员工沉默行为（普通工人英文经济学人精读：让员工沉默的代价 | 考研英语外刊双语)

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经济学人19年1月11号文章

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原文：In acorporate culture based onfear and intimidation, it may appear thattargetsare being achievedin the short term.Butin the long run the effect is likely to becounterproductive. Studies show that fearinhibits learning. Andwhen confronted with a problem,scared workers find ways ofcovering it up or getting around it with inefficient practices. Pressure on employees was intense. At some branches, staffwere not allowed toleave until they met their daily target.Bonuses were based on sales figures and people whofailed tomeet the targets were fired.This was not a place whereworkers were likely to question the wisdom of a strategy.It is hardly surprising thatemployeesresorted to subterfugesuch as opening fake accountsto meet their goals.

调整后的译文：在基于恐惧和恐吓的企业文化之下，企业在短期内似乎有望实现目标，但长期来看效果很可能适得其反。研究表明，恐惧会阻碍学习。每当遇到问题，惶恐不安的员工要么会想办法掩盖问题，要么会用低效的方法去应付问题。员工们压力巨大。在有些分行，员工须达到每日的销售目标才能下班。奖金与销售数字挂钩，没达到销售目标的员工会被解雇。在这种地方，员工不大可能去质疑这种策略是否明智。毫不意外，为了达到目标，他们采取了开设虚假账户之类的招数。

主旨思想：在基于恐惧和恐吓的企业文化之下，企业在短期内似乎有望实现目标，但长期来看效果很可能适得其反，因为恐惧会阻碍学习，为了掩盖问题，员工往往会弄虚作假。

第一、二句：In a corporate culture based on fear and intimidation, it may appear that targets are being achieved in the short term. But in the long run the effect is likely to be counterproductive.

在基于恐惧和恐吓的企业文化之下，企业在短期内似乎有望实现目标，但长期来看这种文化很可能适得其反。

1. corporate culture英 [ˈkɔ:pərit ˈkʌltʃə] 美 [ˈkɔrpərɪt ˈkʌltʃɚ] 企业文化;公司文化，企业文化。比如Itspart of Japanese corporate culture, he says. 这是日本企业文化的一个组成部分。

金融时报在报道处在歧视男性的企业文化公司里，不如另找新工作，就使用了这个表达，Don’t take it If you arein a corporate culture that is sexist, and is blocking your way, then call the headhunter. You can’t change your gender, so leave, because you don’t have to take this.

如果你处在一种歧视男性的企业文化中，这种文化阻碍了你的发展，那就联系猎头吧。你无法改变自己的性别，不如另觅高枝，你不必忍着。

2. Based放在corporate culture后面，作后置定语，修饰corporate culture。

3. intimidation英 [ɪnˌtɪmɪdeɪʃn] 美 [ɪntɪməˈdeʃən] n.恫吓，恐吓，胁迫

记忆技巧：in 使… + timid 害怕 + ation，intimidate 的名词 → 恐吓

金融时报在报道白宫不承认暴力和恐吓威胁下的投票时这样表达，

The White House condemned the referendum and said it would not recognize the results of the poll administeredunder threats of violence and intimidation.

白宫谴责了公投，并表示将不承认在暴力和恐吓的威胁之下举行的这场投票的结果。

经济学人里在描述基辅的政治气氛时用了这样的表达，

There is a change of atmosphere in Kiev: a little less freedom, a bit more intimidation.

基辅的政治气氛也发生了变化：少了点自由，多了些恐惧。

1. Fear表示长久内心感到恐惧害怕

2. it may appear that是固定句型，翻译为……似乎……；

3. targets are being achieved in the short term被动句翻译的第一思维是翻译为主动句，这里说的是公司的情况，那主语肯定是公司、企业，所以可以翻译为“企业在短期内似乎是有望实现目标”；我们高斋翻译课程里面反复强调这点，大家可以要注意哈。

4. targets are being achieved in the short term：正在进行时的用法和翻译，这里直译就是短期来看，目标似乎正在实现，但是这样读起来别扭，其实可以翻译为“有望实现”，即“企业在短期内似乎是有望实现目标”；

5. counterproductive美 [.kaʊntərprədʌktɪv] 英 [.kaʊntə(r)prədʌktɪv]adj.事与愿违；产生相反效果；适得其反

记忆技巧：counter 反对；相反 + productive 有成效的 → 适得其反的

金融时报在报道营造快乐的工作场所时这样表达，

This is often counterproductive and does not generally produce a happy workplace since competition for status is a zero-sum game.

