どうも。
さっそく行きます。
Office Perks (2)
SUMMARY
Ueda describes the perk that he likes best. And Grace advises him not to be too vocal about his enthusiasm as it might offend their customers. Ueda agrees, but adds that such programs are commonly known. The conversation then turns to pet insurance, with Salmans saying that veterinary care has become much more expensive.
聞き取りのポイント
1. ウエダはA&Aのどのような特典が気に入っていますか?
2. グレースの考えでは、だれがペット保険を特典に加えもらいたいと思っていますか?
VIGNETTE
Lidia Grace: So tell me what would motivate you most?
Ueda Shota: I personally enjoy A&A's generous employee discounts. It's great how both pert-time and full-time employees are eligible for discounts of up to 40 percent on our consumer products. That includes necessities like detergents, foods and healthcare products.
Lidia Grace: Yes, our in-house discount program is a major drawing card for many professionals. But management doesn't want you to go shouting it from the rooftops. Our customers who pay retail might not necessarily appreciate that.
Ueda Shota: Of course not. But it's common knowledge that many companies offer their employees perks like that. Airlines and hotel chains, for example, are well-known for giving employees and their families discounts, especially when there are empty seats or vacancies.
Lidia Grace: I bet Chuck would like to see pet insurance added to the list of perks here at A&A.
Pat McMillan: I'm aware of all the buzz around pet insurance, but why should companies offer it as a benefit?
Chuck Salmans: Well, it's worth noting that the cost of veterinary care has skyrocketed. That's because the quality of care available for pets has risen to nearly the same level that we humans enjoy.
[NOTES]
it's common knowledge that
that以下は常識［周知の事実・よく知られていること］である - 英辞郎 on the WEB
go shouting it from the rooftops それを吹聴するようなことをする
veterinary care 獣医医療 - 英辞郎 on the WEB
聞き取りのポイントの答え
1. ウエダはA&Aの手厚い社員割引が気に入っている
2. グレースの考えでは、ペット保険を特典に加えもらいたいと思っているのはチャック・サルマンズ
WORDS AND PHRASES
generous 気前の良い/手厚い
Ueda says, "I personally enjoy A&A's generous employee discounts". Abundant, ample discounts. Like, "They offered him a generous severance package". Or "This restaurant serves very generous portions". So quite large portions.
There's often a nuance of more than usual or more than necessary. "They paid me a generous amounts for this translation.
severance package 解雇手当、退職条件 - 英辞郎 on the WEB
be eligible for ～の資格のある/～の対象である
If we're eligible for something, we're allowed by the rules or the laws to get it or to do it. We also say "eligible to" with verbs. So things like "Single people are not eligible for that tax break". Or "People who buy solar panels are eligible for a subsidy.
eligible bachelor 結婚相手として望ましい男性
bachelorは独身男性
Yes, sometimes like a very rich young man or a handsome young royal will be described as "the most eligible bachelor in Europe, or in Spain, or whatever".
necessities 生活必需品
detergent 洗剤
Soap we use for cleaning things like laundry and dishes. And sometimes we say laundry soap, dish soap. I might ask my husband, "Can you pick up some laundry detergent on your way home?" Or "Do we need to buy dish soap?"
in-house discount program 社内割引制度
drawing card 人気商品/呼び物/人目を引く広告
This often means a person or a feature that draws a large crowd; that brings in a large audience.
And you can also say just "a draw". "Our profit sharing program is a big draw for job seekers". Or "The fantastic view from that hotel is one of its big draws".
drawing cardは人に関しても使う: 日本語で言うと「人寄せパンダ」という感じ
shout it from the rooftops
世間に言いふらす/吹聴する/大々的に伝える
To enthusiastically share information with a lot of people, like we're standing on the top of roofs yelling it out to everyone. We also say "shout it from the housetops". For example, "She's so happy about her promotion she's been shouting it from the rooftops". Or "Why didn't you tell us your book is being published? You should shout it from the housetops".
pay retail 小売価格で払う
Pay the regular retail price without a discount. I used to work at a clothing store and we got 20 percent off - or was it 30 percent? But that was just for us. Friends and family had to pay retail.
And sometimes people will say "I can get it for you wholesale" meaning the price a business pays to get an item before the retail markup.
markup 値上げ、利幅 - 英辞郎 on the WEBより
retailの反対はwholesale
buy wholesale and sell retail 卸値で買って小売価格で売る
appreciate うれしく思う/有り難く思う/感謝する
empty seat or vacancy 空席や空室
Ueda says airlines and hotel chains are well-known for giving discounts especially when there're empty seats or vacancies. A vacancy is an unoccupied, available room or apartment. American motels have signs outside saying "Vacancy" or "No vacancy". And that lets people know whether they should get off the road or not. If there is "No vacancy", there is no point in pulling over.
And we also use "vacancy" about job openings. "There is a vacancy in my department. You should send a resume".
アメリカを旅行していると、ハイウエイ沿いにあるモーテルに"Vacancy"とか"No vacancy"というサインを見かける。
「空き室あります」が "Vacancy"
I bet ～でしょうね/～に違いない/きっと～だろう
I'm fairly sure of this. "I'll bet" is also okay. Like "I bet she'll be late again". Or "I'll bet this product becomes a top seller".
buzz around ～をめぐる噂
it's worth noting that ～は注目に値する
This point is worthy of notice. It deserves attention. "There were several proposals worth noting at the meeting". Or "It's worth noting that we're getting more repeat customers".
WORD WATCH
skyrocket
急騰する
ゴガクルの解説より:「名詞の skyrocket は「ロケット花火」を意味するが、動詞としては「(物価・売り上げ・名声などが）急激に上がる［急に増大する］」ということ。Food costs are skyrocketing. は「食品価格が急騰している」、Prices are skyrocketing. は「物価は急騰している」ということ。」http://gogakuru.com/english/phrase/106882
SAY WHAT YOU MEAN
necessity
A must-have item is a necessity. For example, "Water, food and map are necessities during a hike".
common
Something that many or most people know is common knowledge. Things like "It's common knowledge that Jane is leaving next year".
common knowledgeと言えば、多くの人やたいていの人が知っていること、という意味
buzz
Strong interest in or talk about something is called buzz. Such as "That new electric car is generating a lot of buzz".
interest in ～への興味［関心］ - 英辞郎 on the WEB
あることへの強い関心や注目のこと
QUOTE UNQUOTE
If children grew up according to early indications, we should have nothing but geniuses. - Johann Wolfgang von Goethe (German poet, dramatist and novelist)
子供が小さい時に見せる片りん通りに成長するならば、この世の中は天才ばかりになっているはずだ - ヨハン・ウルフガング・フォン・ゲーテ (ドイツの詩人、劇作家で小説家)
[NOTE]のgo shouting it from the rooftops ですが、shout from the rooftopsは放送で説明がありましたが、説明がなかったのはその前のgoの意味。
形はgo ～ingとなっていますが、例えばgo shoppingのように「～しに行く」では意味が通じません。
調べるとgo ～ingは「～しに行く」という意味の他に口語で[しばしば非難・軽蔑の意をこめて; 通例否定・疑問文で] 〈…する〉ような(ばかな)ことをする」(Weblio辞書)という意味があるそうです。
まあ、ここでは「ばかなこと」では表現がきついので「それを吹聴するようなことは」くらいの訳になるかと思います。