The Ultimate Rejection Letter

Fri, 07 Nov 2008 00:15:31 GMT

今天在Stumble!看到的超强雷人英文拒绝信，应该算得上前无古人后无来者。写信的是一个应聘大学助教时落选的不屈不挠的应征者。网上找不到译版，顺手"汉化"了一下。看英文版比较容易看出其中有趣的地方。

The Ultimate Rejection Letter

Herbert A. Millington
Chair - Search Committee
412A Clarkson Hall, Whitson University
College Hill, MA 34109

Dear Professor Millington,

Thank you for your letter of March 16. After careful consideration, I regret to inform you that I am unable to accept your refusal to offer me an assistant professor position in your department.

This year I have been particularly fortunate in receiving an unusually large number of rejection letters. With such a varied and promising field of candidates, it is impossible for me to accept all refusals.

Despite Whitson's outstanding qualifications and previous experience in rejecting applicants, I find that your rejection does not meet my needs at this time. Therefore, I will assume the position of assistant professor in your department this August. I look forward to seeing you then.

Best of luck in rejecting future applicants.

Sincerely,
Chris L. Jensen

无敌拒绝信

（正文）

尊敬的密灵顿教授：

感谢您3月16号的来信。经过慎重的考虑，我很遗憾地通知您，我不能接受您拒绝聘用我为贵系助教的决定。

今年，我特别有幸地收到异常大量的拒绝信。但是面对人才济济，我不可能接受所有的拒绝。

尽管威士顿大学在拒绝应征者方面有着突出的才能和丰富的经验，我仍然觉得贵校的拒绝目前并不符合我的要求。因此，我将在8月份开始在贵系承担助教的职位。期盼届时和你见面。

祝今后拒人好运。

礼

克里斯·L·杰森

Economist_28June2008_Living the Shanghai life

Thu, 10 Jul 2008 13:27:51 GMT

Economist《经济学人》是一本非常优秀的英文杂志。其中的遣词用句都是非常考究的，是雅思考试的重点参考对象。订阅地址在这里。网络上还有提供Print Edition的PDF文档。前几期的Business-travel news提到一篇“Living the Shanghai life”，激起了我很大的兴趣，文章从老外的角度看中国人的生活习惯。原先就想试译同栏目的上一篇“When in Milan”（在米兰），这下两篇凑起来一起完工。挑这两篇是因为比较简单，其它的专业英语要边看边查边猜，看得郁闷。柿子要挑软的捏文章也要挑简单的译，由简到难由浅入深。纯练习消遣，欢迎拍砖过路打酱油做俯卧撑。

这篇应该是鬼佬写给鬼佬的关于介绍上海生活的文章。上海是个不错的城市，据说是这样。虽然我只是路过一次。我以前也提过，很多鬼佬对中国知之甚少，城市地区大约只知道Beijing、Shanghai。这两个城市是中国城市的标志，最为出名。好心人追问我来自中国的哪个城市，我说了之后他们基本不懂。我只好说中国东南部靠近台湾的地方，他们才若有所悟。在他们眼里香港和台湾是两个"有区别"的地区。

在国内我很少接触上海人，悉尼的上海人很多，所以难免要接触。老早就听说上海人的一些轶事，不以为然。直到跟几个打过交道以后才渐渐明白这世界上的有些事并不会空穴来风。我不想用很恶毒的话来回敬，我知道那不是ta们的原意，是大环境所致。也不想写些东西来记下那些不愉快的往事，虽然当时极度极度极度极度地沮丧和气愤。每个地方都有好中坏三种人，至少在这个地球上这是普遍的真理五千年不会动摇。我坚信能遇到些不同的上海人，以消除我对上海人临时的愚蠢的偏见。呵。OK，切入正题。

Living the Shanghai life

THE majority of foreign visitors to Shanghai will find language the biggest challenge. But it's also worth being prepared for how to deal with business cards, what to wear and how to drink a toast. Our tips on coping with a trip to China’s biggest city are part on an ongoing around the world. Please add your own.

Meetings and greetings

• Most locals know just a handful of English words, so bring a phrasebook with you (and point to the relevant words and Chinese characters) and ask hotel staff to write down addresses for cab drivers.

• In business meetings handshakes have become popular as an initial greeting, but sometimes you’ll find Chinese skip the handshake and go straight to the swapping of business cards.

• These cards are exchanged at breakneck speed. Receive one in both hands and read it immediately. Be sure to offer yours in return. It's useful to have cards with your name and job title printed in Chinese on the reverse. Ask a kind Chinese person to select a good Chinese name for you. Mainland characters are different from those used in Hong Kong and Taiwan, so be specific if you have them printed in your local Chinatown.

• Business interactions between men and women are reserved. After an initial handshake, avoid body contact such as hugging or kissing on the cheek.

• Do not underestimate the concept of losing face. Arriving late, causing embarrassment, behaving confrontationally, insisting too hard on paying a bill or calling attention to a mistake can all cause loss of face. This is potentially disastrous for a fledgling business relationship. Conversely, complimenting someone on their business acumen in front of their colleagues is an easy way to win brownie points. (to be continued)

生活在上海

大多数到上海的外国游客会发现，语言是一个最大的障碍。但是花时间来学习一下如何交换名片，如何着装打扮以及如何敬酒行礼也还是值得的。我们对于中国最大城市之行的小贴士从世界各地不断更新中。请添加您的建议。

会议和招待

• 大多数本地人只懂得一些英语，所以最好随身携带一本常用语手册（指出相应词语或汉字），并且让旅馆人员写下给的士司机看的地址。

• 商务会议中，握手在见面招呼时已经变得很普遍，但是有时你会发现中国人略过握手环节而直接交换名片。

• 名片交换要非常快，用双手接过并立即迅速浏览。记得要回敬自己的名片。名片的背面用中文印上你的名字和职位是很有用的。找个中国友人给你取一个合适的中文名。大陆的文字和香港台湾用的不一样，所以你在当地的唐人街打印的时候要说明清楚。

• 男女之间的商务社交要有所保留。见面握手之后，要避免拥抱或亲吻脸颊之类的身体接触。

• 别小瞧了丢面子的观念。迟到晚点、场面难堪、举止唐突，抢着付账或引发过错都会导致丢面子。这尤其对于刚建立的商务关系来说很可能是一场灾难。反之，在他们的同事面前称赞他们的业务才干是一个很简单的获得印象分的方法。（未完待续）

夜里前行: 弦外之英

The Ultimate Rejection Letter

Economist_28June2008_Living the Shanghai life