 ■ Love, money and job
satisfaction 2/13 ■ This, that and
the other 3/13 ■ Nationalities
4/13 ■ Politics and lies 5/13 ■
Salt, peanuts, eggs and bacon
6/13
SHORT STORY ■ The problem in
a nutshell 1/13 ■ Turning the tables
2/13 ■ Cyber romance 3/13 ■
The king of spin 4/13 ■ A murder
TECHNOLOGY
FEATURES ■ Augmented reality 1/13
■ Dark matter 2/13 ■ IT firms in Detroit
3/13 ■ The dangers of sugar 4/13
■ Spider silk 5/13 ■ Human-machine
interaction 6/13
LANGUAGE FOCUS ■ Scaffolding
2/13 ■ Point-of-care testing 3/13 ■
Types of surveying 4/13 ■ Fracking
5/13 ■ LED lighting 6/13
PEOPLE
MY WORKING LIFE ■ Su Burnett,
animal communicator, Canada 1/13 ■
Georgina Cooper, online fashion shop
owner, UK 2/13 ■ Edward Broni-
of crows 5/13 ■ Steam solutions
6/13
ENGLISH FOR… ■ Property and
casualty insurance 2/13 ■ Sea
travel 3/13 ■ Airport security 4/13
■ Document management 5/13 ■
Auctions 6/13
LEGAL ENGLISH ■ Construction
law 2/13 ■ Advising clients 3/13
■ A letter of demand 4/13 ■ Telephoning
with clients 5/13 ■ Inhouse
counsel 6/13
ECONOMICS AND FINANCE ■
Economies of scale 2/13 ■ Supply
and demand (1) 3/13 ■ Supply
and demand (2) 4/13 ■ Quantitative
easing 5/13 ■ Sector balances
6/13
TEACHER TALK ■ Helen Strong
1/13 ■ Paul Emmerson 2/13 ■
Vicky Loras 3/13 ■ Evan Frendo
4/13 ■ Stephanie Ashford 5/13 ■
Michael McCarthy 6/13
Mensa, social entrepreneur, UK 3/13 ■
Kevin Alcock, ship’s captain, UK 4/13
■ Madina Baibolova, estate agent, Kazakhstan
5/13 ■ Andrew Lacy, travelsite
owner, Paris 6/13
SKILL UP!
■ The environment 1/13
■ The world of fashion 2/13
■ Talking about production 3/13
■ Your holidays 4/13
■ Emotional times 5/13
■ Property 6/13
These issues of Business Spotlight (including Skill Up!) can be ordered at the
cover price of €12.80 plus postage and packing. To order, call +49 (0)89 856 81-16
or send an email to abo@spotlight-verlag.de. Please understand that we are not
able to send individual articles, either as paper versions or electronically.
www To download this index as a PDF, go to www.business-spotlight.de/indexes
6/2013
www.business-spotlight.de 43

■ LANGUAGE VOCABULARY
easy
Festive events
2
In dieser Rubrik präsentieren wir nützliche Begriffe aus der
Arbeitswelt. Von CAROL SCHEUNEMANN
5
21
1
3
4
16
9
6
8
7
19
15
10
18
17
11
20
14
12
13
Ken Raut
1. venue [(venju:] Veranstaltungsort
2. streamer [(stri:mE] Kreppband;
Luftschlange
3. paper lantern [)peIpE (lÄntEn] Lampion
4. decorations [)dekE(reIS&nz] Dekorationen
5. party banner Girlande
6. raise a toast to sb./sth., auf jmdn./etw.
toast sb./sth.
anstoßen
7. speech Rede, Ansprache
8. lectern [(lektEn] Rednerpult
9. celebration, festivity [fe(stIvEti] Feier
10. celebrate sth. etw. feiern
11. buffet [(bUfeI] Büfett
12. canapé [(kÄnEpeI], Häppchen
hors d’oeuvre [)O: (d§:v],
appetizer [(ÄpItaIzE]
13. admittance [Ed(mIt&ns] Einlass
14. bar table, bistro table Stehtisch
15. clink glasses anstoßen
16. congratulations Beglückwünschung,
[kEn)grÄtSu(leIS&nz]
Gratulation
17. invitation [)InvI(teIS&n] Einladung
18. tray Tablett
19. champagne [SÄm(peIn] Champagner, Sekt
20. catering staff [(keItErIN stA:f], Bewirtungspersonal,
waiter/waitress
Kellner/Kellnerin
21. fireworks Feuerwerk
Exercise: Party time!
Complete the sentences with words from the list.
Martin and Lilly are organizing the company’s year-end
a) __________. First, they found a place for the event,
the b) __________. Then, they hired a party planner
to provide and put up c) __________. This included
hanging up the long, colourful d) _____________ and
the e) paper _____________ from the ceiling.
General f) _____________ will begin at 8 p.m. As the
guests arrive, the events manager will check their
g) _______________. The caterers will have set up a(n)
h) _______________ with small portions of food, called
i) _____________. The j) ___________ will carry around
k) ____________ with glasses of l) _____________. The
company president will give a(n) m) __________ from
behind the n) __________ on the stage, and will then
o) raise a __________ to thank his employees for their
good work during the year. They will p) _____________
glasses with each other. Cheers!
Answers on page 62
Practise this vocabulary on Business Spotlight Audio
44 www.business-spotlight.de 6/2013

medium
GRAMMAR AT WORK LANGUAGE ■
Making suggestions
Im Englischen gibt es viele verschiedene Möglichkeiten, Vorschläge zu machen. ANNA HOCHSIEDER
präsentiert Beispiele und erläutert die dazugehörige Grammatik.
Mona’s Meals, a catering company that provides lunch for
schools and businesses, will be ten years old next
spring. Mona, Ellen and Dan are talking about how they are
going to celebrate the event.
What shall we do?
Mona:
Ellen:
Dan:
Mona:
Ellen:
Dan:
Mona:
Ellen:
Dan:
Mona:
Ellen:
Mona:
Exercise
So, what do you suggest? Shall we throw a big
party and invite all our customers?
Hmm… I think we should try and come up with
something a bit different.
Why don’t we organize an open day?
Good idea. We could put on a cooking show.
How about offering free cooking classes?
Maybe we could hold a cooking competition.
We probably ought to have something for children,
too. What about a quiz?
Perhaps we should talk to the schools.
Yes, let’s do that. If I were you, Mona, I’d ask
the schools to make suggestions.
Yes, but we shouldn’t forget our older customers.
Why not have a children’s event in the afternoon
and a party in the evening?
Tell you what — I suggest we all go home and
sleep on it. Let’s meet again in the morning.
How does that sound?
Correct the mistake in four of the five sentences below.
a) I think we ought to waiting for a better offer.
_____________________________________________
b) If I were you, I’ll talk to the boss.
_____________________________________________
c) Why not we ask for a second opinion?
_____________________________________________
d) I suggest we postpone the decision until next week.
_____________________________________________
e) How about to take a short break?
_____________________________________________
Answers on page 62
Explanations
1. Suggestions are often made in the form of questions.
Such questions can be introduced with shall we or why
don’t we, followed by an infinitive:
■ Shall we throw a party?
■ Why don’t we organize an open day?
You can also use why not + infinitive. In this case, there
is no subject:
■ Why not have a children’s event?
Suggestions can be introduced with how about or what
about, followed by an -ing form or a noun phrase. Here,
too, there is no subject:
■ How about offering free cooking classes?
■ What about a quiz?
2. You can introduce a suggestion with we could, we should
and we ought to. To be more polite, you can soften these
phrases with maybe, perhaps, probably or I think:
■ Maybe we could hold a cooking competition.
■ Perhaps we should talk to the schools.
■ We probably ought to have something for children.
■ I think we should try and come up with something a
bit different.
3. You can suggest that somebody should do something by
saying if I were you, followed by a “would”-clause:
■ If I were you, I’d ask the schools to make suggestions.
4. A very common way of agreeing with a suggestion or of
making a suggestion yourself is by beginning with let’s:
■ Let’s do that.
■ Let’s meet again in the morning.
5. You can also use I suggest, followed by a “that”-clause.
In spoken English, “that” is usually dropped:
■ I suggest we all go home.
6. At the end of the dialogue are two common expressions:
(I’ll) tell you what often introduces a suggestion, while
How does that sound? is used to ask what someone
thinks about a suggestion you have made. ■BS
Do an exercise on this topic on Business Spotlight Audio
plus Find related exercises in Business Spotlight plus
www More exercises at www.business-spotlight.de/grammar
ANNA HOCHSIEDER is a Munich-based teacher of
English as a Second Language who writes regularly
on language issues in Spotlight and Business
Spotlight. Contact: a.hochsieder@googlemail.com
6/2013
www.business-spotlight.de 45

n LANGUAGE EASY ENGLISH
Meetings at work
Time to meet:
make sure
that you are
well prepared
Fühlen Sie sich gestresst, wenn Sie Geschäftssitzungen auf Englisch bewältigen
müssen? Das ist nicht nötig, meint MIKE HOGAN. Auf diesen Seiten gibt er Tipps, wie Sie
potenzielle Schwierigkeiten meistern.
Monkey Business
Meetings of all sorts are an important part of business
life. Some are formal, others informal. Some are in very
small groups, others are with many people. Here, we
look at some key elements of meetings: making sure you understand
what’s said, agreeing and disagreeing, giving your
opinions and making decisions.
1. Strategies for meetings
It doesn’t have to be difficult to take part in meetings. There
are some simple strategies that you can use to help you understand
as much as possible and take part actively. Read the
dialogue below and think about these questions:
n How does Sarah check that she has understood Paul correctly?
n How does Sarah show that she’s been listening to Oscar and
not just thinking about what to say next?
n How does Sarah gain some “thinking time” when answering
Oscar’s question?
Sarah: Yes, Oscar, it’s important for us to know what the others
are working on. But instead of meeting more often, what
do you think about creating a shared folder in our intranet?
We’re all very busy and we might not have time to meet
more often than we already do.
Oscar: I don’t know about that. I’m not sure that will help.
What about when we’re not using the internal network —
like when we’re on a business trip? How can we continue
to update each other then?
Sarah: That’s a good point, Oscar. Well, let me see… I think
we could use a cloud-based solution to share documents.
But we’ll have to talk to the IT department first. What do
you think?
Oscar: Yes, I can live with that.
Paul: Me, too.
Here are the answers to the three questions:
n Sarah checks that she understands Paul by summarizing
Paul: …so if we do that first, we can be sure the project will
run smoothly.
Sarah: Sorry, Paul. I’m not sure I understood all that. Can I
just check that I got it? You want us to communicate with
each other more often electronically during the planning
part of the project, right?
Paul: Yes, exactly. That’s it.
Oscar: OK. I see what you mean, but I think we should also
meet in person more often to update each other.
cloud-based [(klaUdbeIst]
department [di(pA:tmEnt]
folder [(fEUldE]
get sth. [get] ifml.
know: I don’t ~ about that [nEU]
live: I can ~ with that [lIv]
point [pOInt]
summarize sth. [(sVmEraIz]
update sb.
[)Vp(deIt]
Cloud-basiert (auf der Grundlage
von Internet-Datenzentren)
Abteilung
Ordner
hier: etw. verstehen
ich weiß nicht so recht
das finde ich akzeptabel
hier: Argument
etw. zusammenfassen
jmdn. auf den neuesten Stand
bringen
46 www.business-spotlight.de 6/2013

easy
what she thinks he said. This can be better than asking
Paul to summarize, because if there’s something Sarah misunderstood
the first time, she might also misunderstand it
the second time. Make sure that you summarize often in
your meetings.
n Sarah shows she’s been listening by reacting to what Oscar
says: “Yes, Oscar, it’s important for us to…” Then she gives
her opinion. When you are listening to other people in meetings,
it is a good strategy first to react, then to comment.
n Sarah gains some thinking time by using a filler phrase in
reply to Oscar: “Well, let me see…” Use filler phrases to
give yourself time to collect your thoughts.
2. Virtual meetings
Many companies are trying to save money and increase efficiency
by having virtual meetings. It is important to prepare
well for such meetings so that you don’t waste time:
Technical preparation
n Make sure you have the necessary hardware (headset,
webcam, etc.)
n Check that you have the necessary information (for example,
the internet link and/or the number to call for
a telephone conference).
Language
n This is Sarah. I think we should… (Say your name, so
people know who’s talking.)
n Sorry, who was that just speaking? (Check that you
know who is speaking.)
n It would be good if we each gave our opinions one at
a time. (Avoid everyone speaking at once.)
Useful phrases for meetings
a) Starting
n Right, everyone’s here. Let’s begin.
n The first point on the agenda is…
b) Reacting
n Yes, I see what you mean.
n That’s one way of looking at it.
c) Giving opinions
n I think we should choose option A.
n I feel option A is the best.
d) Asking for opinions
n What do you think?
n How do you feel about it?
e) Agreeing / Disagreeing
n Yes, I agree. That’s a good idea.
n I’m sorry, but I don’t agree.
n I’m not sure it will work.
g) Summarizing
n So what you mean is…
n So what you’re saying is…
TIP: Native speakers of
English often forget (or
don’t know) how hard it is
to follow a conversation in
a second language. If you
have difficulties understanding
your Englishspeaking
colleagues in
meetings, ask them to
slow down or to explain
what they mean more
simply. You could also put
this point on the agenda
of your next meeting and
discuss possible solutions.
h) Clarifying
n I’m not sure I understood. Can I just check that I got it?
n Could you say that again — and speak more slowly, please?
i) Filler phrases
n Well, let me see. There are different ways of looking at that.
n That’s an interesting point. / That’s a good question.
GRAMMAR: modal verbs
When making suggestions, you can use “should” to tell people that you think something is a good idea. You can also
use “might” and “could” to show that your suggestions are flexible. Here are some examples from the dialogue.
n I think we should also meet in person more often.
n We might not have time to meet more often than we
already do.
n I think we could use a cloud-based solution to share
documents.
Avoid using “must” when giving information, as it can
sound like an order. Instead, use “need to”:
n You need to save your documents often so that you
don’t lose any data. (Gives information about why
something is necessary.)
n You must save your documents often so that you don’t
lose any data. (Sounds like an order.) nBS
plus Practise the language of meetings in Business Spotlight plus
agenda [E(dZendE]
clarifying [(klÄrEfaIIN]
filler phrase [(fIlE freIz]
(filler
save sth. [seIv]
work [w§:k]
Tagesordnung
Klarstellung
nicht der Ergebnisfindung
dienende Wendung
Füllwort)
etw. (ab)speichern
funktionieren
MIKE HOGAN is a communication-skills trainer and
head of training and development at the LTC Language
Training Center (www.ltc-online.de). His publications
include Business English for Beginners A1
and A2 (Cornelsen). Contact: m.hogan@ltc-online.de
6/2013
www.business-spotlight.de 47

■ LANGUAGE WISE WORDS
“I’m not against company bonuses at all. I just think that
some are terribly hard to stomach”
DEBORAH CAPRAS ON LANGUAGE IN THE NEWS
Salt,
peanuts,
iStockphoto
eggs and bacon
Was haben Geld und Essen miteinander zu tun? Sprachlich jedenfalls eine Menge. DEBORAH CAPRAS hat
idiomatische Redewendungen rund um dieses Thema unter die Lupe genommen.
We were sitting in a coffee bar and discussing our strategy.
We were two freelancers who wanted to work on
an e-learning project at a bank. We knew we could provide
exactly what the company needed — and the company
knew it, too — but we couldn’t decide how much we should
charge. Too much, and we’d lose the contract. Too little, and
we’d undersell ourselves. With the clock ticking, we finally
agreed on an amount that would cover our costs and also
leave us with something for a nest egg on top. We drank our
coffee and got up to go. At the last minute, I said, “Let’s double
it!” We laughed at the audacity of it, but then agreed that
we should. Our strategy just might pay off. In the meeting,
when asked about the fee, I confidently stated our price. It
was immediately accepted. “Damn,” I thought. “We should
have asked for even more.”
What are you worth?
That’s the problem with pay negotiations, especially when
you’re a freelancer. It’s not easy to sit down and answer the
question: “How much am I worth?” You might think that anyone
who is worth their salt should have known that a bank
would pay big bucks. The expression “worth one’s salt” has a
long history. The Latin for salt is sal. Roman soldiers were paid
a salarium (maybe they were paid in salt, or maybe the money
they received was spent on salt, and other essentials). This
is where we get the word “salary”. If you’re worth your salt,
you’re good at what you do and people respect you for this.
Today, we often expect more than just a basic salary. Let’s
stay with the financial sector for a moment. In this industry,
many managers are rolling in dough. In addition to their sixfigure
salaries, they often receive “telephone-number bonuses”.
How much salt — or essentials — can you buy with that kind
of money? No idea. That’s why I agree with the EU rules to
limit such bloated payments.
Parachutes and pots
The media is another sector that often pays too much. In the
UK, the BBC has recently been criticized for offering too
much in severance pay — or “golden parachutes” — to their
staff. These payments are meant to help someone land safely
when they are kicked out of the top of a company. The head
of BBC Worldwide, John Smith, received more than £4 million
in his pension pot. Lord Hall, who became director gen-
audacity [O:(dÄsEti]
Kühnheit
big bucks [)bIg (bVks] ifml.
ein Haufen Geld
bloated [(blEUtId]
aufgebläht; hier: überzogen
essentials [I(senS&lz]
lebensnotwendige Güter
freelancer [(fri:)lA:nsE]
Freiberufler(in)
nest egg [(nest eg]
finanzielles Polster, Sparpfennig
parachute [(pÄrESu:t]
Fallschirm
pay negotiations [(peI nIgEUSi)eIS&nz] Gehalts-, Honorarverhandlungen
pay off [)peI (Qf] ifml.
sich bezahlt machen
pension pot: receive sth. in one’s ~ etw. als Altersvorsorge
[(penS&n pQt] UK ifml.
bekommen
rolling: be ~ in dough [(rEUlIN] ifml. im Geld schwimmen
(dough
Teig)
salt: be worth one’s ~ [sO:lt] sein Geld wert sein
severance pay [(sev&rEns peI] Abfindung
telephone-number bonus
übertrieben hoher Bonus
[(telIfEUn )nVmbE )bEUnEs] ifml.
undersell oneself [)VndE(sel wVn)self] sich unter Wert verkaufen
48 www.business-spotlight.de 6/2013

medium
eral of the BBC this year, admitted that the BBC had got it
wrong. He said they “had lost the plot”. They also forked out
too much of taxpayers’ money.
Bacon and pigs
Not that I’m against bonuses. Some are just hard to stomach.
Top managers should be sharing the wealth with all the workers,
instead of milking the company for all it’s worth. Sports
Direct, a UK group of shops that sells clothes, may have
found a better way. The firm has been criticized for the way
it treats its workers, but it does have an interesting share
bonus scheme to stop employees from leaving. This year, over
2,000 received a bonus — and they weren’t all managers. A
worker earning £20,000 received about £75,000 in shares.
The Guardian described it as “a true ker-ching moment”.
Of course, these sums are peanuts compared to the amounts
paid in the private sector in the US. One James Mulva, ex-boss
of ConocoPhillips, received a $156-million golden parachute
last year. The company said it was fair because of the value
of the corporation, blah, blah, blah. Seriously? One person is
worth that much? He’s worth that much salt? I think we should
use a different expression here. How about “bring home the
bacon”? No, that means “earn money for the family” and suggests
that he made enough to feed the family. I prefer a different
“pig” expression to describe his situation. He’s just
making a pig of himself with that much money.
IN THE NEWS
Earning the dough
The Evening Standard
This is the headline of a story in The Evening Standard
about the UK finance minister’s visit to a company that
makes bread — and about UK growth figures.
bacon: bring home the ~ [(beIkEn] ifml. die Brötchen verdienen
(bacon
Speck)
dough [dEU] second meaning: ifml. Teig; ugs. auch: Kohle, Knete
fork out (money) [)fO:k (aUt] ifml. (Geld) lockermachen
gravy [(greIvi]
Bratensoße
ker-ching moment
Augenblick, in dem die
[kE (tSIN )mEUmEnt] ifml.
Kasse klingelt
lose the plot [)lu:z DE (plQt] ifml. den Überblick verlieren
milk sb./sth. for all they’re/it’s worth das Letzte aus jmdm./etw.
[)mIlk fEr )O:l DeE/Its (w§:T]
herauspressen
(milk
melken)
one [wVn]
hier: ein(e) gewisse(r)
peanuts [(pi:nVts] ifml.
Kleckerbetrag,-beträge
(peanut
Erdnuss)
pig: make a ~ of oneself [pIg]
sich den Bauch vollschlagen;
hier: das Maß verloren haben
share bonus scheme [(SeE )bEUnEs ski:m] Gratisaktienprogramm
stomach sth. [(stVmEk]
etw. verdauen; hier: hinnehmen
USEFUL EXPRESSIONS
Here’s a list of popular expressions used to talk about
earning money. They are all related to food.
Bring home the bacon
To earn money for the family:
■ Musicians are finding it harder and harder to bring
home the bacon. Too many people want music for free.
Chicken feed
A tiny amount of money. If you think about how much a
chicken eats, you’ll understand this idiom:
■ Two million in bonuses? That’s chicken feed for many
bankers.
Dough
Informal expression for “money”. It’s also a mixture that
is the basis of bread:
■ How much dough did you get?
Earn one’s daily bread
To make money to buy the things you need to live:
■ I’m not sure how he earns his daily bread, but it can’t
be legal.
Gravy train
If someone is “on the gravy train”, that person is earning
a lot of money very easily. The origin of this expression
is unknown:
■ He says he wants a job at the BBC. I think he sees it
as a gravy train.
Nest egg
A sum of money that you save for the future:
■ This job is very well paid. I’ve managed to build up a
nice little nest egg.
Our bread and butter
This expression refers to how someone mainly earns their
money:
■ Our band plays at all sorts of private parties, but weddings
are our bread and butter.
Pay sb. peanuts
To pay someone only a very small amount of money:
■ We worked hard and then they paid us peanuts. ■BS
plus For exercises on this topic, see Business Spotlight plus
DEBORAH CAPRAS is the deputy editor of Business Spotlight.
She has lived in a number of European countries, including
Greece. You can read her blog, Wise Words, and do her online
language exercises at www.business-spotlight.de/blogs
6/2013
www.business-spotlight.de 49

