2006年6月4日 星期日

看時事學英文》錙銖必較

■ 朱文章
電子大廠友達併購廣輝,和南韓三星及LPL(LG Philips LCD)並列全球面板業三雄之後,奇美電如何因應?奇美董事長廖錦詳說,面板廠投資動輒數十億美元,就像「用美金燒開水」,賺錢時固然笑瞇瞇,但榮景不知能持續多久。奇美曾經一天虧1億元,因此要顧慮挹注資金的現實。
廖錦詳說台灣面板廠已能賺錢,專責前段製程,大陸人力豐沛,負責後段,兩岸應該分工,讓大陸納入TFT供應鏈內。孫子有云:「善用兵者,取用于國,因糧于敵,故軍食可足也。」奇美不強求併購,重視與大陸友廠的整合,正好呼應孫子在敵國戰場取得補給的策略。
務實當家 有錢大家賺
有錢大家賺,不趕盡殺絕(quit while you are ahead),這是務實當家的作為。俗話說「巧婦難為無米之炊」(The cleverest housewife still can't cook a meal without any food.),因此必須錙銖必較(pinch a penny until it screams)。
例:" Mr. President, quit while you are ahead and take a victory lap rather than falling off the cliff." 「老總,我建議見好即收,保持戰果,以免前功盡棄。」
"John can pinch a penny until it screams, and that is why he can now afford to live in a half million dollar house." 「約翰深知稼穡艱難,現在才住得起豪宅。」
心態積極的人勇於打破成規,全力衝刺,砸大錢以求速效。因為「不把蛋打破,怎能做煎蛋捲」(You can't make an omelet if you are afraid to break the eggs.);他們大開大闔,討厭畏首畏尾(afraid of his own shadow)。
例:"He won't make any decisions about the project and you know that you can't make an omelet if you are afraid to break the eggs." 「他對本案迄未表態。我的意見是,要大破才能大立。」
"He won't take any chances;he is afraid of his own shadow." 「他謹小慎微,甚至畏首畏尾。」
另一個與蛋有關的片語是「把所有雞蛋放在一隻籃子裡」(to put all his eggs in one basket),指賭徒押下所有賭注,等於中文「孤注一擲」,這是沒有備案(plan B)的玩法,風險極大。
與此字面近而意不同的是「骰子已經擲出」(The dice is cast.),這和「渡過盧比孔河」(Cross the Rubicon.)均語出凱撒。羅馬內戰,凱撒喊著:「骰子已經擲出」,率軍渡河與龐培一戰。這是經過精算的軍事行動,不是賭徒冒險。
例:"Put all your eggs in one basket and then watch that basket." 「獨沽一味,全神經營。」
"Julius Caesar said the words "the die is cast" when he crossed the river Rubicon. An irrevocable decision has been made." 「凱撒率軍渡河,內戰開始,局勢已無可挽回。」
投資股市如戰場廝殺,有人旗開得勝,便乘勝追擊,融資買進(buying on margin);這是評估情勢大好(look at the world through rose colored glasses),於是擴大投資,想享有更豐碩的戰果。
情勢大好 乘勝再追擊
例:"He thought he could make a lot of money with the stock so he bought it on margin." 「他想從股市大撈一票,便融資買進更多。」
"The marketing department is making huge claims about the product's profitability, but they are looking at through rose colored glasses." 「行銷部門吹捧新產品的獲利能力,但他們似乎有點過度樂觀。」
面板業投資重,回收多,但風險大。人心趨利,歹徒以小投資快速獲重利為餌,讓人利慾薰心,盲目投資上當。這種勾當英文稱之「一夜致富法」(get-rich-quick schemes),嚴重者會讓人片甲不留(leave no prisoners)。
例:" Government has initiated a public awareness campaign aimed at warning the general public about the perils of get-rich-quick schemes or pyramid schemes." 「當局宣導詐騙集團各種伎倆的防範之道。」
"The con artists show them no mercy; they set up their victims and take no prisoners." 「歹徒心狠手辣,下手之重叫人傾家蕩產。」
(作者是陸軍官校語言中心主任)
【2006/06/04 經濟日報】

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