職場で使える英語表現を毎週ご紹介するシリーズ
Weekly Workplace Word Wisdom(W.W.W.W.)
第53回の今回は
この時期にぴったりな話題
ビジネスの場での”年末年始のご挨拶”について、
Jonathan講師がご紹介します。
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Season’s Greetings
Around this time of the year many western offices host their office Christmas parties and co-workers start taking more and more time off to be with their families. With these events and happenings we start to use some new expressions when saying good-bye.
So what do you say to your colleagues as they leave town for the holidays? Merry Christmas? Happy Hanukah? What about Happy New Year?
Not sure? Don’t fret; there are a lot of native speakers who are unsure about what they should say too. A few years ago holiday greetings actually were quite controversial as major retailers started avoiding using “Merry Christmas” because they did not want to offend people of other religions.
For me, I try to be aware of the people I am speaking with and I use “Happy holidays” when leaving a conversation or saying good bye to someone.
Co-worker: Hey, I am leaving the city tonight, spending the holidays with my family back East.
Me: That sounds great! I hope you have happy holidays! See you in the New Year.
When I mention “have a happy holiday” I am talking about all the holidays, Christmas and New Years. I could say “Have a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.” But it seems a little long and sounds like a Christmas carol. Once Christmas is over on the 26th I start saying “have a Happy New Year.”
Me: So how was your Christmas?
Co-worker: It was great; my wife gave me a new golf bag.
Me: That is a great gift. My wife gave me a new lawn mower!
Co-worker: So I guess you will be mowing the lawn while I golf!
Me: Looks like it. Have a Happy New Year. I’ll see you next week.
After the New Year has arrived I always use Happy New Year as a greeting when seeing people for the first time that year. I do this for a week or two unless it is a close friend or colleague that I haven’t seen in a while; then I might use it up until the end of January.
Me: Happy New Year Jim, how were your holidays?
Jim: Thanks, Happy New Year to you too. We have a great time visiting friends in Niseko.
As you can see, timing and personal preference are the keys in deciding which expression to use. I don’t worry too much about what holiday the person recognizes because it is the intent of the comment, to wish the person a happy and joyous time with friends and family that is at the heart of it, rather than a comment with religious connotations.
I wish you and yours a happy holiday season!
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＜本日の単語＞
fret 【動】心配する、思い悩む、くよくよする
major retailer 主要小売店、小売大手
mower 【名】芝刈り機、草刈り機
intent 【名】〔計画された〕意図、目的
connotation 【名】〔文字通りの意味に加えらる〕言外の意味、含蓄、含み、暗示
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２００９年の年明けとともに始まった
Weekly Workplace Word Wisdom(W.W.W.W.)ですが
５３回の本日で、最終回とさせていただきます。
１年間ご愛読ありがとうございました！
今後もOne to One Online Lessons講師による
新しい英語ブログシリーズをお届けする予定ですので
お楽しみに♪
Happy holidays！
事務局・山口