■ LANGUAGE SHORT STORY
New society: where
the past, present and
future come together
Steam
Das erste Rendezvous war unvergesslich. Ob daraus wohl mehr wird?
Eine Science-Fiction-Geschichte von JAMES SCHOFIELD
iStockphotos
said Ernest as he and Millie stood on the
escalator on their way up to the roof to catch their
“That,”
skybus, “was fantastic!”
“Told you so,” said Millie. “I knew you’d like it.” She
smiled, her face a light green because of the phosphorus in
the wall lighting. They reached the roof and slowly walked arm
in arm across to the skybus stop. Millie could see the bus
floating slowly through the night air towards Leicester Square
from Hyde Park Corner. She hoped it wasn’t too full. If they
had to stand shoulder to shoulder with other passengers all
the way back to Queens Park, it might spoil the atmosphere.
“Well, you were right,” said Ernest. “I mean, you can’t take
science-fiction viddyfilms seriously. But it was really good fun.
Would you like some winkles? I think I would.”
Several winkle sellers were going up and down the skybus
queues carrying steamers on their backs, their trays full of the
shiny black sea snails. Ernest bought two small bags and a
bottle of cola for each of them. For a while, they were silent
as they sucked the flesh out of the shells.
“Yummy,” said Millie finally, licking some of the juice off
her fingers. “Did you like Gilda Buck? She looks really good
still, don’t you think?”
Ernest thought it was probably unwise to say what he really
thought of the actress on a first date, so he kept his answer
neutral.
“She’s OK. How old is she now? About 30?”
“Oh, at least 40. I saw an interview with her on a televiddy
last week. I thought she seemed a bit old for Sam Tishaw.
He’s lovely — he was in that viddy with…”
Ernest only half-listened as Millie listed everything she’d
seen Tishaw in and he allowed his eyes to wander as their skybus
approached. A final puff of steam from the engine
brought it alongside their building and people began to board.
“Shall we go up on to the observation deck?” he asked. “It’s
a beautiful night. My treat.”
“Are you sure?” asked Millie excitedly. She’d only been on
the observation deck of a skybus once before, with her grandparents
when she was a little girl. “It’s terribly expensive!”
“Come on!” Ernest said.
board [bO:d]
escalator [(eskEleItE]
Leicester [(lestE]
observation deck [)QbzE(veIS&n dek]
phosphorus [(fQsfErEs]
puff of steam [)pVf Ev (sti:m]
queue [kju:] UK
snail [sneI&l]
steamer [(sti:mE]
suck sth. out of sth. [)sVk (aUt Ev]
tray [treI]
winkle [(wINk&l]
yummy [(jVmi] ifml.
einsteigen
Rolltreppe
[wg. Aussprache]
Aussichtsdeck
Phosphor
Dampfwolke
(Warte-)Schlange
Schnecke
Dampfgarer
etw. aus etw. heraussaugen
Tablett
Strandschnecke
lecker
50 www.business-spotlight.de 6/2013

medium
“You can use any fuel to make
steam. You don’t need oil”
He bought the tickets from the conductor and they climbed
the stairs to the glass cabin at the top of the skybus. There
were a few other couples like them, standing by the windows
and looking at the view. The dome of St Paul’s Cathedral
shone in the moonlight, and further east, they could see Tower
Bridge and the Tower of London, far larger than the buildings
surrounding them. They used the skybus telescope to
look south to the sea and to watch the ships steaming between
Dover and Calais, while to the north, the air was filled
with skybuses criss-crossing the country with people or
goods. It was very beautiful and very quiet.
“You know,” said Ernest, “it would be fantastic to have one
of those little oilmobiles, like they did in the viddyfilm. Just
for yourself. You could go outside, get into your oilmobile and
go wherever you wanted.”
“Yes, but the hero wasn’t ever able to do that, was he?” answered
Millie. “Every time he went to work in his oilmobile,
about a million other people all did the same thing.”
“True. I have to say that the focus on oil was frightening.
I mean, everybody destroying the environment just to get
more and more of it!”
“I thought that was a bit unrealistic. They’d have switched
to steam power, surely. You can use any fuel to make steam.
You don’t need oil. No government would be stupid enough
to be so dependent on just one resource.”
“Well, that’s viddyfilms for you,” said Ernest. “My guess is
the director wanted a reason for everybody to go to war at the
end, and fighting over oil seemed the most plausible.” He
smiled suddenly. “Those scenes in the offices were funny!”
Millie laughed. “They were, weren’t they? Nothing like
where we work. Everybody sitting in front of those viddyviewers
with those funny little typewriters and sending each other
messages. What did they call those machines again?”
“Computators.”
“That’s it! But you know what I found really sad? It was
when he was supposed to be meeting her in the park — and
because they were both following directions on their hand
computators, they walked straight past each other!”
boiler [(bOIlE]
conductor [kEn(dVktE] UK
criss-cross sth. [(krIs krQs]
despairingly [dI(speErINli]
directions [dE(rekS&nz]
director [dE(rektE]
for you: that’s… ~ [(fO: )ju:]
freeze [fri:z]
fuel [(fju:El]
steam power [(sti:m )paUE]
transparent [trÄns(pÄrEnt]
Heizkessel
Schaffner(in)
etw. durchqueren
verzweifelt
Wegbeschreibung(en)
Regisseur(in)
so ist das eben mit …
erstarren
Brennstoff
Dampfkraft
hier: durchschaubar
“Wasn’t that what the whole viddyfilm was all about?”
Ernest asked. “About not connecting with people properly? I
mean, there was that other scene with a whole crowd of people
on a train and all of them were just looking at their hand
computators.”
“They were really controlled by those things, weren’t
they?” Millie added. “People didn’t seem to have a life of
their own without them.”
“Next stop, Queens Park!” the conductor called up the
stairs.
They froze. The journey had gone so quickly and neither
wanted it to end. But she was supposed to get off now, while
he was continuing on to Wembley. Both tried to think of something
to say.
“Millie…” he began.
“Yes?” she asked, hopefully.
“Nothing. Well … it was a lovely evening.”
“Yes.”
They went silently down the stairs. I wish, thought Ernest
despairingly, I had a hand computator right now, so I could
pretend to be doing something important and wouldn’t feel
like such an idiot.
“Oh!” said Millie, as the skybus stopped and she stepped
out on to the roof of the building.
“Yes?”
“I just remembered. I… I have a problem with my boiler.
In my flat. Could you… have a look at it?” Her face went pink.
How could she have said something so transparent? She’d
been able to fix boilers since kindergarten. Everybody could.
“Steam-pressure problem?”
“Yes.”
Ernest smiled. “I’d love to.”
■BS
Language point
date Besides referring to a romantic meeting,
the noun “date” can be used to mean the person
who accompanies you: “My date took me to
the cinema.” As a verb (to date sb.), it can refer
to a relationship: “Roy and I have been dating
for about two months.”
My treat. (It’s my treat.) You say this when you
wish to pay for another person in a restaurant
or in some other social situation (Ich lade
dich/Sie ein). Another way to say this is “It’s on
me” or “I’ll get it/this.” German speakers commonly
use the verb “invite” here, but that is a
false friend.
You can listen to this story on Business Spotlight Audio
JAMES SCHOFIELD wrote this story in the steampunk
genre, science fiction about modern societies that use
steam power. For other stories in English, see his blog
at http://jrtschofield.blogspot.de
6/2013
www.business-spotlight.de 51

n LANGUAGE TRANSLATION
medium
False friends
You mean… You should say… Don’t say… As this means…
familiär friendly/informal/relaxed familiar vertraut;
Die Atmosphäre in dieser The atmosphere in this wohl bekannt
Firma ist sehr familiär.
company is very relaxed.
Gift poison gift Geschenk
Wir dürfen kein Gift in den We are not allowed to put down
Verkaufsräumen auslegen.
poison in the showrooms.
Sekt sparkling wine sect Sekte
Feiern Sie mit Sekt!
Celebrate with sparkling wine!
You can find more false friends on Business Spotlight Audio
Don’t confuse... custom and customs
n A custom (Brauch, Gepflogenheit, Sitte) is something
that people in a community do because it is a tradition
(such as eating certain foods at Christmas), or because
it is seen as the right thing to do (wearing a suit to work).
n If it is someone’s custom (Gewohnheit) to do something,
it is something that person does regularly.
n The adjective custom describes something that is
created for a specific purpose or customer. We have
custom (maßgeschneidert) clothing, as well as custombuilt
or custom-made (speziell angefertigt) items.
n In the UK, custom (Kundschaft) describes the buying of
goods or services from a particular company: “He was
unhappy and has taken his custom elsewhere.”
n The noun customs (Zoll) refers to the government department
that deals with imports.
Tricky translations by MIKE SEYMOUR
How do you say “statement” in German?
A “statement” is something you say or write that provides
facts or information in a formal way. In business or politics,
it is often translated as Stellungnahme: “The CEO will make
a statement tomorrow.” — Der Vorstandsvorsitzende wird
morgen eine Stellungnahme abgeben. In legal English, it is
translated as Aussage or Erklärung: “The police officer took
the statement.” — Der Polizist hat die Aussage protokolliert.
In banking, a “(bank/account) statement” is a written
record of all financial transactions in a certain period: “My
bank no longer sends out statements.” In this case, it is
translated as Kontoauszug or Aufstellung: Meine Bank
schickt keine Kontoauszüge mehr.
Finally, it is also used in finance. Companies publish a
“financial statement” (Jahresabschluss) as part of their annual
report. In the US, companies publish an “income
statement” (Gewinn- und Verlustrechnung). An employee
who goes on business trips may be asked to provide a
“statement of expenses” (Spesenaufstellung).
How do you say Garderobe in English?
When Garderobe refers to clothes, it can be translated as
attire, clothing, dress or wear: Abendgarderobe erwünscht.
— “Evening attire required.”
In the entertainment industry, Garderobe is translated
as costumes or wardrobe. When describing the people responsible
for actors’ clothes, we use wardrobe (department):
Die Garderobe hat es sehr genau recherchiert. —
“Wardrobe researched it carefully.”
When Garderobe refers to the place where people can
leave their coats, etc., it is translated as cloakroom (US
checkroom): Bitte alle Taschen an der Garderobe abgeben.
— “Please leave all bags in the cloakroom.” When it refers
to the things you leave there, it’s best translated as coat,
(personal) belongings or items: Für Garderobe keine Haftung.
— “We are not liable for personal belongings.”
At home, the Garderobe is where you keep your clothes.
This is a (walk-in) wardrobe (US closet). Finally, Garderobe
is also a small piece of furniture from which you can
hang coats. This is a coat stand (US coatrack).
Exercise 1 Translate the following sentences.
a) I don’t think they believed his statement.
Exercise 2 Translate the following sentences.
a) Geben Sie Ihren Schirm an der Garderobe ab.
b) I get my bank statements online.
b) Kann ich meine Garderobe irgendwo ablegen?
Answers on page 62
52 www.business-spotlight.de 6/2013

y DEBORAH CAPRAS
CARDS LANGUAGE ■
Phrasal verb
Phrasal verb
What does the speaker mean?
“I haven’t ruled out a price increase.”
What does the speaker mean?
“Consumers have cut back on spending.”
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Expression
Expression
What does the speaker mean?
“You may not agree, Paul, but I hope I’ve
given you food for thought.”
What does the speaker mean?
“Mary, this task is right up your street.”
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www.business-spotlight.de
Abbreviation
Abbreviation
What does “NB” stand for?
“NB: these figures are not final.”
What does “EBIT” stand for?
“Since 2010, EBIT has more
than doubled.”
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www.business-spotlight.de
Pronunciation
Pronunciation
How do you pronounce this word?
desert
(Wüste)
How do you pronounce this word?
receipt
(Quittung)
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■ LANGUAGE CARDS
If you cut back on something, you reduce its
amount or quantity. The speaker is saying that
people aren’t spending as much money as they
used to.
When you rule something out, you decide that it
is not possible. The speaker is saying that a
price increase is still a possibility.
etw. zurückschrauben, kürzen, reduzieren
etw. ausschließen
BS 6/2013 BS 6/2013
When something is right up someone’s street, it
is exactly the kind of thing that this person
would be interested in or good at doing. The
speaker believes that Mary would enjoy doing
the task and would do it really well.
genau richtig für jmdn.
BS 6/2013
The expression food for thought describes
something that makes you think seriously about
a particular subject. The speaker is saying that
he hopes Paul will think carefully about
something that he, the speaker, has said or
done.
Denkanstoß
BS 6/2013
EBIT [(i:bIt] stands for “earnings before interest
and taxes”. This acronym is often
used as a synonym for “operating profit”.
NB stands for the Latin nota bene, which means
“note well”. It is used to show that particular
attention should be paid to the information that
follows.
Gewinn vor Zinsen, Steuern
wohlgemerkt
BS 6/2013 BS 6/2013
Receipt is pronounced [ri(si:t].
The “p” is silent.
The noun desert is pronounced [(dezEt], with the
stress on the first syllable. A word that looks
similar is dessert. However, this noun is
pronounced [di(z§:t] and means Nachtisch.
In written English, native speakers often mix up
the two.
BS 6/2013
BS 6/2013

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www.business-spotlight.de 55

■ LANGUAGE ENGLISH FOR...
One seller,
many buyers:
who will get
the object of
desire?
Auctions
Während traditionelle Auktionshäuser sich eher
auf wertvolle Kunstgegenstände konzentrieren,
finden Versteigerungen von Massenware immer
öfter im Internet statt. MIKE SEYMOUR liefert
Informationen und Vokabeln zum Thema.
Christie’s
When you think of an auction, you probably imagine an
auctioneer holding a small hammer and speaking extremely
quickly. The audience bids by shouting a price, nodding
or giving some sort of hand signal. Finally, the auctioneer
says, “Going once, going twice, going three times...”,
and with a bang of the gavel, he announces: “Sold!”
Some of those auctions still exist, but today, millions of us
use auction websites such as ebay — either as buyers, in the
hope of getting an object by outbidding others, or as sellers,
hoping that our no-longer-needed goods will bring a nice profit,
minus ebay’s commission, of course,
In traditional auctions, antiques, works of art, objects that
belonged to famous people, or thoroughbred horses and cattle
are sold. Indeed, thoroughbred-horse auction prices are
still given in guineas, although these went out of use when
Britain introduced a decimal currency in 1971. A guinea is
worth £1.05. The sellers receive payment in pounds, and the
difference of five pence per pound is traditionally the auctioneer’s
commission. There is nothing traditional about modernday
cattle auctions, however, which are increasingly held via
Exercise: Finding buyers
Answer the questions based on the text.
a) The hammer used by auctioneers.
1. guinea 2. gavel
b) The money offered by a participant in an auction.
1. wink 2. bid
c) A percentage of the selling price for the auctioneer.
1. denomination 2. commission
d) To buy an object by offering more than anyone else.
1. outbid 2. overbid
Answers on page 62
satellite and internet, with bidders inspecting
the animals on computer screens from anywhere
in the world.
In famous auction houses such as Sotheby’s
and Christie’s, astronomical sums of money can
change hands. In New York, a recent auction of
paintings by artists such as Roy Lichtenstein
brought in $495 million, the highest amount so far in an art
auction. The most expensive single painting ever sold at auction
was Paul Cézanne’s The Card Players. Not surprisingly,
it went to a very wealthy bidder, the royal family of Qatar, who
paid more than $250 million for it in April 2011.
The bad home loans in the US that led to the global financial
crisis resulted in millions of properties being repossessed
by the banks. Such houses are auctioned off and, in many
cases, are sold for less than half of their original price.
There is growing interest in property auctions in the UK,
too, where television programmes such as Homes under the
Hammer follow bidders who buy houses at auction, renovate
them and either live in or try to sell them for a profit. Auctions
are also the theme of the TV show Cash in the Attic, in
which people try to raise money by auctioning off their unwanted
objects.
Perhaps the show’s makers were inspired by singer Elton
John. In 2001, he auctioned off 20 of his cars because he
didn’t drive them often enough. The auction brought in nearly
£2 million. In 2003, he had another auction, selling much
of the contents of his London home at Sotheby’s for around
£800,000 in a bid to create more space.
attic [(ÄtIk]
Dachboden, Mansarde
auctioneer [)O:kSE(nIE]
Auktionator(in)
auction sth. off [)O:kS&n (Qf] etw. versteigern
bid [bId]
bieten
bidder [(bIdE]
Bieter(in)
commission [kE(mIS&n]
Provision
currency [(kVrEnsi]
Währung
gavel [(gÄv&l]
(Auktions-)Hammer
guinea [(gIni] UK
Guinee (früheres englisches
Zahlungsmittel)
home loan [)hEUm (lEUn]
Hypothek, Wohnungsbaudarlehen
in a bid to do sth. [In E )bId tE (du:] im Bemühen, etw. zu tun
outbid sb. [)aUt(bId]
jmdn. überbieten
property [(prQpEti]
Immobilie(n)
repossess sth. [)ri:pE(zes]
etw. wieder in Besitz nehmen
thoroughbred horse [)TVrEbred (hO:s] Rassepferd
56 www.business-spotlight.de 6/2013