这往往适得其反，通常也无助于营造快乐的工作场所，因为职位竞争是一种“零和游戏”。

6. it may appear that targets are being achieved in the short term. But in the long run the effect is likely to be counterproductive. 在基于恐惧和恐吓的企业文化之下，企业在短期内似乎是有望实现目标，但长期来看这种文化很可能适得其反：英语里面短期和长期一般为了强调断开（ in the short term. But in the long run ），而汉语里面一般会合为一句（企业在短期内似乎有望实现目标，但长期来看这种文化很可能适得其反）。我们高斋翻译课程里面反复强调这点，大家可以要注意哈。还比如今昔对比。

第三句：Studies show that fear inhibits learning.

研究表明，恐惧会阻碍学习。

inhibit美 [ɪnhɪbɪt] 英 [ɪnhɪbɪt]v.抑制；禁止；【宗】使停止教权.

经济学人里就有这样表示限制的表达，

This inhibits innovationand raises barriers to entry.

这限制了创新并提高了进入壁垒。

Aspirin apparently thins the blood and inhibits clotting.

阿司匹林能显著地稀释血液、抑制血液凝结。

第四句：And when confronted with a problem, scared workers find ways of covering it up or getting around it with inefficient practices.

每当遇到问题，惶恐不安的员工要么会想办法掩盖问题，要么会用低效的方法去应付问题。

1. when confronted with a problem是过去分词和when作时间状语，完整的是 when scared workers are confronted with a problem, scared workers find ways of covering it up or getting around it with inefficient practices.由于状语和主句主语相同，省去状语里的主语。

2. covering up n.包庇(某人)；为某人打掩护；蒙盖；隐蔽，it是代词，所以在cover up之间。

3. getting around n.绕过(障碍)；避开(法律等)。

金融时报里有这样用来表达绕过价格管控：

Even if they cant put prices up overtly, many companies have ways ofgetting around price controls.

即使无法公然提价，很多企业也有办法绕过价格管控措施。

还可以表示往来，出行。比如经济学人报道在世界级网球赛事举行时，观众的出行需等待一个多小时出租车里这样表达：

Fans had to wait for more than an hour for taxis, virtually the only way ofgetting around.

观众不得不等待一个多小时的出租车——这基本上是这里唯一的出行选择。

第五、六、七句：Pressure on employees was intense. At some branches, staff were not allowed to leave until they met their daily target. Bonuses were based on sales figures and people who failed to meet the targets were fired.

员工们压力巨大。在有些分行，员工须达到每日的销售目标才能下班。奖金与销售数字挂钩，没达到销售目标的员工会被解雇。

1. branch美 [bræntʃ]英 [brɑːntʃ]n.分行；〈美〉支流；分店；支管

金融时报里有这样的表达用以表示分行，

Citigroups newly-acquired controlling stake in Guangdong Development Bank, with more than 500 branches, gives it a fair shot.

花旗最近获得了拥有500多家分行的广东发展银行（GDB）的控股权，使它有望在中国开展零售业务。

2. 银行的介词搭配是at，at branches

3. were not allowed to：被动句可以翻译为允许、才能，尽量不要出现“被”字。

4. Bonuses n.奖金，红利( bonus的名词复数 );额外令人高兴的事情。比如年终奖year-end bonus

5. sales figures销售数字；销售金额；销售报告

金融时报里有表示销售额这样表达，

Existing online offers were working well, he said, although it was "premature" to strip out exact sales figures.

他表示，已开设的网上商店销售状况良好，不过要单独公布确切的销售额“还不到时候”。

6. people who failed to meet the targets were fired：主干是people were fired。who failed to meet the targets是people的定语从句。failed to do sth表示未能干某事。

第八句：This was not a place where workers were likely to question the wisdom of a strategy. It is hardly surprising that employees resorted to subterfuge such as opening fake accounts to meet their goals.

在这种地方，员工不大可能去质疑策略是否明智。毫不意外，为了达到目标，他们采取了开设虚假账户之类的招数。

1. This was not a place where直译是这不是员工可能干某事的地方，这样翻译不太通顺，可以反说正译，也就是否定翻译为肯定，直接翻译为在这种地方，员工不大可能去质疑这种策略是否明智。

2.It is hardly surprising that是固定句型，翻译为毫无意外，……；或根据一定的语境翻译为……不足为奇。

3. to meet their goals是 resorted to subterfuge的目的，也可以和前面的to meet their targets互换。

4. resorted to n.使用(武力) ;诉诸于；求助于；采取措施

金融时报里有这样的句子来表示诉诸于，

Most surprisingly, despite the unprecedented collapse in trade, few countries resorted to beggar-thy-neighbour policies.

最令人吃惊的是，尽管贸易空前萎靡，但甚少有国家诉诸于以邻为壑的政策。

再比如金融时报里描述编造数字这段，这样表达，

In this situation, it is scarcely surprising that Lehmans managers resorted to fudging.

在这种情况下，雷曼管理层选择编造数字也就不足为奇了。

5. subterfuge美 [sʌbtər.fjudʒ] 英 [sʌbtə(r).fjuːdʒ]n.（通常指欺骗性）秘密手段；诡计。