medium
People
appraiser [E(preIzE]
auctioneer [)O:kSE(nIE]
bargain hunter [(bA:gIn )hVntE]
bidder [(bIdE]
buyer [(baIE]
collector [kE(lektE]
market trader [(mA:kIt )treIdE]
proxy bidder [(prQksi )bIdE]
seller [(selE]
sniper [(snaIpE]
vendor [(vendE]
Gutachter(in),
Sachverständiger(in)
Auktionator(in)
Schnäppchenjäger(in)
Bieter(in)
Käufer(in)
Sammler(in)
Markthändler(in)
Person, die ein Gebot im
Auftrag eines Dritten
abgibt
Verkäufer(in)
Bieter, der durch Abgabe
eines Gebotes im letzten
Moment den Zuschlag
erhält
Verkäufer(in)
Types of auctions
■ Dutch auction: The auctioneer begins with a high asking
price, which is lowered until someone buys at that price.
■ English auction: The auctioneer announces the prices, and
bidders call out their bids themselves. Every bid must be
higher than the one before. The object is sold to the person
who offers the highest bid.
■ First-price sealed-bid auction: Each bidder offers a secret
bid. The highest bidder wins.
■ Reverse auction: Sellers bid by offering to provide a service
at a certain price. The auction ends when a buyer accepts a
bid or no one offers a lower bid.
■ Silent auction: People write bids on a piece of paper that are
then placed near the goods to be sold.
■ Vickrey auction: Bidders offer sealed, secret bids. The highest
bidder pays the price of the second-highest bid.
Time to bid
absentee bid, proxy bid Gebot in Abwesenheit /
[ÄbsEn(ti: )bId, (prQksi bId]
im Auftrag
bid [bId]
Gebot
bidding war [(bIdIN wO:]
Bieterkrieg
opening bid [)EUpEnIN (bId]
Eröffnungsgebot, erstes
Gebot
outbid sb. [)aUt(bId]
jmdn. überbieten
overbid [)EUvE(bId]
zu viel bieten
sealed bid [)si:&ld (bId]
versiegeltes Gebot
underbid sb. [)VndE(bId]
jmdn. unterbieten
winning bid [)wInIN (bId]
Zuschlag
At an auction
auction block [(O:kS&n blQk]
auction house [(O:kS&n haUs]
bidder number, paddle number
[(bIdE )nVmbE, (pÄd&l )nVmbE]
bid(der’s) card [(bId(Ez) kA:d]
bid paddle [)bId (pÄd&l]
catalogue [(kÄtElQg]
gavel, hammer
[(gÄv&l, (hÄmE]
lot [lQt]
preview [(pri:vju:]
saleroom [(seI&lru:m] UK
sounding block [(saUndIN blQk]
Auktionspodium, -podest
Auktionshaus
Bieternummer
Bieterkarte
Bieterschild
(Auktions-)Katalog
(Auktions-)Hammer
Stück, (Auktions-)Posten
Voransicht, Vorabbesichtigung
Auktionsraum, -lokal
Schlagblock
Money
appraisal [E(preIz&l]
asking price [(A:skIN praIs]
bargain [(bA:gIn]
buyer’s premium [)baIEz (pri:miEm]
buyout price [(baIaUt praIs]
caution money deposit (CMD)
[(kO:S&n )mVni di)pQzIt] UK
commission [kE(mIS&n]
deposit [di(pQzIt]
earnest money deposit (EMD)
[(§:nIst )mVni di)pA:zEt*] US
escrow account [(eskrEU E)kaUnt]
face value [)feIs (vÄlju:]
hammer price [(hÄmE praIs]
increment [(INkrImEnt]
knockdown price
[(nQkdaUn praIs] UK
registration deposit
[)redZI(streIS&n di)pQzIt]
reserve price [ri(z§:v praIs]
valuation
[)vÄlju(eIS&n]
Schätzung, Bewertung
ursprüngliche Preisforderung
Gelegenheitskauf,
Schnäppchen
Kaufprämie
Sofortkaufpreis
Kaution(shinterlegung)
Provision
Anzahlung, Hinterlegung
Anzahlung
Anderkonto
Nennwert, -betrag
Auktions-, Hammerpreis
Erhöhung(sschritt)
durch Verhandlung erzielter,
sehr niedriger Preis
Anmeldegebühr
Mindestpreis
Wertbestimmung,
-ermitttlung; Schätzung
Expressions and idioms
Do I hear... ? Höre ich ...?
Going, going, gone!
Zum Ersten, zum Zweiten,
zum Dritten!
Going once, twice, three times! Zum Ersten, zum Zweiten,
zum Dritten!
I’ve got... Ich habe (ein Gebot für ...)
on the block
zur Versteigerung angeboten
Sold!
Verkauft!
sold as seen (US sold as is) gekauft wie gesehen
under the hammer
unterm Hammer
For more information
BOOKS
■ How to Profit from Auctions, Fiona Shoop (Pen & Sword
Books)
■ The Art of the Steal: Inside the Sotheby’s-Christie’s Auction
House Scandal, Christopher Mason (Penguin Group)
plus Find more exercises on this topic in Business Spotlight plus
www More job vocabulary at www.business-spotlight.de/vocabulary
MIKE SEYMOUR is a business English trainer based
in Bonn. He is the author of English for Insurance
Professionals (Cornelsen) and regularly writes for
Business Spotlight. Contact: www.mikeseymour.com
*This symbol marks standard US pronunciation that differs from standard UK pronunciation.
6/2013
www.business-spotlight.de 57

■ LANGUAGE LEGAL ENGLISH
iStockphoto
In-house counsel
medium
Anders als Anwälte in Kanzleien arbeiten Justiziare nur für einen
Mandanten: das Unternehmen, bei dem sie auch angestellt sind.
MATT FIRTH erläutert ihre Aufgaben.
Always at hand:
in-house counsel
work for just
one company
The term in-house counsel, also called corporate counsel,
is used to refer to a lawyer who is an employee in a company
rather than one who is a partner or an associate in a
law firm. The work of an in-house counsel differs from that
of regular lawyers in a number of ways.
In-house counsel typically handle all legal aspects of a
case from the beginning until the end, and usually focus on
only that one case. In contrast, when a company hires a law
firm to deal with a case or a legal question, the partners generally
distribute different parts of the case to different associates.
Cases can be either non-contentious, such as advising
on aspects of a merger, or contentious, for example,
a dispute between two companies over a financial matter.
associate [E(sEUsiEt]
Teilhaber(in)
CEO (chief executive officer) [)si: i: (EU] Hauptgeschäftsführer(in)
compliant: be ~ (with sth.) [kEm(plaIEnt] (mit etw.) konform sein
corporate law [)kO:pErEt (lO:]
Gesellschaftsrecht
Corporations Act [)kO:pE(reIS&nz Äkt] Aktiengesetz
directors [dE(rektEz]
hier: Vorstand
fiduciary duty [fI)dju:SiEri (dju:ti] Treuhänderpflicht
financial reporting [faI)nÄnS&l ri(pO:tIN] Rechnungslegung
in-house counsel
Justiziar(in),
[)In haUs (kaUns&l] sing./pl.
Firmenanwalt/-anwältin
law firm [(lO: f§:m]
(Anwalts-)Kanzlei
merger [(m§:dZE]
Fusion
non-contentious [)nQn kEn(tenSEs] nicht strittig
stakeholder [(steIk)hEUldE]
Anspruchsgruppe
take effect [)teIk E(fekt]
in Kraft treten
Exercise: Employed by a firm
Choose the words that best complete the text.
In-house counsel generally deal with all aspects of a
a) case / report. Because these lawyers work for just
one b) company / associate, they get to know the firm’s
area of business well. The lawyers may work on patent
disputes or on other c) contentious / compliant matters.
In-house counsel may earn less than they might as
a d) director / partner in a law firm, but get a regular
salary. In-house counsel may advise on whether their
firm is e) compliant / requirement with current laws.
Answers on page 62
As an employee, the in-house counsel will also be very familiar
with the company’s business, and the more lawyers
know about a firm, the better their advice will be. Because
in-house counsel knows the company’s history, its products
and customers, these lawyers can provide useful business
advice, too. One disadvantage of in-house counsel is that
they deal with nearly all aspects of corporate law — which
makes it difficult to become a specialist in any single area.
A final important difference for a company employing inhouse
counsel is the potential savings involved. This is because
in-house counsel work permanently for the company,
whereas, in the UK, for example, traditional lawyers charge
an hourly rate, usually calculated per 15 minutes of work.
In contrast, in-house counsel are always available, and will
not charge more if a case becomes more complex.
Giving advice
Counsel: Hi, Michael. You wanted to see me?
CEO: Hi, Anne. Yes, it’s about this report. What do I
need to know?
Counsel: Well, in short, it says there will be changes
to the Corporations Act, which will take effect on
1 January.
CEO: Right. And we’re definitely compliant?
Counsel: We are. We made the changes required almost
two years ago. Basically, they mainly concern
fiduciary duty. As you know, the firm’s directors
must act in the best interest of the stakeholders. As
of next year, they must also consider the effects of
those actions on the stakeholders.
CEO: You say we’ve already implemented that?
Counsel: Yes, absolutely.
CEO: And that’s all we have to do?
Counsel: Well, not quite. There have also been a few
changes to the requirements for financial reporting.
But again, it’s nothing that isn’t already standard
practice for international firms.
CEO: OK. I’m sure it’s all fine. Thanks. If I have any
more questions, I’ll let you know.
Counsel: Sure.
■BS
MATT FIRTH teaches legal English at the University
of St Gallen, Switzerland. He is also secretary of
the European Legal English Teachers’ Association
(EULETA). Contact: matthew.firth@unisg.ch
58 www.business-spotlight.de 6/2013

advanced
ECONOMICS AND FINANCE LANGUAGE ■
Sector balances
Kann die Gesamtverschuldung einer Volkswirtschaft trotz hoher
Kreditforderungen Null sein? IAN MCMASTER führt den Nachweis.
iStockphoto
Imagine that an economy is made up of only two people:
Deb and Len. If Deb (short for “debtor”) borrows €1,000
from Len (short for “lender”), it is clear that Deb’s debts are
exactly equal to Len’s loan assets.
Another way to look at this is to say that the total level of
debt is zero. Deb’s debts (D/Deb) are €1,000, and Len’s
“debts” (D/Len) are minus €1,000 (that is, he has loan assets
of €1,000). We can put this in a simple formula:
(1) D/Deb + D/Len = € 1,000 + (- € 1,000) = 0
What is also true is that the change in Deb’s debts has to
be equal to the change in Len’s debts. If Deb pays back
€500 to Len, her debts fall by this amount and Len’s debts
rise (that is, the value of his loan assets falls) from minus
€1,000 to minus €500. Again, we have a simple formula:
(2) Change (D/Deb) + Change (D/Len) = - € 500 + € 500 = 0
These examples illustrate an important point about the
way economies work. Imagine now an economy that has just
two sectors: a private sector (Pri) — made up of financial
companies (such as banks), non-financial companies and
private individuals and households — and a government sector
(Gov). To make things simpler, we will ignore contact with
the rest of the world, although in practice, this plays a key
role because much borrowing takes place internationally.
In this two-sector economy, firms, individuals and the government
can borrow and lend money from and to each other.
But again, the two formulae described above are true at
all times: total debt equals zero, and the total change in debt
between any two points in time equals zero:
(3) D/Pri + D/Gov = 0
(4) Change (D/Pri) + Change (D/Gov) = 0
In this model, it is mathematically impossible for the private
and government sectors to reduce their debt at the
same time. (In practice, they could do so if the rest of the
world increased its debt with the country, for example, by
lending less to it. In the case of the US, this would mean
borrowing less from China and other countries.)
There are potentially serious consequences if the private
and government sectors try to reduce their debt at the same
time, as we have seen during the current debt crisis. In some
cases, such as that of Greece, high government deficits and
Different sectors: total debt equals zero
debts were originally the result of excessive government
spending and/or tax revenues that were too low. In other
cases, the significant increase in government debt was the
result of reductions in debt in the private sector.
In Spain and Ireland, for example, government debt was
not excessive before the financial crisis. But as the private
sector cut its borrowing (and spending), output fell, causing
higher unemployment. Tax revenues fell, and payments
on unemployment benefits increased. So, as the privatesector
debt fell, government-sector deficits and debt rose.
If governments then try to cut their deficits and debts —
a policy known as “austerity” — this can lead to a further
fall in output. Perversely, this can then cause further increases
in government deficits and debts, which is the exact
opposite of what was intended.
■BS
Finance
austerity [O:(sterEti]
debt [det]
debtor [(detE]
What is “forward guidance”?
Forward guidance refers to attempts by central banks
to let the financial markets know what their monetary
policy is likely to be. This year, both the Bank of England
and the US Federal Reserve have said that they
will keep interest rates low until unemployment in their
countries falls to specified levels.
interest rate [(IntrEst reIt]
lender [(lendE]
loan asset [(lEUn )Äsets]
(assets
monetary policy [(mVnItEri )pQlEsi]
output [(aUtpUt]
perversely [pE(v§:sli]
tax revenues [(tÄks )revEnju:z]
unemployment benefits
[)VnIm(plOImEnt )benIfIts]
Sparprogramm(e), -politik
Schulden; Forderung
Schuldner(in); hier auch:
Kredit-, Darlehensnehmer(in)
Zinssatz
Kredit-, Darlehensgeber(in)
Kreditforderung
Vermögenswerte)
Geldpolitik
Wirtschaftsleistung
paradoxerweise
Steuereinnahmen
Arbeitslosenunterstützung
IAN MCMASTER is editor-in-chief of Business Spotlight.
You can also read his weekly blog on topics relating
to global business at www.business-spotlight.de/blogs
Contact: i.mcmaster@spotlight-verlag.de
6/2013
www.business-spotlight.de 59

■ LANGUAGE TEACHER TALK
Motivation is everything
Was ist für den Lernenden beim Erlernen einer Fremdsprache wichtig? Und welche Rolle
spielt der Lehrer? DEBORAH CAPRAS sprach darüber mit Michael McCarthy, dem Autor
vieler englischer Lehrwerke, der seit fast einem halben Jahrhundert selbst unterrichtet.
Who is
Michael McCarthy?
Michael McCarthy has been
actively involved in language
teaching and applied linguistics
for 46 years, lecturing in 42 countries. He has
written/co-written/edited 50 books (including
Touchstone, the Cambridge Grammar of English,
several titles in the English Vocabulary in Use
series) and over 90 academic papers. He is codirector
(with Ronald Carter) of the five-million
word CANCODE spoken English corpus project and
of the CANBEC spoken business English corpus.
His current research is on spoken learner corpora
in connection with the English Profile project
(www.englishprofile.org).
How will the teaching of business English change in the next
five years?
The first way is that more and more detailed information
about what business English is really like (as opposed to what
people think it is like), drawn from the ever-increasing
resources of business English corpora, will inform our materials
and activities. Secondly, thanks to blended and online
learning, busy business people will be able to take more control
over when and how they learn.
What are some of the key principles that promote effective
language learning?
Motivation, motivation and motivation! And, of course, a good
learning environment with effective materials and a committed
teacher. But without motivation, we may as well give up. One
of our key roles as teachers is to motivate students however we
can. Also, a commitment to hard work and the long haul is
important. Learning a language properly takes time.
www.cambridge.org (search for “McCarthy” under
“Cambridge English”). Contact: mactoft@gmail.com academic paper wissenschaftliche Abhandlung
[ÄkE)demIk (peIpE]
applied linguistics
angewandte Sprachwissenschaft
[E)plaId lIN(gwIstIks]
Current positions
Emeritus professor of applied linguistics, University of Nottingham,
[)blendId (l§:nIN]
as opposed to [Äz E(pEUzd tu] im Gegensatz zu
blended learning
integriertes Lernen
UK; visiting professor of applied linguistics, Univer-
co-director: be ~ with sb. mit jmdm. gemeinsam leiten
[)kEU dE(rektE]
sity of Limerick, Ireland; visiting professor of applied linguistics,
commitment
Engagement; hier: Bereitschaft
Newcastle University, UK.
[kE(mItmEnt]
committed [kE(mItId]
engagiert
When did you start working in business English teaching?
corpus (pl. corpora) [(kO:pEs] Sammlung von Textmaterialien
edit sth. [(edIt]
etw. herausgeben; redigieren
I began teaching business English in 1977, in Sweden. There emeritus [i(merItEs]
emeritiert
weren’t many business English materials in those days so I
get on with sth.
mit etw. weitermachen, sich durch
[)get (Qn wID]
etw. nicht ablenken lassen
decided that it would be best to write my own.
inform [In(fO:m]
hier: prägen, beeinflussen
lecture [(lektSE]
eine Vorlesung/einen Vortrag
Languages spoken
halten
long haul [)lO:N (hO:l*] US Langzeitergebnisse
School Welsh, university-level French and Spanish, Swedish (long haul
Langstrecke)
for day-to-day use.
may as well: we ~ give up
[)meI Ez (wel]
wir können genauso gut (gleich)
aufhören
What is the role of the teacher?
research [ri(s§:tS]
Forschung, Studien
resources [ri(zO:sIz]
(Hilfs-/Informations-)Quellen
I don’t believe in the fashionable attitude of “stand back and shortcut [(SO:tkVt]
Abkürzung
let the learners get on with it”. Teaching is a form of intervention,
a way of helping learners to take shortcuts to knowl-
visiting professor [)vIzItIN prE(fesE] Gastprofessor(in)
stand back [)stÄnd (bÄk] zurücktreten; hier: sich im
Hintergrund halten
edge and skills in whatever they are learning.
*This symbol marks standard US pronunciation that differs from standard UK pronunciation.
60 www.business-spotlight.de 6/2013

medium
image source
“Teaching is a way of
helping learners to take
shortcuts to knowledge”
Read widely in
English and
you’ll make
great progress
What can learners do alone to improve their language skills?
Set yourself a routine of study and revision. Keep coming
back to the same materials. Read widely in English — whatever
interests you personally. It doesn’t have to be just business
English. If your love is cooking, or sports, or music, read
about these things in English. Research shows that you can
make great progress in your vocabulary in this way.
Is there a secret to learning vocabulary?
No. It’s hard work. It depends on being prepared to revise and
revisit words constantly. Most new words will need to be seen
in context at least six or seven times before they become fixed
in your mind. Keep a little notebook, whether a paper one or
a digital one, and write down every new word, preferably in
a sentence. Set yourself a target of learning ten new expressions
per week and test yourself regularly.
How important is grammar?
Pretty important. Grammar tells us how the words in a sentence
relate to one another, so words alone are not enough.
Grammar gives us some very basic types of information: who
or what has things done to them and by whom? And so on.
That’s what grammar is for, and that’s why it’s important.
How important is it to speak English correctly?
“Correct” English depends on the context. In spoken English,
even highly educated speakers routinely use “there is” with
plural nouns (“There’s five managers in my team”), and nobody
even notices it any more, but it would be preferable to
use “there are” if you are writing a formal report. The most
important thing is to know what is appropriate in what situation.
A good, corpus-based reference grammar will help you
to distinguish correctness in terms of context.
Has any new kind of technology or tool made a difference to
how you teach or how learners learn?
During my professional career (I began teaching in 1966!),
appropriate [E(prEUpriEt]
distinguish sth. [dI(stINgwIS]
fiddle [fId&l] ifml.
fixed [fIkst]
in loving memory
[In )lVvIN (memEri]
noun [naUn]
research [ri(s§:tS]
revisit sth. [)ri:(vIzIt]
rusty [(rVsti]
semiotic [)semi(QtIk]
target [(tA:gIt]
Vanity Fair [)vÄnIti (feE]
widely [(waIdli]
the computer has revolutionized our ability
to record and observe language in the form
of corpora, as well as presenting new ways
and environments for learning.
Ambitions and dreams
To improve my (very rusty) knowledge of the
language of my birth: Welsh. I’m a very happy man and have
few other ambitions.
Must-read: English Language Teaching (ELT)
Michael Halliday’s 1978 book Language as Social Semiotic.
A classic work that changed the way I look at language.
Must-read: non-ELT
Vanity Fair by William Makepeace Thackeray. It’s not the easiest
book to read, but it’s a timeless and beautiful work.
One of your little-known successes
I learned to play traditional Irish music on the fiddle, having
only started at the age of 50. People often think they’re too
old to learn a musical instrument — or a new language — but
you never are.
What language mistakes have made you laugh out loud?
A student once left a thank-you gift for a colleague of mine,
with a card saying “In loving memory”. It’s a classic case of
knowing all the words but none of the meaning. ■BS
angemessen
etw. unterscheiden; hier: erkennen
Geige
fest verankert
in liebevollem Gedenken
Nomen
Forschung, Studien
auf etw. zurückkommen; hier:
nochmals durchgehen
eingerostet
hier: semiotisches (auf Zeichen
basierendes) System
Ziel
Jahrmarkt der Eitelkeit
hier: viel, alles Mögliche
www More for teachers at www.business-spotlight.de/teachers-zone
6/2013
www.business-spotlight.de 61

■ LANGUAGE PRODUCTS
medium
What’s new?
Sie wollen noch tiefer ins Englische eintauchen? Wir
haben uns für Sie nach neuen Produkten umgesehen.
EmailWriter app
This app aims to help users write
business emails and letters in
English on a variety of topics,
choosing the phrases they need
from a large selection of words
and texts. It can also be used for learning and teaching,
as well as for preparing for business English examinations.
For iPhone, iPad and Android smartphones.
www.emailwriter.de, €3.59
Calendar
Business English Sprachkalender 2014
Soon, it will be time to make New Year’s
resolutions. If one of your wishes is to improve
your business English, take a look at
this tear-off calendar. It is filled with useful
language activities to practise vocabulary, phrases, grammar
and office communication skills such as telephoning or
writing emails. Karen Richardson (Langenscheidt), €9.99*
plus
To win a copy, see page 21 in Business Spotlight plus
affect sth. [E(fekt]
captive market [)kÄptIv (mA:kIt]
CEF (Common European Framework
of Reference for Languages)
[)si: i: (ef]
civil engineering [)sIv&l endZI(nIErIN]
graph [grA:f]
human resources (HR) [)hju:mEn ri(zO:sIz]
life-cycle strategy [(laIf )saIk&l )strÄtEdZi]
phrase [freIz]
resolution [)rezE(lu:S&n]
table [(teIb&l]
tear-off calendar [(teEr Qf )kÄlEndE]
etw. beeinflussen
gebundener Markt
GER (Gemeinsamer
Europäischer Referenzrahmen
für Sprachen)
Bauingenieurwesen
Diagramm
Personalwesen
Lebenszyklus-Strategie
Formulierung, Wendung
Beschluss; hier: Vorsatz
Tabelle
Abreißkalender
Books
The AMA Dictionary of Business and
Management
What is a “captive market”? Who is
Robert H. Hayes? And what does “lifecycle
strategy” mean? These are just
three of more than 6,000 key economic
terms and concepts explained in
this reference book, which is useful
for business leaders, students and trainers. The terms are
taken from various areas of business, including management,
human resources, finance, international business and
marketing. George Thomas Kurian (American Management
Association/McGraw-Hill), £16.99
Technical English — Civil Engineering
and Construction
This book is aimed at university students
at CEF levels B2–C1. The content is
illustrated with pictures, graphs and
tables. In addition to useful terms, the
book provides grammar exercises, as
well as a detailed word list. It can be
used both in seminars and for self-study. Brigitte Markner-
Jäger (Verlag Europa-Lehrmittel), €17*
The Future of the Chemical Industry
by 2050
This book focuses on some of the megatrends
that will affect our world in the
coming decades. Various scenarios
show what the world could look like in
the year 2050, as a result of social, political
and economic changes, as well as
changes in world climate and in energy sources. Because the
chemical industry will play a major role in these changes, it
is important to understand how this area of economic activity
functions. Rafael Cayuela Valencia (Wiley), €59* ■BS
*These products are available at www.sprachenshop.de
SOLUTIONS
Vocabulary (p. 44):
a) celebration, festivity; b) venue; c) decorations;
d) party banners, streamers; e) lanterns;
f) admittance; g) invitations; h) buffet;
i) canapés, hors d’oeuvres, appetizers; j) catering
staff, waiters/waitresses; k) trays; l) champagne;
m) speech; n) lectern; o) toast; p) clink
Grammar at Work (p. 45):
a) I think we ought to wait for a better offer.
b) If I were you, I’d talk to the boss.
c) Why not ask for a second opinion?
d) correct
e) How about taking a short break?
Translation (p. 52):
1. a) Ich glaube nicht, dass sie seine Aussage
geglaubt haben.
b) Ich bekomme meine Kontoauszüge online.
2. a) Leave your umbrella in the cloakroom/
checkroom.
b) Is there somewhere I can leave my coat/
personal belongings/items?
English for... auctions
(pp. 56–57):
a–2; b–2; c–2; d–1
Legal English (p. 58):
a) case d) partner
b) company e) compliant
c) contentious
62 www.business-spotlight.de 6/2013

Use this list to practise key words from the current Business Spotlight magazine.
KEY WORDS LANGUAGE n
Nouns and noun phrases
board meeting a formal meeting of the group of people who are responsible for Vorstandssitzung
managing a company or organization
office hours the hours during which business is normally done Bürozeit(en)
poll an investigation into the opinions and/or beliefs of a group of Meinungsumfrage
people
retainer a fee paid to someone in advance in order to be able to use that Vorschuss
person’s service when it is required
seed money money that is used to start a business Startkapital
venture capitalist someone who provides money for a risky type of project, often one Risikokapitalgeber(in)
that is very innovative
workforce the people (in a country) who are working or are available for work erwerbstätige Bevölkerung
workload the amount of work that a person or an organization needs to do Arbeitsbelastung
Verbs
adhere to sth. to closely follow and usually obey a rule, law or contract sich an etw. halten
champion sth. to strongly support or defend something publicly sich für etw. einsetzen
deliver sth. to provide something; to do the work that was promised or etw. (ab)liefern; eine
expected
Arbeit abliefern
gossip about sb. to discuss (trivial) details about other people and their private lives über jmdn. tratschen
imply sth. to express something (often something negative) in an indirect way etw. andeuten;
(indirekt) unterstellen
pawn sth. to give someone (a pawnbroker) something valuable as security for etw. verpfänden
money that you borrow from that person
promote sb. to give someone a more senior position in a company jmdn. befördern
settle in to become comfortable and familiar with a new job or home sich eingewöhnen
turn sb. down to reject someone who has applied for a job jmdn. ablehnen
undermine sth. to damage or weaken something, often in a gradual way etw. untergraben
Adjectives and adverbs
excessive more than is necessary or fair übermäßig, überhöht
faulty not working properly or at all defekt
feisty having a lot of energy and extreme determination couragiert
inappropriate not suitable, respectful or proper for a particular situation unangemessen
sensibly in a way that is wise and careful, showing good judgement vernünftigerweise
technically according to the facts or to a strict interpretation of something eigentlich
unscheduled not planned, done at a time that was not expected ungeplant
Idioms and expressions
get to the point to stop talking about unimportant things and to start talking about zum Wesentlichen kommen
the important issues
itchy feet: have ~ ifml. to want to travel or to move to another place Fernweh haben, von zuhause
wegwollen
lose the plot ifml. to no longer understand a situation or know what to do den Überblick verlieren
pulling teeth: be like ~ to be extremely difficult or practically impossible to do (usually etwa: äußerst schwierig, fast
ifml. in reference to getting someone to do something) unmöglich sein
spare no effort to try everything possible keine Mühen scheuen
www Subscribers to Business Spotlight can download the following lists at www.business-spotlight.de/words
n a PDF of this Key Words list with an MP3 audio file of the words, definitions and example sentences
n a PDF of the complete vocabulary list (English–German) for each magazine
6/2013
www.business-spotlight.de 63

Have talent,
Studieren oder Arbeiten im Ausland? Im zweiten Teil
unserer Serie lässt VICKI SUSSENS Personen, die im
Ausland arbeiten, von ihren Erfahrungen berichten
und wertvolle Tipps geben.
medium
Social-media websites allow us to be voyeurs and
look inside the minds of others. None provides a
better understanding of the life of a global worker
than InterNations. The largest online community
of expats has local and international networks
stretching into every corner of the world. They share
tips and experiences, and discuss all possible aspects of being
an expat, including working abroad. So if you are planning
to work in another country, this may be your best
source of insider knowledge.
The site captures in real time the growing phenomenon
of a global workforce that moves easily across borders and
has a great deal of fun doing so. Those who have taken the
leap are not only on work assignments for global firms.
Many are using their talents as a passport to see the world
and enjoy a higher quality of life. At the same time, they
are improving their language skills and intercultural competence,
as well as their chances of getting better jobs.
Networking sites like InterNations have greatly helped
remove what used to be some of the biggest challenges of
moving to a different country: the loneliness and confusion
of settling in. Local InterNations communities arrange social
and networking events. In Munich, for example, there
is a sailing group, a business-networking group, a “perfect
dinner” group, where members enjoy global food, and a
group for singles and “party people”.
capture sth. [(kÄptSE]
challenge [(tSÄlIndZ]
expat(riate) [eks(pÄt(riEt)]
network [(netw§:k]
networking [(netw§:kIN]
settle in [)set&l (In]
take the leap [)teIk DE (li:p]
voyeur [vwaI(§:]
work assignment [(w§:k E)saInmEnt]
workforce [(w§:kfO:s]
etw. erfassen
Schwierigkeit
dauerhaft im Ausland
lebende Person
Netzwerk
Kontaktaufbau und -pflege
sich eingewöhnen
den Schritt wagen
[wg. Aussprache]
Arbeitseinsatz
berufstätige Bevölkerung
iStockphoto

WORKING ABROAD CAREERS n
Many communities have created guides on living and
working in their cities or regions. A London guide, for example,
offers the tip that firms are looking for native
speakers of foreign languages, giving people from other
countries an advantage over native speakers of English.
The Buenos Aires guide reports that there are jobs available
in the city’s growing mechanical engineering, biotechnology
and green-tech industries. And in Calcutta, expats
say India is a great place to start businesses because it has
an entrepreneurial culture.
So, if you have itchy feet, where do you start? It depends
on your focus. If you want to improve your career opportunities,
look for locations that attract the industries and
companies you want to work for. If you want to experience
a new culture, check out city guides to compare lifestyles,
cost of living, job opportunities, leisure activities and, if
you have a family, childcare, health care and schools. If you
are at the start of your career, a short period of working
internationally is good for gaining experience and great for
your CV. Many organizations offer help with this, including
the ERASMUS European mobility programme (see also
Business Spotlight 5/2013) and the Zentrale Auslands- und
Fachvermittlung (ZAV) in Germany.
We asked four global
workers to share their experiences
of packing their suitcases
and going to work
abroad.
“We are at the heart of
the development of a huge
nation”
Corina Popa, relocation expert
from Romania living in India
a global nomad
when she went to Spain in
2010 on an ERASMUS programme.
There, the 28-yearold
MBA graduate in mar-
keting got a taste of “the excitement of visiting new
places”. She now lives in Calcutta, India, where she runs
a site that helps expats all over the world, which she started
with the “man in my life”, Fernando Arroyo, a Spaniard
whom she met in India.
India is a long way from her home in Craiova, Romania,
but she says that “India found me”. After being in
Spain, she did an internship in public relations in two Indian
hotels, including the five-star Taj Bengal Hotel in Calcutta.
A year later, she met Arroyo, who, she says, has
many business ideas and needed someone with energy and
enthusiasm to help him. “I had that, plus one year’s experience
in India, with lots of contacts from my last PR job.”
They started 4incomers because they knew how hard
relocating is. Their team now also includes another
Spaniard, two Poles and two Indians, and their clients are
multinational companies, international institutions and
governmental bodies. The entrepreneurial team has opened
offices in eight other cities in Asia and Europe.
“India is growing rapidly and we are at the heart of the
development of a huge nation,” says Popa. “Things we
take for granted back home don’t exist here, so if you start
something, many other opportunities open up — from imports
to engineering to services and technological knowhow.
It’s a huge market. If business is slow in Europe, people
should try Asia!”
The main reasons why people move to India are the low
cost of living, the entrepreneurial culture, the fact that English
is spoken there and the career opportunities. Says
Popa: “Indian companies are increasingly looking for expats
who have the skills and experiences not found locally,
and who also have the international experience global
businesses need.”
Corina Popa’s tips:
n Recognize that culture shock and the feeling of not belonging
is normal. Working through cultural differences
is the first step towards integration.
n Try to do things with locals rather than your own people
or you will miss out on a lot.
n Don’t plan too much; be ready to face whatever comes
your way and enjoy the ride. 4
childcare [(tSaI&ldkeE]
engineering [)endZI(nIErIN]
enjoy the ride
[In)dZOI DE (raId]
entrepreneurial [)QntrEprE(n§:riEl]
governmental body [gVv&n)ment&l (bQdi]
graduate [(grÄdZuEt]
green tech [)gri:n (tek]
internship [(Int§:nSIp]
itchy feet: have ~
[)ItSi (fi:t] ifml.
Kinderbetreuung
Technik
hier: Neues mit Freuden
annehmen
unternehmerisch (geprägt)
Regierungsbehörde
Absolvent(in)
Umwelttechnologie
Praktikum
Fernweh haben, von zuhause
wegwollen
leisure [(leZE]
MBA (Master of Business
Administration)
[)em bi: (eI]
mechanical engineering
[mI)kÄnIk&l )endZI(nIErIN]
miss out on sth. [)mIs (aUt Qn]
relocate [)ri:lEU(keIt]
relocation [)ri:lEU(keIS&n]
take sth. for granted
[)teIk fE (grA:ntId]
Freizeit
höherer Abschluss in
Betriebswirtschaftslehre
Maschinenbau
etw. verpassen
(berufsbedingt) umziehen
(berufsbedingter) Umzug
etw. als selbstverständlich
erachten
6/2013
www.business-spotlight.de 65

n CAREERS WORKING ABROAD
“Networks only grow if you
make them grow”
Sergi Vilanova, Grinberg therapist
from Barcelona living in London
physical discomfort
or strong moods that keep you from leading the
life you want?” This is how Sergi Vilanova’s website introduces
the Grinberg method, which is what he teaches. Developed
in Israel, it is a structured methodology that helps
people to be well by increasing their energy and attention
levels.
The master’s graduate in industrial engineering started
his career in that area, but then realized it wasn’t fulfilling
for him. “I was looking for something more human,” says
the 30-year-old Barcelona native. So six years ago, he began
a three-year part-time course in the Grinberg method,
and in 2009, opened a practice in a physiotherapy centre.
He sensibly kept his engineering job until the business was
earning money.
Vilanova had always wanted to live abroad. His English
was good because he had done summer courses in the US
and the UK. In 2012, he began to plan. His options were
San Francisco and Berlin, where the Grinberg method was
well established, or London, where it was not known. He
chose London, he says, because “it was a challenge, which
I like”.
He also felt that London was open to new ideas: “People
there are always searching for new ways to improve
their well-being.” And he felt he could learn a lot from living
in such a dynamic, multicultural city.
Vilanova took up the offer to share the London physiotherapy
rooms of an acquaintance to develop a client base.
Meanwhile, he surfed the net looking for centres he would
want to work at, eventually choosing one where he had a
contact. But how do you market yourself in such a huge
city? Not a problem for the strategic-thinking Catalan. “I
am proactive, finding out opportunities to give lectures and
demonstrations. There are so many in London,” he says.
He also speaks to people about his work in pubs and even
on the bus. “Networks only grow if you make them grow.”
Vilanova now spends three weeks a month in London
and one in Barcelona. His work in London has helped him
grow his business, and he is often invited to give lectures
in other countries. “In London you have people from many
countries, so other doors can be opened,” he explains.
Sergi Vilanova’s tips:
n If things go wrong, remember why you chose to make
this move.
n To feel comfortable quickly, find somewhere to stay in
an area that’s great to live in.
n Be open! I often meet expats whose hearts are still in
their home countries, so they never really “arrive”.
“You shouldn’t make a
move like this with
the attitude that it should
be like home”
Marina Fabian, IT specialist
from Russia living in Munich
Catalan [(kÄtElÄn]
client base [(klaIEnt beIs]
construction firm [kEn(strVkS&n f§:m]
demonstration [)demEn(streIS&n]
department [di(pA:tmEnt]
expat(riate) [eks(pÄt(riEt)]
fulfilling: be ~ for sb.
[fUl(fIlIN]
give a lecture [)gIv E (lektSE]
industrial engineering
[In)dVstriEl )endZI(nIErIN]
market oneself [(mA:kIt wVn)self]
methodology [)meTE(dQlEdZi]
mood [mu:d]
proactive: be ~ [prEU(ÄktIv]
sensibly [(sensEbli]
well-being [)wel (bi:IN]
Katalane/Katalanin
Kundenstamm
Bauunternehmen
Vorführung
Abteilung
dauerhaft im Ausland
lebende Person
für jmdn. erfüllend sein
einen Vortrag halten
Wirtschaftsingenieurwesen
sich vermarkten
Methodologie, Methodik
Stimmungslage
selbst die Initiative
ergreifen
vernünftigerweise
Wohlbefinden
young
Russian Marina Fabian to
Munich, where she works
in the IT department of a
global construction firm.
Having learned German in
school also helped to get
her a job in 2006, in the IT
department of a German
firm in her home town of
Voronezh in south-western
Russia. Through her work, she often visited Munich, the
home of her future husband, Mike, whom she had met in
66 www.business-spotlight.de 6/2013

“They soon discover that this is more Africa than Europe”
Claus Lauter, marketing director, Intergate Immigration Service, Cape Town
Voronezh, where he had a job with a German firm. “I followed
my heart after that,” she says.
In 2011, the young couple moved to Munich, after first
discussing the pros and cons for each of them. “One of us
would be leaving home,” she says. “But we felt Munich
provided more opportunities — and my German was better
than his Russian.”
It took a year of red tape to get permission to marry in
Germany as well as a visa for Marina. Her biggest challenges,
however, were of a cultural nature — the German
attitude to time, for example. “You have to arrive at places
on time. You need to prepare everything before you go
somewhere to get there on time. Shops are only open at
certain times, and the weekends are also structured around
time. There is no spontaneity,” she says. Germans also
tend to keep their private and work lives separate, which
was new to her. Although she had worked for a German
firm in Russia, her colleagues were Russian.
She also finds it hard to be creative in Germany, where
there are “thousands of instructions” about how everything
should be done. However, she has now learned that
there are benefits in putting thought into action. “You
shouldn’t make a move like this with the attitude that it
should be like home,” she says. It helped that Mike understood
the Russian mentality and could explain the German
way of doing things.
Marina made friends easily through an English-language
course, joining international Stammtische and networking
through social media. Working abroad has made her
question her ideas about what the normal way of doing
things is, she says. “Everyone should have this experience,
even if it is temporary.”
Marina Fabian’s tips:
n The reasons why someone in another culture behaves
the way they do are often quite different from what you
might expect.
n It’s very helpful to have support from someone who understands
both your own culture and the one you have
moved to.
n Bureaucracy is part of moving abroad; you just have to
put up with it.
bureaucracy [bju&(rQkrEsi]
Cape Town [(keIp taUn]
hotelier [hEU(telieI]
live from sth. [(lIv frQm]
on time [)Qn (taIm]
placement [(pleIsmEnt] UK
pros and cons [)prEUz En (kQnz]
quota system [(kwEUtE )sIstEm]
red tape [)red (teIp]
reliable [ri(laIE(b&l]
spontaneity [)spQntE(neIEti]
work out for sb.: not ~
[)w§:k (aUt fO:]
work permit [(w§:k )p§:mIt]
[wg. Aussprache]
Kapstadt
[wg. Aussprache]
von etw. leben
pünktlich
Praktikum; Arbeitseinsatz
Vor- und Nachteile
Quotensystem
Bürokratie
zuverlässig
[wg. Aussprache]
nicht so laufen, wie jmd. es
sich vorgestellt hat
Arbeitserlaubnis
Cape Town after having been
there on holiday and meeting
a call-centre owner who offered
him a job. It came at a
good time for the native German
from Grevenbroich,
near Düsseldorf. He had recently
divorced and wanted
to start a new life. “It was the
best thing that happened to
me,” he says.
He has since moved on to a job as the head of marketing
at Intergate Immigration Service in Cape Town. Working
in a small business suits him. He comes from a family
of hoteliers, has worked in many businesses in many positions
in Germany and, before he emigrated, ran a company
developing software for events management.
He says the firm’s clients typically move to the Cape because
they fell in love with it while on holiday. “It has a
great climate and beautiful beaches, mountains and wine
farms,” he says. “It also
has a European atmosphere
because of all
the foreigners living
here and the good infrastructure.”
However,
being on holiday and
living in a place are two
different things.
“They soon discover
that this is more Africa
than Europe,” Lauter says. “Many struggle with the red
tape and the fact that some people aren’t always as reliable
and, especially, as punctual as they are used to.” Cape Town
lives from tourism rather than industry, so well-paid jobs are
also hard to find. And getting a work permit is difficult because
of South Africa’s quota system. “Many leave because
it does not work out for them. However, if you accept these
differences, then it’s the best place to be!” nBS
For more information
Claus Lauter’s tips:
n Don’t expect things to run the
way they do in your own country.
n Be flexible and take time to get
to know the new culture.
n Be realistic about getting a job
and, especially, a work permit.
n InterNations, the world’s largest online expat community:
www.internations.org
n Zentrale Auslands- und Fachvermittlung (ZAV):
www.arbeitsagentur.de/Navigation/Dienststellen/besondere-
Dst/ZAV/ZAV-Nav.html
n Erasmus Student Mobility for Placements:
http://ec.europa.eu/education/erasmus/placement_en.htm
www More career trends at www.business-spotlight.de/careers
VICKI SUSSENS is a South African journalist and
an editor at Business Spotlight, with a special
focus on man agement and social issues. Contact:
v.sussens@spotlight-verlag.de
6/2013
www.business-spotlight.de 67

■ CAREERS TIPS AND TRENDS
All in a day’s work
medium
Wieviel Härte sollten Sie bei Gehaltsverhandlungen zeigen? Wie können Sie bei sitzender Tätigkeit
für mehr Bewegung sorgen? Diese und andere Fragen beantwortet MARGARET DAVIS.
Job talk: friendly
and flexible
Salary negotiations
Gently, gently
Do you have to be tough to get what you want in a job interview? Career
coach Marty Nemko (www.martynemko.com) says you can get
better results sometimes by being gentle.
So instead of waiting for your interviewer to state a salary figure, make
an offer yourself, based on what you need and on industry standards. Or
you can say something like: “What’s the most your organization feels comfortable
paying? I don’t want to squeeze every last penny. I just want
what’s fair.” Nemko notes that using the term “organization” rather than
“you” will remind your interviewers that they are not paying you out of
their own pockets. If the employer is not willing to pay more, Nemko suggests
you look for flexibility instead: for example, in your job description.
Source: U.S. News & World Report
Leaving your job
Why do it?
There’s only one good reason to leave your job,
according to career expert Caroline Ceniza-
Levine. “You should quit your job when quitting
is the next step to a better life,” Ceniza-Levine
writes in Forbes magazine.
Other reasons, such as being underpaid, are not
good reasons for leaving, she says. “Quitting your
job will not make your life better in the short
term. You will be even more underpaid, as your
salary drops to zero,” she explains.
What if your job bores you? Before quitting,
look for more interesting opportunities elsewhere
in your own company, Ceniza-Levine advises.
Listen to more on this topic on Business Spotlight Audio
Digital Vision
Trend
The Twitter CV
Job hunters are told to keep their CVs short — preferably one
page, but no more than two pages long. This is still good advice,
but now we mean extremely short: just 140 characters.
If you are a Twitter fan, you will recognize this as the maximum
length of a tweet. More and more job hunters are using Twitter to
describe their skills,
while recruiters are
turning to Twitter to find
potential candidates
quickly, without having
to read lengthy CVs.
Kathryn Minshew, CEO
of the careers advice
site TheMuse.com, says
the tweet “is the new
elevator pitch”.
Source: The Wall Street Journal
Short and sweet:
qualifications on Twitter
iStockphoto
CEO (chief executive officer) [)si: i: (EU] Hauptgeschäftsführer(in)
character [(kÄrEktE]
Zeichen
CV (curriculum vitae) [)si: (vi:]
Lebenslauf
elevator pitch
„Verkaufsgespräch im
[(elIveIt&r pItS*] US ifml.
Fahrstuhl“; hier:
Kurzpräsentation
industry: based on ~ standards
branchenüblich
[(IndEstri]
* This symbol marks standard US pronunciation that differs from standard UK pronunciation.
job interview [(dZQb )IntEvju:]
lengthy [(leNTi]
quit (one’s job) [kwIt]
recruiter [ri(kru:tE]
squeeze every last penny (out of sb.)
[skwi:z )evri lA:st (peni]
turn to sth. [(t§:n tu]
tweet [twi:t]
Vorstellungsgespräch
(zu) lang
(seine Stelle) kündigen
Personalvermittler(in)
das Maximum an Geld
(aus jmdm.) herausholen
etw. nutzen
Twitter-Nachricht
68 www.business-spotlight.de 6/2013

Digital Vision
HOW TO...
Stay active in the office
Office
workout:
move it
and lose it
We used to think that developing an unattractive “secretary
butt” was the worst thing that could happen to you
in the office. But now we know better. According to the latest
medical studies, sitting all day may not only give you a
large bottom, it could kill you. So what can you do to make
sure that you move more during your working day? Here are
some tips from Monica Parker, of the British workplace consultancy
Morgan Lovell (www.morganlovell.co.uk):
■ Use a pedometer to count the number of steps you take a
day. You should take at least 10,000 to get health benefits.
If you are not reaching this number, take a walk around
your office. Go to the photocopier or get up and talk to a
colleague rather than calling her or sending an email.
■ Instead of rolling around on your chair, stand up and walk
to the filing cabinet when you need a document. Instead
of taking the lift, take the stairs.
■ Try a standing meeting. This generally keeps meetings short
— and participants stay awake. Some people are fans of the
walking meeting outside the office. These are also useful
if you want to speak to a colleague in private.
■ Do you have a printer at your desk? Exchange it for one further
away; this will force you to take more steps.
Statistically speaking
Female advantage
Having women on the board of a publicly traded company
reduces the likelihood of earnings restatements, according
to a new study. Just one female director can
make a difference, says Professor Susan Parker of the
Leavey School of Business at Santa Clara University in
California. One theory is that mixed boards are more
likely to ask questions than all-male boards. Companies
try to avoid restatements because they are expensive and
can harm a firm’s credibility.
Sources: The Wall Street Journal; Leavey School of Business (www.scu.edu/business)
Big money
Graduates of Ivy League universities in the US — Harvard,
Yale and Princeton, for example — are the most
likely to become billionaires in later life. A global study
by market research firm Wealth-X put Harvard
at the top of the 20 universities
most likely to produce billionaires.
Harvard has produced
52 billionaires and 2,964 graduates who
are worth more than $30 million.
Sources: International Herald Tribune;
Wealth-X (www.wealthx.com)
Aktenschrank
Elite-
Marktforschung
börsennotiert
jmdn. für etw. anmelden
billionaire [)bIljE(neE]
board [bO:d]
butt [bVt] US ifml.
consultancy [kEn(sVltEnsi]
credibility [)kredE(bIlEti]
earnings restatement
[(§:nINz )ri:)steItmEnt]
filing cabinet [(faI&lIN )kÄbInEt]
Ivy League [)aIvi (li:g] US
market research [)mA:kIt ri(s§:tS]
publicly traded [)pVblIkli (treIdId]
sign sb. up for sth. [)saIn (Vp fO:]
Top universities
produce top earners
Milliardär(in)
Vorstand
Po, Hintern
Beratungsfirma
hier: Ansehen
Gewinnrevision
Dilbert
www.dilbert.com dilbertcartoonist@gmail.com
© 5/6/2013 Scott Adams, Inc. Dist. by Universal Uclick
6/2013
www.business-spotlight.de 69

■ CAREERS LEISURE TIME
Away from your desk
medium
Verbannen Sie die englische Sprache und die englischsprachige Welt nicht an Ihren Arbeitsplatz!
Mit Büchern, Kunst und anderen Genüssen räumen Sie ihnen auch in Ihrer Freizeit einen Platz ein.
MARGARET DAVIS gibt Empfehlungen.
Artful:
sculpture at
Art Basel
Art fair
Art Basel displays contemporary art and photography
in three locations — Basle, Miami Beach and Hong
Kong. The next show takes place 5–8 December in
Miami Beach. More than 250 galleries will be represented
and 50,000 visitors are expected. If you want
to be one of them, go to www.artbasel.com/en/Miami-
Beach for more information. The Hong Kong show will
be held 15–18 May 2014, while the Basle fair is
planned for 19–22 June 2014.
Book
British writer Marina Lewycka’s
first novel, A Short History of
Tractors in Ukrainian, was a surprise
bestseller in 2005. Her latest novel,
Various Pets Alive & Dead (Fig
Tree), is set in London and Yorkshire
during the financial crisis of
2008–09. Serge is a 28-year-old
“quant” — a maths and computer
expert who is making a fortune as a trader on the London
Stock Exchange. He has to keep his job a secret from
his parents, former members of a commune, and his
sister, a teacher in a school for underprivileged children.
A funny and touching look at the clash between yuppies
and hippies, capitalism and Marxism, youth and age.
MCH Messe Schweiz (Basel) AG
Food
If you can’t make
it to London’s
Otto lenghi cafes,
you can still order
their Middle Eastern
specialities online.
Choose dishes
that range from
savoury (chilli and
coriander chutney) to sweet (apricot
and passion fruit jam). The cafes’
owners, Yotam Ottolenghi and Sami
Tamimi, have also written several
cookery books based on the food they
serve. Their most recent cookbook,
Jerusalem, is a tribute to the city
where both were born. www.ottolenghi.co.uk
DVDs
Teamwork:
Ottolenghi (left),
Tamimi
P
arks and Recreation is set in a small town in the
US. Filmed in “mockumentary” style, this quirky
comedy series follows the staff of the
town’s Parks and Recreation Department.
One of America’s best-liked comedians,
Amy Poehler, plays the ambitious
Leslie Knope, a young woman
whose attempts to advance her career
and reach the top of the political ladder
often end in disaster. If you’ve ever
worked in local government, Parks and
Recreation will seem all too familiar.
clash [klÄS]
Aufeinanderprallen
contemporary art [kEn)temp&rEri (A:t] zeitgenössische Kunst
mockumentary
fiktionaler Dokumentarfilm
[)mQkju(mentEri]
(Wortspiel aus „mock“ (Pseudo-)
und „documentary“)
quant (quantitative analyst) [kwQnt] ifml. quantitativer Analyst
quirky [(kw§:ki]
skurril
recreation [)rekri(eIS&n]
Freizeitbeschäftigung(en)
savoury [(seIvEri]
pikant
set: be ~ in [set]
spielen in
stock exchange [(stQk Iks)tSeIndZ] Börse
70 www.business-spotlight.de 6/2013

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Einem Teil dieser Ausgabe sind
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Getty Images
The Wild West of
The right funding:
a good idea needs a crowd
Wenn Banken das Risiko scheuen
und gewinnorientierte Kapitalgeber
sich zurückhaltend zeigen, bleibt
jungen, innovativen Unternehmern
die Unterstützung vieler einzelner,
um ihre Geschäftsidee umzusetzen.
VICKI SUSSENS veranschaulicht dies
an einigen Beispielen. advanced

CROWDFUNDING MANAGEMENT ■
They’re young, they wear brightly coloured clothing
to work and they call everyone by their first
name. Felix Weth and his team in Berlin have
started an online auction website called Fairnopoly.
A play on the name “monopoly”, it aims to
be a fair business that is truly democratic, owned by small
investors rather than venture capitalists, and trading in
sustainable, fair-trade goods. “In five years, we want to
take on eBay and Amazon,” says the determined young
entrepreneur.
Idealistic? Maybe, but the public likes the idea. The team
financed their business through Germany’s biggest crowdfunding
site, Startnext, raising €210,163 — double the
amount they had hoped for.
In an article in The Independent, business journalist
Margareta Pagano recently called crowdfunding “one
of the most thrilling developments in finance for at least a
couple of hundred years”. The online method of raising
funds not only provides young start-ups with the seed
money that risk-shy banks and profit-hungry venture capitalists
are not happy to give. It’s also a good way to test
an idea with consumers, because the public decides
whether or not a project will be funded.
The model is simple. Someone wanting to crowdfund
presents a business plan to the operators of a crowdfunding
site (also called a “platform”). They then decide
whether the business has potential. If it does, it is introduced
to the public online in as much detail as possible.
Users give feedback and, if they like the project, become
“fans” by clicking a button marked “become a fan”. The
project must attract a minimum number of fans, and a
funding minimum is set, below which the firm would not
be able to finance itself. If these goals are not reached,
funders’ money is returned and the project is withdrawn
from the platform. Crowdfunding is, in effect, a free and
effective form of pilot consumer research.
In their high-ceilinged, open-plan offices in the heart of
Berlin, the Fairnopoly staff stand in small groups over
computers, sit in deep discussions or talk animatedly on
the phone. Their favourite “toy”, the table-football table,
stands untouched. “We’re working very hard now,” says
founder Weth, who, like most of the staff, is in his early
“We wanted as many small
investors as possible who
believe in our concept of fair
business and will spread it”
Felix Weth, 33, founder of the fair-trade
online auction website Fairnopoly
30s. Parties to celebrate the fundraising success are over
and Fairnopoly has entered a serious phase. It has just gone
online in a test stage, open only to members and fans. The
pressure is huge because the time is growing between the
end of the crowdfunding action in March and actually having
something to show. Funders will want to see results.
There are two main kinds of crowdfunding for
businesses. In its original form, which is still popular, sites
such as Kickstarter, which pioneered crowdfunding, provide
a platform for artists to get financial support for creative
projects. Mostly, funders donate to a project they like.
Sometimes, funders receive a small reward, such as a free
work of art or, in the case of a business, a product. The second
form is “crowdinvesting”, also called “crowdequity”,
whereby projects offer a return on investment.
Contributions in all cases can be as small as a few euros
and are given an upper limit to keep the “crowd” concept
and prevent big investors from buying too much control.
Fairnopoly chose crowdinvesting, limiting investments to
€10,000 a person. The “crowd” is fundamental to its busi-
4
animatedly [(ÄnImeItIdli]
consumer research [kEn)sju:mE ri(s§:tS]
contribution [)kQntrI(bju:S&n]
crowdfunding [(kraUdfVndIN]
donate to sth. [dEU(neIt tu]
entrepreneur [)QntrEprE(n§:]
founder [(faUndE]
fund sth. [fVnd]
funder [(fVndE]
funds [fVndz]
goal [gEUl]
lebhaft
Verbraucherforschung
Beitrag
Crowdfunding, Schwarmfinanzierung
für etw. spenden; hier: Geld
geben
Unternehmer(in)
Gründer(in)
etw. finanzieren
Geldgeber(in)
finanzielle Mittel
Ziel
high-ceilinged [)haI (si:lINd]
open-plan office [)EUpEn )plÄn (QfIs]
pioneer sth. [)paIE(nIE]
play [(pleI]
raise (funds) [reIz]
return on investment (ROI)
[ri)t§:n Qn In(vestmEnt]
seed money [(si:d )mVni]
sustainable [sE(steInEb&l]
take sb. on [)teIk (Qn]
test stage [(test steIdZ]
venture capitalist [)ventSE (kÄpIt&lIst]
mit hohen Decken
Großraumbüro
etw. auf den Weg bringen
hier: Wortspiel
(finanzielle Mittel)
beschaffen
Kapitalrendite
Startkapital
nachhaltig
es mit jmdm. aufnehmen
Testphase
Risikokapitalgeber(in)
6/2013
www.business-spotlight.de 73

“We started a business because
the career paths our parents took
look really unattractive”
Rob Symington, 29, co-founder of the website
Escape the City, which helps people leave corporate jobs
and build a more exciting career
ness concept, which it calls a “cooperative 2.0”, the “2.0”
standing for the web. “The aim is to bring the crowd into
the company and its product development through open
sourcing,” says Weth. This means all users can have a say
in how it operates, and anyone who works on the project
receives shares in the firm.
There is a strong idealistic element to crowdfunding,
which has been called “democratic financing”. Fairnopoly,
for example, wants to promote responsible consumption,
fair-trade goods and recycling. It also wants to use a percentage
of each transaction to support organizations campaigning
against corruption. “We wanted as many small
investors as possible who believe in our concept of fair
business and who will spread it,” says Weth.
A recent survey of Fairnopoly’s 1,000 funders found
that the majority had chosen to invest because of the
firm’s ideals and not for the return on investment.
More than half said that keeping big investors out
of Fairnopoly was “especially important” to them.
Over in London, Rob Symington and Dom
Jackman have also used democratic financing to
promote an ideal. Their start-up, an internet platform
called Escape the City, helps people who feel
stuck in corporate jobs to network and find more
exciting ways to earn their living.
In 2010, they were both management consultants
with Ernst & Young in London. At the time, Mike
Howe, who joined the firm later, was an investment
banker with Merrill Lynch in the City. One day, Symington
wrote an email to Jackman saying, “I want to escape
this job” — using an image of a computer escape key instead
of the word “escape”. Jackman wrote back saying he
thought there was a business idea in the escape concept.
And so there was. In fact, the escape key would become the
company logo.
The more they thought about it, the more they realized
there were a great many talented, ambitious people who,
like them, were disillusioned with their jobs. The two
young men, then both in their late 20s, tested the idea with
their huge number of friends on Facebook and started a
blog to discuss the idea before developing a website users
could subscribe to. They knew the best way to prove the
business had potential was to develop a large community
of members.
Howe joined in 2011 after moving to New
York, and as membership grew to 50,000, the
founders realized that the potential was even bigger
than they had thought. So they escaped their
own jobs to work full-time on Escape the City. But
while they had business experience, they were not
techies and the few freelance program developers
they could afford to pay were not enough to run a
large online community. So they turned to crowdfunding
to raise the money they would need for a full-time
technical staff, choosing the British crowdinvestment site
Crowdcube. Instead of opening investment to the public,
they restricted it to members on their mailing list, raising
£600,000 in less than two weeks from 395 people. A
prowling venture capital firm thought the idea was good
and offered to finance the business, but the founders had
chosen crowdfunding because it fitted better with their
business concept. By raising funds through the corporate
world, they felt they would have been selling out.
Crowdfunding is a logical development for a generation
that is used to sharing their lives and building large networks
of friends and followers online. “We’re far more
comfortable using digital technologies to reach people than
City: the ~ [(sIti] UK
Londoner Finanzdistrikt
co-founder [)kEU (faUndE]
Mitgründer(in)
consumption [kEn(sVmpS&n]
Konsum
corporate [(kO:pErEt]
Firmen-; hier: in einem
Großunternehmen
disillusioned: be ~ with sth. [dIsI(lu:Z&nd] mit etw. unzufrieden sein
earn one’s living
seinen Lebensunterhalt
[)§:n wVnz (lIvIN]
verdienen
escape key [I(skeIp ki:]
Abbruchtaste; hier: Esc-
Taste
freelance [(fri:lA:ns]
freiberuflich
management consultant
Unternehmensberater(in)
[(mÄnIdZmEnt kEn)sVltEnt]
open sourcing [)EUpEn (sO:sIN]
Einbeziehung Externer bei
einem Projekt durch Open-
Source-Lösungen
prowling [(praUlIN]
(auf der Jagd nach Beute)
umherstreifend
say: have a ~ in sth. [seI]
bei etw. ein Mitspracherecht
haben
sell out [)sel (aUt]
ausverkaufen; hier: sich
untreu werden
share [SeE]
Anteil, Beteiligung
subscribe to sth. [sEb(skraIb tu] etw. abonnieren; hier: sich
bei etw. registrieren
survey [(s§:veI]
Befragung
techie [(teki] ifml.
Technikfreak
74 www.business-spotlight.de 6/2013

CROWDFUNDING MANAGEMENT ■
Have money to
go go: Indiegogo,
Crowdcube and
Startnext are
three successful
crowdfunding
platforms
dollars to interrupt your TV programme so that I can
shout at you about my products, you are soon going to
stop listening,” explains Symington. “But if I say, ‘I’d like
to send you ten opportunities to do something fantastic
with your life, but you have to decide that you want to
hear from me’, it is far stronger. It has nothing to do with
technology; it’s just a simple way of communicating.”
Crowdfunding acts as a lifeline to young people entering
their careers during a stagnant economy. “We started
a business because the career paths our parents took look
really unattractive,” says Symington.
those who’ve been working for 20 years,” says Symington.
He calls the internet “the Wild West” for starting businesses
because the barriers to entry are so low.
Symington communicates with customers in a way his
father, also a businessman, would find unimaginable. “We
use Twitter, Facebook and email to talk to our clients in a
very open and honest way. So I’ll write a blog about the
27 things I have learned since starting this business. My father
would never share this information with his customers.”
Two concepts are driving the young start-up
movement, says Symington: “the lean start-up” and “permission
marketing”. The lean start-up idea comes from a
book of the same name by Eric Ries. In it, Ries says that,
if you speak to potential customers often when you start
your business, you avoid building something no one wants.
“We’ve made mistakes when we followed our feelings
rather than listening to our community,” says Symington.
The “permission marketing” concept comes from another
mentor, the New York entrepreneur Seth Godin, who
wrote a book on the subject in 1999. “If I pay millions of
barrier to entry [)bÄriE tu (entri]
billion [(bIljEn]
feisty [(faIsti]
kick-start sth. [(kIk stA:t]
lean [li:n]
lifeline [(laIflaIn]
nurture sth. [(n§:tSE]
obsolete [(QbsEli:t]
tired [(taIEd]
wreck sth. [rek]
Einstiegshürde
Milliarde(n)
couragiert
etw. starten; hier: ankurbeln
schlank
Rettungsleine
etw. fördern, aufziehen
veraltet, überholt
hier: nicht mehr zeitgemäß
etw. ruinieren
And crowdfunding is growing. Globally, total funds
raised through crowds grew by 81 per cent in 2012 compared
to 2011. Over 500 platforms funded more than one
million projects and raised $2.7 billion, according to the
2013 “Crowdfunding Industry Report” by Massolution, a
company that helps firms develop crowdsourcing business
models. The report expects the 2013 figures to double
again compared to 2012. This may be an underestimate.
Crowdcube, the first site in the world to have raised over
€10 million in total, reports that investment in its projects
in the first six months of 2013 increased by 579 per cent
compared to the first six months of 2012.
Most importantly, as Margareta Pagano wrote in The
Independent, “if carefully nurtured, crowdfunding has the
power to shift the balance away from the big financial institutions
that wrecked the economy, and give it back to
the small business owners and the small investor to help
kick-start growth.”
It won’t be the first time that feisty, young start-ups have
successfully disrupted tired, old business models. ■BS
A CLOSER LOOK
An industry that is disrupted is undergoing dramatic changes
as a result of innovations that often replace old technologies
with new ones and make old business models obsolete. The
print media industry, for example, is being disrupted by digital
technology.
VICKI SUSSENS is a South African journalist and
an editor at Business Spotlight, with a special
focus on man agement, business and social issues.
Contact: v.sussens@spotlight-verlag.de
6/2013
www.business-spotlight.de 75

■ MANAGEMENT WHAT HAPPENED NEXT
Whistleblower Karen Silkwood
Ihre Rolle bei der Aufdeckung skandalöser Vorgänge in der Atomindustrie
kostete sie das Leben. VICKI SUSSENS erinnert an eine mutige Gewerkschaftsaktivistin
aus der amerikanischen Provinz.
medium
Corbis
Background
Karen Silkwood (1946–74) is regarded as a whistleblower
who paid the ultimate price. In 1972, she started work
at the Kerr-McGee Cimarron factory in Crescent, near Oklahoma
City, which produced nuclear fuel. A lab technician,
she polished fuel rods filled with plutonium and
checked them for quality. At the time, staff knew radiation
was unhealthy, but weren’t informed it could cause cancer.
The problem
In 1974, Kerr-McGee fell behind on a major contract and
pushed its staff to work longer. Mistakes increased and so
did radiation spills. The factory didn’t shut down after accidents.
In July, Silkwood was contaminated for the first
time. Worried that the firm was putting profits before safety,
she became more active in the union, and was elected
to the bargaining committee. She started collecting cases of
safety violations. These included exposure to contamination,
faulty respiratory equipment and rods being improperly
stored. She also discovered that data was being manipulated
to allow faulty fuel rods to pass quality control.
The solution
In September, Silkwood reported the cases to the union’s national
office in Washington, DC. They told her that exposure
to plutonium could cause cancer and that the faulty
rods could cause a nuclear disaster. They wanted more proof
and Silkwood offered to get it. The union told New York
Times journalist David Burnham they had a story for him.
What happened next
Huge courage:
Karen Silkwood
fought hard for her
fellow workers
nated and underwent decontamination. The next day, she
again tested positive although she hadn’t worked in a lab.
Other tests found her home was contaminated, and that she
had both inhaled and ingested plutonium. Kerr-McGee officials
accused her of contaminating herself to embarrass the
firm. But Silkwood was frightened and told her family she
planned to leave the company. Her national union contact,
Steve Wodka, decided it was time to blow the whistle.
On November 13, on her way to take documents to
Wodka and the journalist Burnham, she was killed when
her car went off the road. Although witnesses claimed she
had left with documents, none were found in her car. The
coroner discovered sedatives in her blood and the official
version was that she had fallen asleep at the wheel. Speculation
that she had been forced off the road was never
confirmed. But an autopsy ordered by the Atomic Ener gy
Commission found she could not have contaminated
herself because the plutonium in her body came from a restricted
area of the plant. This mystery was never solved.
In 1986, after a long legal battle, Kerr-McGee paid
damages to the Silkwood family for having contaminated
Karen. Silkwood’s story became a powerful force for the
anti-nuclear movement of the 1970s and 1980s. The hugely
successful film Silkwood, with Meryl Streep playing
Karen Silkwood, came out in 1983.
■BS
plus Do a reading-comprehension exercise in Business Spotlight plus
To provide proof, Silkwood stole documents, which was a
major federal offence. Then she discovered that 18 kilograms
of plutonium were missing, enough to make three nuclear
bombs. On 5 November, she found she was contamibargaining
committee [(bA:gInIN kE)mIti]
blow the whistle [)blEU DE (wIs&l] ifml.
cancer [(kÄnsE]
confirm sth. [kEn(f§:m]
coroner [(kQrEnE]
damages [(dÄmIdZIz]
exposure [Ik(spEUZE]
fall behind on sth. [)fO:l bi(haInd Qn]
faulty [(fO:lti]
federal offence [)fedErEl E(fens] US
fuel [(fju:El]
fuel rod [(fju:El rQd]
ingest sth. [In(dZest]
lab technician [(lÄb tek)nIS&n] ifml.
pay the ultimate price
[peI Di )VltImEt (praIs]
radiation [)reIdi(eIS&n]
respiratory equipment
[ri)spIrEtEri I(kwIpmEnt]
safety violation
[(seIfti vaIE)leIS&n]
sedative [(sedEtIv]
spill [spIl]
union [(ju:niEn]
Tarifkommission
Informationen preisgeben
Krebs
etw. bestätigen
Gerichtsmediziner(in)
Schadensersatz
Ausgesetztsein, Kontakt
mit etw. in Rückstand geraten
defekt
Verstoß gegen Bundesrecht
Brennstoff
Brennstab
etw. aufnehmen, verschlucken
Labortechniker(in)
sein Leben für etw. opfern
Strahlung
Atemschutzgeräte
Missachtung der (Arbeits-)
Schutzbestimmungen
Sedativum, Beruhigungsmittel
Austritt
Gewerkschaft
76 www.business-spotlight.de 6/2013

EXECUTIVE EYE MANAGEMENT ■
“People believe that if a person is physically attractive,
then all other parts of them are attractive, too”
ADRIAN FURNHAM ON THE PSYCHOLOGY OF MANAGEMENT
medium
Do physically attractive people have
an advantage at work? Are they more
likely to be selected, promoted and
better paid than less attractive people?
Is physical attractiveness a more
important factor for a woman in her
career than for a man? And if the answer
to all these questions is “yes”,
should we do something about it?
Attractiveness encourages the halo
effect — the idea that if someone is
physically attractive, then people believe
all other parts of them are attractive,
too. There is a lot of evidence
that physical characteristics affect
how one is treated at work:
■ Blondes are paid more than
brunettes of equal attractiveness.
■ Height is related to pay and
chances of promotion.
■ Facial attractiveness can result in a
higher salary. An attractive face is
also very often regarded as a sign of
competence and employability.
Judging a book by its cover
[)dZVdZIN E )bUk baI Its (kVvE]
affect sth. [E(fekt]
blonde [blQnd]
brunette [bru(net]
competency [(kQmpItEnsi]
confounding factor [kEn)faUndIN (fÄktE]
consistent [kEn(sIstEnt]
disentangle sth. [)dIsIn(tÄNg&l]
evidence [(evIdEns]
halo effect [(heIlEU E)fekt]
(halo
interview [(IntEvju:]
job-application form
[(dZQb ÄplI)keIS&n fO:m]
obesity [EU(bi:sEti]
perception [pE(sepS&n]
promote sb. [prE(mEUt]
research [ri(s§:tS]
superficial [)su:pE(fIS&l]
6/2013
Judging a book by
its cover
■ Some research suggests that highly
attractive people are less likely to be
hired if the person doing the hiring is
of the same sex and less attractive.
■ Obesity has a negative effect on
many factors, such as selection for
jobs, promotion and salary.
But studies looking at connections
between looks and perceptions of
talent are problematic. Firstly, the
results are not always consistent.
Secondly, to do the studies properly,
you need to keep all the other factors
constant while comparing the individuals
on the one criterion. So if you
are testing body shape, the people you
use must have similar heights, hair, facial
attractiveness and so on.
The third problem has to do with
the context of the characteristics.
Take, for example, the idea that tall
people do better at work. This may be
true of men and not women. And it
etw. (vorschnell) nach dem ersten
Eindruck/nach Äußerlichkeiten beurteilen
etw. beeinflussen
Blondine
Brünette
Kompetenz
Störfaktor
stimmig
etw. entflechten, voneinander trennen
Anzeichen
Halo-Effekt (Begriff aus der Psychologie)
Heiligenschein; Mondring)
Bewerbungsgespräch
Bewerbungsformular
Fettleibigkeit
Wahrnehmung
jmdn. befördern
Forschung, Studien
oberflächlich
plus You’ll find exercises on this topic in Business Spotlight plus
might also depend on the nature of
the job; height may be important in
business but not in teaching.
And then there are confounding
factors. For example, weight may affect
the shape of one’s face, the health
of one’s hair and the clearness of
Mirror, mirror on the wall:
who is the best one of us all?
one’s skin. It is difficult to disentangle
the different factors.
But what if you think something
needs to be done? There are things
firms can do. One is to take photo -
graphs off job-application forms. Another
is to have a man and woman
team do job-related interviews.
We also know that the more an
interview tests for competency, the
less superficial factors such as looks
play a part. So firms can do something
to prevent discrimination based
on looks. And, if they succeed and the
top people end up being somewhat
more attractive than those at the bottom,
then so be it.
■BS
ADRIAN FURNHAM is a psychology professor
at University College, London, a
management expert and the author of
more than 60 books. His latest is The Engaging
Manager: The Joy of Management
and Being Managed (Palgrave Macmillan).
www.business-spotlight.de 77
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Alone together:
our bodies are
present but
not our minds
Our
robotic moment
Fuse; Portrait: P. Urban
Roboter werden uns Menschen immer ähnlicher. Sie erledigen alltägliche Arbeiten und sind für
manchen sogar ein persönlicher Begleiter. Aus Sicht einer Expertin zeigt CATHERINE DE LANGE, dass
diese Wesen mit künstlicher Intelligenz durchaus ihre tückischen Seiten haben.
advanced
Bedraggled from a walk in the rain, Sherry Turkle
shows up begging for a latte. She’s forgotten her
money in her hotel room. She’s very tired, she
says, and really needs a coffee. “You can see it’s
not my most perky morning. But I’m really
thrilled to be meeting with you.”
She’s not just being polite — Turkle has a serious point
to make. As professor of the social studies of science and
technology at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology
(MIT) and the founder and current director of the MIT Initiative
on Technology and Self, she has spent more than
three decades studying the way people interact with machines.
She is growing increasingly worried about the
amount of human interaction people are happy to delegate
to robots, or to do using their phones and computers. As
a human, within seconds of meeting her in person, I can
interpret the complexities of her mood: the tired part, and
the happy-to-be-here part. “This is a complex dance that
we know how to do to each other,” she says. A dance she
fears is being forgotten.
Turkle wasn’t always this interested in technology. Born
in Brooklyn in 1948, she studied in Paris before returning
to do her PhD in sociology and psychology at Harvard. By
1978, she had just written her first book, on French psychoanalysis,
when MIT hired her to study the sociology of
sciences of the mind. “I began to hear students talking
about their minds as machines, based on the early personal
computers they had,” she says. “They’d use phrases like
bedraggled [bi(drÄg&ld]
do one’s PhD [)du: wVnz )pi: eItS (di:]
founder [(faUndE]
latte: caffè ~ [(lÄteI]
mood [mu:d]
perky [(p§:ki]
zersaust
promovieren
Gründer(in)
Milchkaffee
Gemütslage
munter
80 www.business-spotlight.de 6/2013

PROFILE TECHNOLOGY ■
‘debugging’ or ‘don’t talk to me until I clear my buffer’. I’d
never heard any of this stuff before.”
So Turkle began to study the way that technology was
taking hold in everyday life, at a time when these interactions
with machines were pretty new. MIT was home to pioneering
work in artificial intelligence, including the use of
robots for social tasks. It was the birthplace of some very
human-like robots.
Turkle tested these anthropomorphic robots on small
children who had never used computers. In one study, she
observed how children would bond with the robots that
were programmed to respond with human-like emotions,
in a way they wouldn’t bond with other toys. “This becomes
a tremendously significant relationship for the
child,” she says, “and then it will get broken or disappoint,
and the child will go ballistic.” She says the scientists in the
research group were deeply concerned about the emotional
damage they felt they had done.
In the early days, Turkle was commonly called a “cyber
diva”. “People thought I was very pro-computer. I was on
the cover of Wired magazine,” she says. Then things began
to change. In the early 1980s, with the first personal
computers, “we met this technology and became smitten
like young lovers”, she says, but today this love affair is unhealthy.
In her latest book, Alone Together: Why We Expect
More from Technology and Less from Each Other,
Turkle says we have reached the “robotic moment” —
“We are giving everybody
the impression that we
aren’t really there for them”
anthropomorphic [)ÄnTrEUpEU(mO:fIk] menschenähnlich
bond with sb. [(bQnd wID]
zu jmdm. eine Bindung
eingehen
boring [(bO:rIN]
langweilig
buffer [(bVfE]
Puffer-, Zwischenspeicher
debugging [)di:(bVgIN]
Fehlerlokalisierung,
-beseitigung
get with the programme
mit der Zeit gehen
[)get wIT DE (proUgrÄm*] US ifml.
give me the credit [)gIv mi DE (kredIt] hier: glauben Sie mir
go ballistic [)gEU bE(lIstIk] ifml.
durchdrehen
hilarious [hI(leEriEs]
wahnsinnig komisch
review sth. [ri(vju:]
etw. besprechen, rezensieren
smitten [(smIt&n]
verknallt; hier: hingerissen
So what? [)sEU (wQt]
Na und?
stuff [stVf]
Zeug(s)
stunned [stVnd]
fassungslos, geschockt
text [tekst]
simsen
think piece: do a ~ [(TINk pi:s]
einen Leitartikel schreiben
tremendously [trE(mendEsli]
ungeheuer
vulnerable [(vVlnErEb&l]
verletzlich
you can’t make this stuff up
so was kann man sich nicht
[ju )kA:nt )meIk DIs )stVf (Vp]
aus den Fingern saugen
*This symbol marks standard US pronunciation that differs from standard UK pronunciation.
Professor Sherry Turkle is the
director of the MIT Initiative on
Technology and Self, which
studies the effect that technology
has on people’s behaviour.
Alone Together, Sherry Turkle
(Basic Books)
where we delegate important human relationships and interactions
at “the most vulnerable moments in life”, childhood
and old age, to robots. “To me, as somebody who
likes technology, this is just playing with fire.”
Turkle says she sees married couples who prefer to have
their fights online. “My studies of funerals are hilarious,”
she says. “Everybody’s texting. When I ask them about it,
they say, ‘Yeah, I do it during the boring bits.’” So that’s
the question she raises: what does it mean as a society
when real events or conversations are the “boring bits”?
As a single mother, Turkle is also very concerned about
the effect of technology on children. Parents are too busy
texting or talking on their mobile phones to watch their
kids, she cautions. There’s been a sharp increase in playground
accidents. “These kids are extremely lonely. We are
giving everybody the impression that we aren’t really
there for them. It’s toxic.” This is what she means by
“alone together” — that our ability to be in the world is
influenced, even disturbed, by “all that other stuff” we
want to do with technology.
For many people, these are inconvenient truths, and lately,
Turkle has come to be seen as a pessimist, even as someone
who doesn’t like technology. She is no longer the cover
girl for Wired. “This time they didn’t even review my
book.” In fact, explains Turkle, some readers who reviewed
Alone Together basically said, “everybody likes
Facebook, can’t she just get with the programme?” This,
she adds, is unfair to the 15 years of experiments and anecdotes
that went into it. “I mean, give me the credit. I didn’t
do a think piece. I was reporting. People tell me they wish
[iPhone companion] Siri were their best friend. I was
stunned. You can’t make this stuff up.”
Turkle admits that the pull of technology is very strong.
“Online, you become the self you want to be.” But there
are disadvantages. We lose the “raw, human part” of being
with each other, says Turkle. She points to our early
morning meeting, for example. She’s tired, and we could
have done the interview over Skype. “Online, I am perfect,”
she says. “But what’s the worst that can happen
here? You write a story that says, ‘Bedraggled from a walk
in the rain, she shows up begging for a latte.’ So what? You
pretty much see me as I am. And I’m willing to say that’s
a good thing.”
■BS
© Guardian News & Media 2013
6/2013
www.business-spotlight.de 81

■ TECHNOLOGY TRENDS
Ideas and inventions
Gibt es Neuigkeiten? CAROL SCHEUNEMANN präsentiert technische
Innovationen und neue wissenschaftliche Erkenntnisse. medium
University of Nottingham
Just add air
Good to grow:
Professor
Cocking and
his plants
Plants need nitrogen to grow, and they get most
of it from the soil through their roots. Farmers
around the world add nitrogen-rich synthetic
fertilizers to the soil to help plants grow faster and
produce more. But the overuse of fertilizer damages
the environment — and nitrate pollution is a major
problem. Nitrates in groundwater can be dangerous
to human health. In rivers, lakes or oceans,
nitrates and phosphates can cause algae “blooms”,
which use up the oxygen in the water, killing fish
and creating dead zones.
Nearly 80 per cent of the earth’s atmosphere is
made up of nitrogen. Some plants, including sugar
cane, beans and peas, have a bacterium that can
convert nitrogen from the air into forms the plant
needs, in a process called nitrogen fixation.
Professor Edward Cocking at the University of
Nottingham has developed a method of introducing
this nitrogen-fixing bacterium in any type of
plant. The technology, called N-Fix, is not genetic
modification. Plant seeds are covered with a sucrose
mixture containing the bacterium, which
then spreads through the plant as it grows. N-Fix
seeds could be available within the next two years.
“If fully successful, it would make plants selffertilizing
for nitrogen,” says Cocking.
Green travel: California’s
new high-speed train
COMING UP
800 miles
The length of a proposed high-speed train system
(1,287 kilometres) in California that will run entirely on
renewable energy.
Source: California High-Speed Rail Authority (www.hsr.ca.gov)
100 times
Potential increase in internet speeds using graphene.
Taken from graphite, graphene is composed of single
carbon atoms. This would make ultra-fast optical transmission
possible.
Source: Centre for Graphene Science, University of Exeter and University of Bath
SAMS
“Shark Attack Mitigation Systems” is a colourbased
technology for wetsuits that protects swimmers
and surfers from sharks. One type
uses blue colour combinations that look
like water, and another has a pattern of
black and white stripes, to confuse sharks.
Source: www.sharkmitigation.com
DID YOU KNOW?
The moon can influence your sleep. People take longer to
fall asleep, sleep about 20 minutes less and wake up more
often within four nights of a full moon. Scientists believe
humans may have an internal body clock that follows the
lunar cycle.
Source: Dr Christian Cajochen et al., University of Basle, in Current Biology
algae bloom [(ÄldZi: blu:m]
Algenblüte
carbon atom [(kA:bEn )ÄtEm]
Kohlenstoffatom
fertilizer [(f§:tElaIzE]
Dünger
genetic modification [dZE)netIk mQdIfI(keIS&n] genetische Veränderung
graphene [(grÄfi:n]
Graphen
mitigation [)mItI(geIS&n]
Abschwächung
nitrate pollution [(naItreIt pE)lu:S&n] Nitratverschmutzung
nitrogen [(naItrEdZEn]
Stickstoff
nitrogen fixation [)naItrEdZEn fIk(seIS&n] Stickstofffixierung
oxygen [(QksIdZEn]
Sauerstoff
pattern [(pÄt&n]
Muster
plant seeds [(plA:nt si:dz]
Saatgut
renewable [ri(nju:Eb&l]
erneuerbar
sugar cane [(SUgE keIn]
Zuckerrohr
wetsuit [(wetsu:t]
Neoprenanzug
iStockphoto
Water colours:
SAMS hides you from sharks
6/2013

Bright lights:
LEDs light up
outdoor areas
LANGUAGE FOCUS TECHNOLOGY ■
iStockphoto
Vocabulary
ambient light [)ÄmbiEnt (laIt]
backlight [(bÄklaIt]
brightness [(braItnEs]
carbon emission [(kA:bEn i)mIS&n]
compact fluorescent lamp (CFL)
[kEm)pÄkt flO:)res&nt (lÄmp]
current [(kVrEnt]
dimmer control [(dImE kEn)trEUl]
durability [)djUErE(bIlEti]
emit sth. [i(mIt]
fibre optic [)faIbEr (QptIk]
filament [(fIlEmEnt]
flash [flÄS]
flicker [(flIkE]
floodlight [(flVdlaIt]
headlight cluster [(hedlaIt )klVstE]
incandescent [)InkÄn(des&nt]
infrastructure [(InfrE)strVktSE]
install sth. [In(stO:l]
instrument panel [(InstrEmEnt )pÄn&l]
intensity [In(tensEti]
last [lA:st]
layer [(leIE]
lifespan [(laIfspÄn]
light bulb [(laIt bVlb]
light-emitting diode (LED)
[)laIt i)mItIN (daIEUd]
luminaire [lu:mI(neE]
luminous [(lu:mInEs]
maintenance [(meIntEnEns]
organic [O:(gÄnIk]
pin base [(pIn beIs]
reflect [ri(flekt]
reliability [ri)laIE(bIlEti]
remote control [ri)mEUt kEn(trEUl]
replace sth. [ri(pleIs]
screw base [(skru: beIs]
semiconductor [)semikEn(dVktE]
sheet [Si:t]
socket [(sQkIt]
solid-state technology
[)sQlId )steIt tek(nQlEdZi]
sustainable [sE(steInEb&l]
task light [(tA:sk laIt]
uplighter [(Vp)laItE]
voltage [(vEUltIdZ]
For more information
Umgebungslicht
Hintergrundbeleuchtung
Helligkeit
CO 2 -Emission
Kompaktleuchtstofflampe
elektrischer Strom
Helligkeitsregler
Lebensdauer
etw. emittieren, abgeben
Lichtwellenleiter, Glasfaser
Glühfaden
Lichtblitz
Flackern, Flimmern
Flutlicht
Frontscheinwerfer
weißglühend
Ausrüstung, Ausstattung
etw. installieren
Armaturenbrett
Leuchtkraft, Helligkeit
halten
Schicht
Lebens-, Gebrauchsdauer
Glühbirne
Leuchtdiode
Leuchte
leuchtend
Instandhaltung, Pflege
organisch
Stiftsockel
reflektieren
Ausfallsicherheit
Fernbedienung
etw. ersetzen
Schraubsockel
Halbleiter
Folie
Steckdose
Halbleitertechnik
nachhaltig
Arbeitsplatzleuchte; hier
auch: Operationsleuchte
Deckenfluter
elektrische Spannung
WEBSITES
■ “Lighting the Way: Perspectives on the Global Lighting
Market”, McKinsey & Company: www.mckinsey.com
■ Lowel EDU, Glossary of Lighting Terms:
www.lowel.com/edu/glossary
■ Philips Lighting University: www.lighting.philips.com/main/
connect/lighting_university/led.wpd
Answers: a–4; b–3; c–2; d–1
LED lighting
Edisons gute, alte Glühbirne hat wohl endgültig
ausgedient und wird nun durch Leuchtdioden
ersetzt, wie TOM SMITH berichtet. advanced
By illuminating a city street in Menlo Park, New Jersey,
Thomas Edison demonstrated incandescent light bulbs
to the public in 1879. The symbol of the light bulb came
to represent a brilliant idea. Now, some 130 years later, the
light-emitting diode (LED) represents another good idea.
The LED is a solid-state technology, a semiconductor
that gives out light when a current is passed across it. Unlike
light bulbs, which emit 90 per cent of their energy as
heat, the LED is cool and efficient, and produces a range
of colours that can be blended to create a clear white light.
LEDs are more expensive to produce than incandescent
light bulbs, but they last much longer and produce fewer
carbon emissions. Their small size also makes them ideal
for display screens and as task lights in hospitals. Because
they contain no glass or filaments, they are very robust and
can be used in factories, street lighting, traffic control or
cars, for example, as headlight clusters.
Some people believe that up to 70 per cent of lighting
will be LEDs within ten years. And what about the next
innovation? One recent development is the organic LED
(OLED), which uses a layer of organic material to produce
light. OLEDs can be produced in very thin sheets that can
be bent into different shapes. However, OLEDs are still
very costly to produce, the organic material does not last
long and it can be damaged by water.
■BS
Exercise: See the light
Match the sentence halves to make complete sentences.
a) LEDs are more efficient ■
b) The smaller the size, ■
c) Robust products are good for ■
d) OLED technology is still ■
1. in the development stage.
2. difficult working conditions.
3. the more flexible the product.
4. than incandescent light bulbs.
TOM SMITH is a language consultant and business
English materials writer living in southern Germany.
He is co-author of Business Proficiency (Klett) and
StartUp Enterprise (ELT Blueprints). Contact:
www.executive-english.biz
6/2013
www.business-spotlight.de 83

■ FEEDBACK READERS’ LETTERS
Frightened Americans
Readers’ let ters should be sent to:
The editor-in-chief, Business Spotlight, Fraun -
ho ferstr. 22, 82152 Pla negg, Deutsch land;
by email to i.mcmaster@spot light-ver lag.de;
or by fax to +49 (0)89/85681-210. Please
include your postal address, email address
and phone number. We reserve the right to
edit readers’ comments for clar ity or length.
Iread Carol Scheunemann’s column about Americans and gun
control (Looking Back, Business Spotlight 5/2013) with interest.
I used to be for more stringent gun control in the US but
found that the more I studied politics, the more I turned away
from strict laws. I say this with certain reservations — there
should be criminal background checks, and whether someone
is eligible to own a weapon should depend on the type of crime
committed and how far back it was. If the gun lobby is powerful,
then it is the citizens who make it powerful. If there has
been a spike in the number of weapons sold, it is not because
the National Rifle Association is buying weapons for its organization
but because there are a lot of citizens who are afraid.
Jack Delmonte, via email
Amazing!
Your magazine is amazing — I use it all the time. I teach in
Paris and all my clients seem to enjoy the lessons and articles.
Thank you for providing us with such a fabulous resource
that is both interesting and fun for learners.
Mary Ann Wilson, via email
Vokabellisten
Die Vokabelliste auf Business Spotlight Online ist vom Layout
her toll gemacht, allerdings nützt dieses Format vermutlich
vielen Lesern nichts, um Vokabeln ohne Aufwand in Lernsoftware
zu importieren. Im Archiv habe ich vom letzten Jahr
rtf-Dateien gefunden, die einfacher importiert werden können.
Meine konkrete Frage: Kann es für jede Ausgabe eine solche
Datei geben? Ideal wäre englisches Wort; deutsches Wort; englische
Umschreibung/Erklärung; englischer Beispielsatz.
Jan Falke, via email
Thank you for your suggestion, which we will consider. You can also use our
Word of the Day on our website and the BusinessWord app, which you will find
at www.business-spotlight-de/our-products. The words here come from the
magazine and from Skill Up!, and are accompanied by an explanation, a
translation, an example sentence and an audio file.
The Editor
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football team in 1999–2000”. Eriksson was confirmed as Keegan’s permanent
replacement on 31 October 2000 but didn’t start officially until January
2001. Also, Peter Taylor was caretaker manager for one game after Keegan.
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84 www.business-spotlight.de

1/2014 PREVIEW ■
In the next issue:
Jupiter Images
Socializing across cultures
Socializing with business partners plays a key role in
creating good relationships. But there are significant
cultural differences regarding the rules and norms of
social interaction. In our Intercultural Communication
article, we provide you with useful tips.
A coach for your career?
Do you ever feel that you need some careers advice
from an expert? Careers coaches can help you to take
the correct decisions and steps. We look at how you
can find the right coach for your situation and discuss
whether you should even become a coach yourself.
iStockphoto
SKILL UP!
Improve your
BUSINESS
VOCABULARY
with our
essential guide
Dealing with uncertainty
For many people, the modern business world is characterized by
increasing uncertainty, both in the workplace and in the economy
more generally. In our next Business Skills article, Bob Dignen
looks at strategies to help you survive in uncertain times.
iStockphoto
In the next issue...
In the next issue...
RETAILING
PICTURE THIS: the whole experience
FALSE FRIENDS: lock, reclaim
WORD BANK: flagship stores and outlets
BusinessSpotlight 1/2014 is on sale from 11 December 2013
6/2013
www.business-spotlight.de 85

■ PEOPLE MY WORKING LIFE
Andrew Lacy
Owner of an online travel site
Im vergangenen Jahr gründete er ein bereits jetzt erfolgreiches
Internet-Reisebüro. VICKI SUSSENS sprach mit dem weitgereisten
Australier über seinen Arbeitsalltag.
easy
the world. It taught me to be independent and gave me a
lot of self-confidence. You also need hard work, initiative,
energy, confidence, optimism and a little craziness.
Australians are not really good at
languages. I can speak bad Spanish and French.
Loves being
his own boss:
Andrew Lacy
I grew up in Australia, but Monaco is now home.
I’ve lived and worked in Mumbai, Beijing, San Francisco,
Lisbon and Madrid, and travelled to about 80 countries.
My philosophy is: you don’t have a choice about whether
or not to work, but you can choose where to do it.
I started the online travel site Zaptravel in
2012. It finds the best-priced deal for whatever type of holiday
you want. For example, a romantic weekend or a
beach holiday, or non-stop fun. We have a list of ideas you
may not have thought of, but you can also ask us for something
specific and we’ll search for the best deals for you.
There’s no real job description for an
entrepreneur, but you could call me chief problem solver.
I travel often to Silicon Valley to get advice from investors,
friends and experts in my business. We have an office in
Paris and a team of writers in eastern Europe.
We’ve just started, but Zaptravel is really taking
off in Europe, especially among young people.
I like innovating,
even when people tell me that my ideas are crazy.
It’s harder to do this in a large company, while in your own
company, you can hire people who believe in the vision.
I have a law degree, which I’ve never used, and
a business school degree from Stanford University in Silicon
Valley. But the best training is just to start working!
My first job — selling TVs — taught me a lot about sales.
Having travelled a lot
helps. I got the bug while taking an 18-month trip around
Through online networks.
Word of mouth is very powerful in the travel industry. In
the beginning, you “fight” for every customer and then it
gets a little easier every day.
Absolutely!
It’s extraordinary that there are so few entrepreneurs today!
If you go back 300 years in history, a clever and ambitious
person was always an entrepreneur. Even if you
don’t succeed, you’ll learn faster than in any other job,
which is good for your career.
The opportunity to work
with small teams of extremely talented people, and to see
the fantastic changes to our product that have happened
in such a short time. I also love the fact that every day is
different.
switch off.
Beijing [)beI(dZIN]
best-priced deal [)best praIst (di:&l]
bug: I got the ~ [bVg] ifml.
business school
[(bIznEs sku:l]
chief problem solver
[)tSi:f (prQblEm )sQlvE]
entrepreneur [)QntrEprE(n§:]
initiative [I(nISEtIv]
law degree [(lO: di)gri:]
Lisbon [(lIzbEn]
Mumbai [)mUm(baI]
network [(netw§:k]
sales [seI&lz]
switch off [)swItS (Qf] ifml.
take off [)teIk (Qf]
vision [(vIZ&n]
word of mouth [)w§:d Ev (maUT]
Not being able to
I would plan another business,
or go travelling. I don’t think I’ll ever stop wanting
to build something new.
■BS
[wg. Aussprache]
günstigstes Angebot
es hat mich gepackt
betriebswirtschaftliche
Fakultät
etwa: Hauptverantwortliche(r)
für Problemlösungen
Unternehmer(in)
[wg. Aussprache]
Abschluss in Jura
Lissabon
[wg. Aussprache]
Netzwerk
Verkauf, Vertrieb
abschalten
erfolgreich starten
hier: Unternehmensziele
Mundpropaganda
86 www.business-spotlight.de 6/2013

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BusinessSpotlight
SKILL UP!
VOKABELTRAINING LEICHT GEMACHT
AUSGABE 23
Property
also:
House and home | Buying or renting?

CONTENTS
HOME SWEET HOME
In the UK, “My home is my castle” is a popular saying. It’s not that we think
we live in real castles, but we do view our home as a very special — and
very private — place. These special places are also important for the economy
— and not just in the UK. This Skill Up! presents the vocabulary you
will need to talk about your home, but also about many different aspects of
commercial and residential property.
Our guide opens with an illustration of a typical scene from the property
market. In Picture This! (pp. 4–5), you, can learn the words for describing
renovation work and a construction crew. In Word Bank (pp. 6–7), we look
at specialist terms for talking about property. And In Focus (pp. 10–11)
presents words for discussing the financial and legal side of property.
As buildings are an essential part of our lives, it’s not surprising that many
idiomatic expressions have their roots in property. Turn to Essential Idioms
(pp. 12–13) to learn the most common ones with a business focus.
You’ll find more informal expressions in Small Talk (pp. 16–17), where we
compare the pros and cons of renting and buying property. Finally, in Close
Relations (pp. 14–15), we show you that there’s no place like home.
Deborah Capras, deputy editor
bs.deputyeditor@spotlight-verlag.de
SKILL UP!
Choose a multi-word expression from this
guide. On one side of a card, write down one
of the words from the expression. Instead
of the other word(s), draw a line for each of
the letters, for example, “_ _ _ _ _ _ _ bill”
for “utility bill”.
On the back, write the full expression,
the translation and your own example sentence.
When you get the spelling right seven
days in a row, you’ll remember it!
SKILL UP! online
On our website, you’ll find selected
vocabulary from this guide in our
Word of the Day section. To listen to
the words, definitions and example
sentences — and to download the
MP3 file of each word — go to
www.business-spotlight.de/skill-up
2 SKILL UP!
ISSUE 23

It’s not only location,
location, location!
Franz Marc Frei
CHECKLIST: WHAT CAN YOU DO?
Below, you will find the contents of this issue of Skill Up! and a checklist of what you should
be able to do with confidence after studying this guide. Ask yourself what you can really do.
If you can’t say yes to every statement, go back and spend more time on learning the relevant
vocabulary. Don’t forget to read our Skill Up! tips and do the online exercises!
Contents Page(s) Checklist
Picture This!
It’s on the market 4–5 I can talk about the different ways to modernize property.
Word Bank
Business or 6–7 I can use the specialist terms to describe commercial and
pleasure?
residential property.
False Friends
A word of caution 8–9 I can identify the false friends presented here — and
use the correct translations.
In Focus
The money — 10–11 I know the common financial and legal terms used to talk
and the law
about property.
Essential Idioms
Walls, roofs and 12–13 I can correctly use idiomatic business expressions that
ceilings
have their roots in property.
Close Relations
House and home 14–15 I can correctly use the “house” and “home” families.
Small Talk
To buy or rent? 16–17 I can make small talk on buying and renting property.
Your Profile
At home 18 I feel more confident using the vocabulary in this guide.
Preview 19
Not yet A little Yes!
n n n
n n n
n n n
n n n
n n n
n n n
n n n
n n n
ISSUE 23 SKILL UP! 3

PICTURE THIS!
Would you want
to live here?
1
2
7
8
9
3
5
6
11
10
13
14
4
12
Bernhard Förth
IT’S ON THE MARKET
Modernizing flats and houses is not always easy, as our illustration shows. Learn the
basic vocabulary for talking about this topic.
1. property Immobilie(n)
(US also real estate)
gutted
entkernt
(not) ready for (nicht) bezugsoccupancy
[(QkjUpEnsi] fertig
run-down
herunterge kommen
2. open-plan living area offener Wohnraum
3. dilapidated kitchen schäbige Einbauunits
küche
4. plumber [(plVmE] Installateur(in)
renovation work Renovierungsarbeiten
5. construction crew Baukolonne, -trupp
cowboy outfit ifml. dubiose Firma
6 site manager Bauleiter(in)
7. construction worker Bauarbeiter(in)
8. scaffolding [(skÄfEUldIN] Gerüst
9. rising damp UK aufsteigende Feuchtigkeit
mildew [(mIldju:] Schimmel
10. owner Eigentümer(in)
rent sth. out
etw. vermieten
11. blueprint Blaupause, Bauplan
12. damaged floorboards beschädigte Fußbodenbretter
13. letting agent Makler(in) (für
(US rental agent) Mietobjekte)
arrange a viewing einen Besichtigungstermin
vereinbaren
14. prospective tenant Mietinteressent(in)
move in
einziehen
4 SKILL UP!
ISSUE 23

What are they saying?
Prospective tenant: “So you said I should be able to move in next week.
Will she rent it out to me?”
Letting agent: “Yes, yes, that’s what the owner told me. It’s not ready for
occupancy yet. But she said they’d be finished with the renovation work
by Monday. ”
Redo it!
refurbish sth. [)ri:(f§:bIS]
refurbishment
remodel sth. [ri:(mQd&l]
remodelling
renovate sth. [(renEveIt]
renovation
repair sth.
repair work
restore sth.
restoration
restore sth. to its
original glory
retrofit sth. [(retrEUfIt]
retrofitting
revamp sth. [ri:(vÄmp]
etw. modernisieren
Modernisierung
etw. umgestalten, umbauen
Umgestaltung, Umbau
etw. renovieren
Renovierung
etw. instand setzen
Instandsetzungsarbeiten
etw. wiederherstellen
Wiederherstellung
etw. in seiner alten Pracht
wiederherstellen
etw. nach-, umrüsten
Nach-, Umrüstung
etw. aufmöbeln
Destroy it?
demolish sth. [di(mQlIS]
pull sth. down
tear sth. down
Improve it!
build an extension
convert a room
[kEn(v§:t]
install sth. [In(stO:l]
insulate sth. [(insjuleIt]
modernize sth.
etw. abreißen
etw. niederreißen
etw. abreißen
ein Haus mit einem
Anbau erweitern
ein Zimmer umbauen
etw. installieren,
einbauen
etw. isolieren
etw. erneuern,
modernisieren
iStockphoto (2)
Property and people
architect [(A:kItekt] Architekt(in)
bricklayer
Maurer(in)
carpenter
Zimmerer/Zimmerin
civil engineer [)sIv&l endZI(nIE] Bauingenieur(in)
contractor [kEn(trÄktE] Bauunternehmer(in)
draughtsman [(drA:ftsmEn] / Bauzeichner /
draughtswoman
Bauzeichnerin
electrician [i)lek(trIS&n] Elektriker(in)
joiner UK
Bauschreiner(in)
licensed estate agent konzessionierte(r)
(US real-estate agent) Immobilienmakler(in)
painter
Maler(in)
(property) developer Bauträger(in)
[(prQpEti di)velEpE]
proprietor [prE(praIEtE] Eigentümer(in)
roofer
Dachdecker(in)
surveyor [sE(veIE]
Vermesser(in);
Baugutachter(in)
tiler
Fliesenleger(in)
What are you?
flatmate (US roommate) Mitbewohner(in)
homeowner
Eigentümer(in)
housemate
Mitbewohner(in)
landlord / Vermieter /
landlady
Vermieterin
leaseholder
Pächter(in); Erbbauberechtigte(r)
lessee [le(si:] Pächter(in)
lessor [le(sO:] Verpächter(in)
owner-occupier Eigennutzer(in)
tenant [(tenEnt] Mieter(in)
subtenant
Untermieter(in)
ISSUE 23 SKILL UP! 5

WORD BANK
BUSINESS OR PLEASURE?
What kind of property are you interested in buying or selling?
Do you want to have somewhere to live or somewhere to work?
For pleasure
bedsit UK
Studio
bungalow (US ranch house) Bungalow
condominium US Eigentumswohnung
cottage
Haus im Landhausstil
flat (US apartment) Wohnung
3-bedroomed flat Wohnung mit drei
Schlafzimmern
basement flat Souterrainwohnung
block of flats
Wohnblock
(US apartment building)
council flat
Sozialwohnung
(US housing-project
apartment)
split-level flat Wohnung auf zwei
Ebenen
studio flat
Einzimmerappartement
tower block UK Hochhaus
house
detached house [di(tÄtSt]
(US single-family house)
prefabricated house
[pri:(fÄbrI)keItId]
semi-detached house
(US duplex)
maisonette [)meIzE(net]
mansion
residential property
second home
sheltered housing
(US assisted-living
accommodations)
terraced house [ (terEst]
(US town/row house)
end-of-terrace house
mid-terrace house
Haus
Einfamilienhaus,
freistehendes Haus
Fertighaus
Doppelhaushälfte
Maisonettewohnung
Villa
Wohnimmobilie(n)
Zweitwohnstätte
betreutes Wohnen
Reihenhaus
Reiheneckhaus
Reihenmittelhaus
A few details
attic
Dachboden, Mansarde
bedroom
Schlafzimmer
with en suite bathroom UK mit eigenem Bad
dining room
Esszimmer
floor
Stockwerk
first floor (US second floor) erster Stock
ground floor
Erdgeschoss
(US also first floor)
upper floor
Obergeschoss
garden (US yard)
guest toilet UK
hall
kitchen
loft
lounge (US family room)
plan
storey
study
Garten
Gäste-WC
Diele, Flur
Küche
Dachgeschoss,
Boden(raum)
Wohnzimmer
Grundriss
Stockwerk, Geschoss
Arbeitszimmer
6 SKILL UP! ISSUE 23

It’s perfect: but
only for business
For business
building
Gebäude
business park
Gewerbegebiet
commercial property Gewerbe -
immobilie(n)
industrial estate
Industriegebiet
(US industrial park)
land
Land, Boden
developed/undeveloped erschlossenes/nicht
land
erschlossenes Land
office building
premises
retail store
site
brownfield site
greenfield site
skyscraper
warehouse
Bürohaus, -gebäude
Geschäftsräume
Einzelhandelsgeschäft
Baugrundstück
Industriebrache
unbebaute Fläche auf
der grünen Wiese
Hochhaus,
Wolkenkratzer
Lagerhaus
A few details
boardroom
corner office
cubicle [(kju:bIk&l]
open-plan office
parking space
underground car park
(US underground garage)
Vorstandszimmer; Vorstandsetage
(bevorzugtes) Eckbüro, Chefbüro
(abgetrennter) Arbeitsplatz im
Großraumbüro
Großraumbüro
Parkplatz
Tiefgarage
Describe it with opposites!
IT’S GOOD!
IT’S (NOT ALL) BAD!
airy luftig stuffy stickig
bright hell dark dunkel
charming bezaubernd gloomy finster
cosy [(kEUzi] gemütlich palatial [pE(leIS&l] luxuriös
furnished möbliert unfurnished unmöbliert
homely (US homey) behaglich dingy [(dIndZi] schmuddelig
immaculate [I(mÄkjUlEt] makellos derelict [(derElIkt] heruntergekommen
listed (US landmarked) denkmalgeschützt contemporary zeitgenössisch
[kEn(temp&rEri]
modern modern period historisch
renovated renoviert dilapidated [di(lÄpIdeItId] baufällig; schäbig
roomy geräumig cramped beengt
spacious [(speISEs] geräumig poky winzig, eng
SKILL UP!
Record yourself (on your mobile phone or on your laptop, if you prefer) talking
about where you live or where you work. If you work in property, record
yourself talking about the projects you are working on. Then play back the
recording. Are you happy with your pronunciation? Keep recording yourself
until you are. The repetition will help you to remember the terms.
iStockphoto
SKILL UP! 7

FALSE FRIENDS
A WORD OF CAUTION
There are many words in German and English that sound similar but have very different
meanings. They are “false friends”. Learn the correct translations of these terms.
deposit
caution
iStockphoto (2)
What’s Kaution in English?
Kaution = deposit
“I lost my deposit because I’d damaged the
kitchen door.”
It’s not caution!
caution = Verwarnung
“The policeman was very understanding and
let me go with a caution.”
Other translations
caution = Vorsicht
“You should proceed with extreme caution.”
sound a note of caution = zur Vorsicht mahnen
“He was right to sound a note of caution about
the increase in house prices. It may not continue.”
property
8 SKILL UP!
What’s (Kauf-/Miet-)Objekt in
English?
Objekt = property, house, flat
“I’m interested in this particular
property. It’s so unusual.”
It’s not object!
object = Gegenstand
“What do you use this object for?
I’ve never seen anything like it.”
object
Wavebreak Media Hemera

caretaker
housemaster
Polka Dot
Lifesize
What’s Hausmeister in English?
Hausmeister = caretaker (US janitor)
“The caretaker has to make minor repairs,
keep the place clean and change lightbulbs.”
It’s not housemaster!
housemaster UK = Internatslehrer
“The housemaster was too strict with the children.
They hated him.”
commission
What’s Provision in English?
Provision = commission
“My agent sold the flat in a week — he
really earned his commission.”
It’s not provisions!
provisions = Vorräte
“Have you bought all the provisions
we’ll need? Do we have enough bottled
water?”
Other translations
provision = Auflage, Bedingung
“Before I sign, there’s just one final provision.”
provisions
Hemera
make provisions = Vorkehrungen treffen
“It could rain on the day of the event. Have you
made any provisions for this?”
iStockphoto
YOUR PROFILE
Write down example sentences that are useful to you. This makes it easier to remember false
friends and other tricky expressions.
ISSUE 23
M SKILL UP! Audio
Do a related exercise on
Business Spotlight Audio.

IN FOCUS
THE MONEY — AND THE LAW
Buying property is probably
the biggest investment you
can make. It’s a huge purchase,
which is why most
buyers need to borrow money
and get legal advice.
The money side
amortization
Tilgung (einer
[E)mO:taI(zeIS&n]
Hypothek)
arrangement fee Bereitstel lungsprovision,
-gebühr
building society UK Bausparkasse
cash buyer
Barzahler(in)
(effective) APR
(effektiver) Jahres-
(annual percentage rate) zinssatz
fee
Provision, Gebühr
home loan
Hypothek, Wohnungsbaudarlehen
interest rate
Zinssatz
capped interest rate UK gedeckelter Zinssatz
discounted interest rate reduzierter Zinssatz
fixed interest rate fester Zinssatz
joint annual income gemeinsames Jahres -
einkommen
monatliche Rückzahlung
Hypothekenmakler(in)
Hypothekenzinssatz
Hypothekentilgung
Hypothekenrückzahlung,
-tilgung
Gehaltsnachweis
Kaufpreis
abgesicherter Kredit
monthly repayment
mortgage broker
mortgage rate
mortgage redemption
mortgage repayment
proof of income
purchase price
secured loan
10 SKILL UP!
einen Kredit aufnehmen
den Wert einer Immo-
bilie ermitteln
seine Hypotheken-
schulden zurückzahlen
einen Kredit gewähren
eine Anzahlung
machen
eine Sondertilgung
leisten
etw. schulden
eine Anzahlung leisten
(eine Hypothek) voll-
ständig abzahlen
die Zinsen abzahlen
das Fremdkapital
zurückzahlen
eine Hypothek
aufnehmen
eine Hypothek
aufnehmen
Tricky financing
appraise a property
[E)preIz E (prQpEti]
assess sb.’s
creditworthiness
[E)ses (kredItw§:DinEs]
borrow money
determine the value
of a property
keep up repayments
on a mortgage
lend money
make a down payment
make an overpayment UK
owe sth.
pay a deposit [di(pQzIt]
pay off (a mortgage)
in full
pay off the interest
repay the borrowed
capital
secure a mortgage
take out a mortgage
den Wert einer Immobilie
schätzen
jmds. Kreditwürdigkeit
bewerten

No mortgage:
we’re cash buyers!
It could go wrong
fall behind with repayments
foreclose on a property
foreclosure [fO:(klEUZE]
gazumped: be ~ [gE(zVmpt] UK
in arrears: be ~ [In E(rIEz]
negative equity [)negEtIv (ekwIti]
redemption penalty
repossess a property
mit der Tilgung in Rückstand geraten
eine Immobilie zwangsversteigern
Zwangsversteigerung
überboten werden
im Zahlungsrückstand sein
geringerer Wert der Immobilie als der Hypothek
Vorfälligkeitsentschädigung
eine Immobilie wieder in Besitz nehmen
Did you know?
The word mortgage has
French roots and means
“death promise”. It doesn’t
mean that the person pays
until he or she dies (although
it can sometimes feel like
that), but that the agreement
“dies”, or ends, when the
money has been paid back in
full — with interest — or
until foreclosure.
What mortgage?
Some mortgages are available both in the US and in the UK — others
are generally only available in one country or the other.
adjustable-rate mortgage
balloon mortgage US
buy-to-let mortgage UK
commercial mortgage
endowment mortgage
[In(daUmEnt )mO:gIdZ] UK
foreign-currency mortgage UK
interest-only mortgage
tracker mortgage UK
variabel verzinsliche Hypothek
Hypothek, die sich während der Laufzeit
nicht vollkommen amortisiert
Hypothek für eine zur Vermietung
vorgesehene Immobilie
gewerbliche Hypothek
Hypothek mit einer gemischten
Lebensversicherung
Fremdwährungshypothek
tilgungsfreie Hypothek
an Referenzzinssatz gekoppelte Hypothek
Jupiter Images
The legal side
auction
conveyance [kEn(veIEns]
conveyancer
exchange contracts UK
housing chain UK
land registry
(US registry of deeds)
notary [(nEUtEri]
property
freehold property UK
leasehold property UK
read the fine print
(UK also small print)
sitting tenant [(tenEnt]
solicitor (US attorney)
survey (US inspection)
title deed
Versteigerung
Eigentumsübertragung
Notar(in) für Eigentumsübertragungen
den Kaufvertrag unterschreiben
Kette voneinander abhängiger Käufer
und Verkäufer
Grundbuch
Notar(in)
Grund-, Immobilienbesitz
Grundbesitz, -eigentum
Pachtbesitz
das Kleingedruckte lesen
derzeitige(r) Mieter(in)
Rechtsanwalt/-anwältin
Immobiliengutachten
Eigentumsurkunde
iStockphotos
SKILL UP!
Compare the types of loans available
by searching on the internet
for the terms listed here. Often,
the language on the websites is
quite simple. But once you get to
the fine print, the language will
usually be more difficult.
Sold! To the person
in the blue T-shirt
ISSUE 23 SKILL UP! 11

ESSENTIAL IDIOMS
WALLS, ROOFS AND CEILINGS
There are many idiomatic expressions related to property. Read the dialogues below to
learn about how some common ones can be used in business situations.
SKILL UP!
First, read the two versions of the short conversations. Then
cover up the idiomatic version and read the simpler version
again. Can you remember how to say the same things idiomatically?
Check that you’ve understood them with our translations.
iStockphoto
The elephant in the
room: a problem?
First, the idiomatic way
Bob: It’s time we talked about the elephant in the room.
John: Now? We’ll cross that bridge when we come to it.
Bob: Stop stonewalling. My back is up against the wall here.
We have to decide what we’re going to do.
Now, more simply
Bob: It’s time we talked about the problem we know about but
have been avoiding.
John: Now? We’ll deal with it when we have to.
Bob: Stop avoiding it. I’m in a difficult situation and have few
choices. We have to decide what we’re going to do.
Check the translations
the elephant ein totgeschwiein
the room genes Problem
cross that bridge ein Problem auf
when we come to it später vertagen
stonewall mauern, abblocken
one’s back is up mit dem Rücken
against the wall zur Wand stehen
First, the idiomatic way
Julie: The writing’s on the wall, but John just
doesn’t want to know about it.
Bob: I agree. I’ve tried to talk to him. But he’s up
in his ivory tower.
Julie: You’re so right. He’s building castles in the
air while the rest of us try to fix his mistakes.
Now, more simply
Julie: It’s clear that something will go wrong, but
John just doesn’t want to know about it.
Bob: I agree. I’ve tried to talk to him. But he can’t
see what’s happening in the real world.
Julie: You’re so right. He’s dreaming about things
that will never become reality while the rest
of us try to fix his mistakes.
Check the translations
the writing’s on the wall
ivory tower [)aIvEri (taUE]
build castles in the air
das Problem ist unübersehbar
Elfenbeinturm
Luftschlösser bauen
iStockphoto
Look! The writing’s
on the wall
ISSUE 23

iStockphoto
First, the idiomatic way
Bob: I’ve been trying to build bridges between
the managers and the factory workers.
All behind closed doors, of course.
Julie: John will hit the roof when he finds out.
Bob: I don’t think so. We may have a window
of opportunity to fix this after all.
So good at building bridges
Check the translations
build bridges Brücken bauen/schlagen
behind closed doors hinter verschlossenen
Türen
hit the roof
an die Decke gehen
window of opportunity begrenzte Gelegenheit
Now, more simply
Bob: I’ve been trying to improve relations
between the managers and the factory
workers. All in private, of course.
Julie: John will be really angry when he finds
out.
Bob: I don’t think so. We may have a chance
— that we have to take now — to fix
this after all.
First, the idiomatic way
Bob: I’ve tried everything but the kitchen sink
and they still won’t go back to work.
John: If we don’t come to an agreement soon, we
could go to the wall. I’ve bet the farm and
I can’t lose.
Bob: Basically, the female employees feel
there’s a glass ceiling stopping them from
moving up. I say give Julie a management
position.
John: Julie? But she’s my wife.
Our last
chance: the
kitchen sink?
Now, more simply
Bob: I’ve tried absolutely everything, but they
still won’t go back to work.
John: If we don’t come to an agreement soon, we
could go bankrupt. I’ve risked everything I
own and I can’t lose.
Bob: Basically, the female employees feel
there’s an invisible barrier stopping them
from moving up. I say give Julie a management
position.
John: Julie? But she’s my wife.
ISSUE 23 SKILL UP! 13
Creatas
M
Check the translations
everything but so gut wie alles
the kitchen sink
go to the wall Bankrott gehen
bet the farm US aufs Ganze gehen
glass ceiling unsichtbare Barriere,
die Frauen am berufli -
chen Aufstieg hindert
SKILL UP! Audio
Do a related exercise on
Business Spotlight Audio.

CLOSE RELATIONS
HOUSE AND HOME
We can use many members of the “house” and “home” word families to talk about
property — and other topics, too.
house
+ -to-house house-to-house
+ bound housebound
+ hold household
+ husband house husband
+ -warming house-warming
The “house” family
house (sb.) Haus; jmdn. beherbergen,
unterbringen
housebound ans Haus gefesselt
household Haushalt
house husband Hausmann
house-to-house von Haus zu Haus
house-warming Einweihung (einer Wohnung)
housewife Hausfrau
housework Arbeit(en) im Haushalt
housing Wohnungswesen; Wohnbau
in-house betriebsintern
rehouse sb. jmdn. umquartieren
Fuse
+ wife housewife
+ work housework
+ ing housing
in- + in-house
re + rehouse
+ land homeland
The “home” family
homeland Heimat, Vaterland
homeless obdachlos
homelessness Obdachlosigkeit
homeliness UK Behaglichkeit
homely UK behaglich
homeowner Wohnungs-, Hausbesitzer(in)
homeownership Besitz von Wohneigentum
homesick: be ~ Heimweh haben
homesickness Heimweh
home town Heimatstadt
homework Hausaufgabe(n)
homeworker Heimarbeiter(in)
+ less homeless + ness homelessness
home
+ ly homely + ness homeliness
+ owner homeowner + ship homeownership
+ sick homesick + ness homesickness
+ town home town
+ work homework + er homeworker
ISSUE 23

House
as safe as houses UK
bring the house down
absolut sicher, absolut
ungefährlich
stürmischen Beifall
ernten
do sth. in-house etw. betriebsintern
erledigen
get one’s house in order vor der eigenen Tür
kehren
get on like a house ausgezeichnet miton
fire ifml.
einander auskommen
house of cards
set up house
share a house
Common expressions
Kartenhaus
einen eigenen Hausstand
gründen
mit jmdm. zusammenwohnen
Home
at home
daheim
at home and abroad im In- und Ausland
bring home the die Brötchen verdienen
bacon ifml.
bring sth. home to sb. jmdm. etw. klarmachen
feel at home sich zu Hause fühlen
go home
nach Hause gehen
home and dry: be ~UK in trockenen Tüchern sein
home from home UK zweite Heimat
leave home
von zu Hause weggehen
make oneself at home es sich bequem machen
there’s no place am Schönsten ist es zu
like home
Hause
until the cows bis zum Sankt-Nimmercome
home ifml. leinstag
Common collocations
Department of
Homeland Security US
full house
home address
home comforts
home country
home furnishings
home help UK
home improvements
Home Office UK
home truth
household name
housing market
set up a home office
Ministerium für
Heimatschutz
ausverkauftes Haus
Privatanschrift
Wohnkomfort
Heimatland
Inneneinrichtung
Haushaltshilfe
Heimwerkerarbeiten
Innenministerium
bittere Wahrheit
allgemein bekannter
Begriff
Wohnungs-, Wohnimmobilienmarkt
sich zu Hause ein
Büro einrichten
IN ACTION: HOUSE AND HOME
‡ A house is the building, whereas your home is usually
the place where you feel most comfortable. For
many people, home is where they grew up:
“The house will have to be demolished.”
“Will you be going home this Christmas?”
‡ In business, we use house to refer to something
that belongs to a certain company or institution:
“Our in-house team is working on the new project.”
‡ The verb house sb./sth. can mean to “provide
someone with a place to live”, but also to “provide
a space for something”:
“The government still hasn’t been able to house all
the people who lost their homes in the fire.”
“This building houses a number of Greek statues.”
‡ House and home are spelled with a lower-case “h”,
except when referring to government institutions:
“I set up my home office in my son’s old bedroom.”
“The Home Office reported a drop in violent crime.”
USE THE FAMILY
I left home when I was 18 to go to university. I shared a house with five other students.
At first, I really missed my home comforts. After carrying out a few home improvements,
however, I soon felt at home. I got on like a house on fire with the rest of the
household. We were all studying music so we decided to start a band. Of course, we
thought we’d become a household name — at home and abroad. But we were terrible
and didn’t earn any money. I had to find another way to bring home the bacon.
iStockphoto
ISSUE 23 SKILL UP! 15

SMALL TALK
TO BUY OR RENT?
In the UK and in the US, people want to own their own place. Whether it’s better to buy
or rent depends on the individual.
iStockphoto
Situation:
Mark has just heard that he has to move out of his
flat. He’s talking to his friend Rose about the possibility
of buying property instead of renting.
Mark: I’m being evicted.
Rose: What? Why? I didn’t know you were the type for
antisocial behaviour. Seriously though, what happened?
Mark: The owner needs the flat for his own personal use.
Or so he says.
Rose: Has he served you proper notice?
Mark: Yes, he’s given me two months to find a new place.
I checked with my lawyer and she says he’s within
his rights to do that. Maybe this is a sign that I
should think about buying. You’re happy that you
bought your place, aren’t you?
Rose: Very. But I had a bit of a windfall from a distant
relative. It was enough for a decent deposit. It
would have been impossible to get on the property
ladder without it.
Mark: Well, I have been saving for a rainy day. This could
be it! But houses in this area are simply unaffordable.
I’d have to downsize or move further out of
town.
Rose: But at least no one can evict you.
Mark: Except the bank! What if I fall behind with the repayments?
I could lose everything. And I don’t like
to be tied down. If I get itchy feet again, it will be
more difficult for me to move. What if the bubble
bursts?
Rose: You know what? There’s an empty house at the end
of my street. You could become a squatter.
Mark: Now, that would be cheaper!
in den Immobilien-
markt einsteigen
antisocial behaviour
decent
deposit
distant relative
downsize
evict sb.
fall behind with the
repayments
get itchy feet ifml.
get on the property
ladder UK
if the bubble bursts
lawyer
move further out of
town
personal use
save for a rainy day
serve sb proper notice:
squatter
tied down: be ~
unaffordable
windfall
within one’s rights to
do sth.: be ~
antisoziales Verhalten
anständig
Anzahlung; auch:
Kaution
entfernte(r) Verwandte(r)
sich verkleinern
jmdn. zur Räumung
seiner Wohnung
zwingen
mit der Tilgung in
Rückstand geraten
Fernweh bekommen
wenn die Blase
platzt (d.h. wenn es
einen plötzlichen
Preissturz gibt)
Rechtsanwalt/
-anwältin
weiter aus der Stadt
herausziehen
Eigenbedarf
etw. für schlechte
Zeiten zurücklegen
jmdm. ordnungsgemäß
kündigen
Hausbesetzer(in)
(unfreiwillig) gebunden
sein
unerschwinglich
unverhoffter Geldsegen
das Recht haben,
etw. zu tun
Itchy feet? Avoid
the property ladder
ISSUE 23

First-time buyer?
Start small
Key vocabulary
The vocabulary you need depends on whether
you want to buy, sell, rent or rent out.
Buying or selling?
asking price
building insurance
buyer’s market
council tax UK
deposit
first-time buyer
inheritance tax
legal fees
mortgage fees
outbid sb.
put a property on
the market
rates (US property tax)
seller’s market
Did you know?
Preisvorstellung des
Verkäufers, Verhandlungsbasis
Gebäudeversicherung
Käufermarkt (auf dem das
Angebot die Nachfrage
übersteigt)
Gemeindesteuer
Anzahlung; Kaution
jmd., der zum ersten Mal
eine eigene Immobilie
erwirbt
Erbschaftssteuer
Anwaltskosten
Hypothekengebühren
jmdn. überbieten
eine Immobilie zum
Verkauf anbieten
Grundsteuer
Verkäufermarkt (auf dem
die Nachfrage das Angebot
übersteigt)
stamp duty land tax UK Grunderwerbsteuer
survey
Bausubstanzbeurteilung
(US inspection)
valuation/appraisal fee Gebühr für die Erstellung
eines Wertgutachtens
In the UK, people generally like to make
small talk about buying, selling and
renting property. Most people want to
own their own home. While people will
rarely tell you the exact price of their
homes, they might talk about how much
it has increased — or decreased — in
value since they bought it.
Renting or renting out?
give notice
For both
arrange a viewing
kündigen
housing benefit UK Wohngeld
incidental rental expenses Mietnebenkosten
(US utilities)
inventory [(InvEntEri]
lodger (US roomer)
make a deduction from
the deposit
monthly rent
outstanding rent
raise the rent
Inventar
Untermieter(in)
einen Besichtigungstermin
vereinbaren
removal costs
Umzugskosten
(US moving costs)
rubbish collection Müllabfuhr
(US garbage removal)
utility bills [ju(tIlEti bIlz] Nebenkosten
einen Betrag von der
Kaution abziehen
Monatsmiete
ausstehende Miete
die Miete erhöhen
rental/tenancy agreement Mietvertrag
sign an agreement
einen Vertrag unterzeichnen
terminate an agreement einen Vertrag auflösen
rent arrears
rent increase
rent index
security deposit
Mietrückstand
Mieterhöhung
Mietspiegel
Kaution
SKILL UP!
If you want to remember new expressions, you
will need to work with the words. You’ll find exercises
on this topic in Business Spotlight plus.
For more information on our workbook, go to
www.business-spotlight.de/plus
iStockphoto
ISSUE 23
SKILL UP! 17

YOUR PROFILE
AT HOME
Personalize this guide by adding your own example sentences — which should reflect
words and expressions you need in order to talk about your circumstances.
YOUR OWN PROPERTY
Have you ever been involved in any renovation work? Was it a good or bad experience? Describe the kind
of work that was carried out and the people who were involved.
What do you think is the best way to finance a property? Compare a couple of options below.
Use some of the “house” and “home” expressions in Close Relations (pp. 14–15) to talk about your own
personal experiences.
SMALL TALK: PROS AND CONS
Do you have any strong opinions about the advantages and disadvantages of buying or renting property?
Write down your views using expressions from our Small Talk section (pp. 16–17).
18 SKILL UP! ISSUE 23

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Cover photograph: iStockphoto
ISSUE 23
RETAILING
Shopping is a popular free-time activity — and
a lucrative business. In our next Skill Up!, we
present the vocabulary you’ll need to talk about
shopping trends and the retail business.
A personal
chat for a
professional
service
PICTURE THIS: the whole experience
FALSE FRIENDS: lock, reclaim
WORD BANK: flagship stores and outlets
also:
SMALL TALK
Customer care
Wavebreak Media

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