" illi OFFICE TALK LANGUAGE •THE MAINE EVENT
In der londoner Firma für Veranstaltungsmanagement kommt
Sandra nervös aus dem MuHerschutz zurück. Von KATHRIH ENKETHE TEAM:
Maieolm Mal ne (A), the boss, English, 55.
Sandta Pope (8), evenl manager, American, 38.
Elaine Stevens (Cl, customer relatjons manager, English, 51.
Jett Bennett (D), systems administrator. American, 40.
Rodrigo Perez (E), graphie deSigner, Spanish, 39.Pat the Great
Sandra: Wow. who changed my desk around?
Jett: Oh, hi, Sandra! Happy first day back! Whatever hap-
pened 10, "11'5 greal 10 see you again!"?
Sandra: Oh, sorry, Jeff. Hi. I was juS! a bit surprised 10 see
the desk aver Ihere.
Jett: I helped Pa! da thai a few weeks ago. She thought it
would work better thai way.
Sandra: Oh, she did, did she? She could have asked,
Jett: Oh, come on, Sandra. 11'5 just a IiWe thing.
Sandra: Like the new plants, huh?
Jett: I like Ihe plants. They're ... friendly!Sandra: Wait aminute. [t's not even decided yet. And how
do you know about it?
E[aine: Oh, sorry. I thought il was decided. Ma[colm lold
me this morning.
Sandra: Wow. You all seem very ~ 10 keep Pa!...
Elaine: We're very keen to have both of you on board.
Malcolm: He[lo, Sandra!
Sandra: Hi , Malcolm!
Malcolm: Welcome back to your old huntjng ground!
Sandra: Thanks!
Malcolm: So, what's this I hear? You've decided to go
ahead with the job-sharing? That's wonderful news! I was
afraid you'd get cold feet!
Sandra: Wow. The Jeff I once knew didn'l
even know what a plant was. Hey, where's
my picture?"It's great
Elaine: Actually. Malcolm ...
Sandra: Jesus, people. would you please
give me a bit of room to breathe? I've hardly
set foot in here, everything has been
changed around, and now you're all ~
the praises of the woman who was just sup-
posed to be my materojtv-Ieave replace-
lM!l1. Woutd you please just let me come
back and decide what's best for my career
and my family?Jeff: Pat thought it would look nieer there.
Sandra: Hm. Weil, she certaioly seems to
feel at home here. Too bad J'm back, huh?
Jett: But she's slaying, isn't she? I thought
you guys were goiog 10 job-share!
Sandra: What? How do you know about that?news about
you and
Pat job-
sharing!"
I ooly ca lied her up yeslerday eveniog 10
suggest it!
Elaine: Sandra! I thought I heard your voice. Jt·s so good to
have you back!
Sandra: It's good to b€ back. Bizarre, but good.
Elaine: How's little Jasper? Still keeping you up at night?
Sandra: Oh, yes. He's a sweetie, but a holy terror, 100.
Elaine: How lovely. Did you bring pictures for me?
Sandra: [faughsJ Actually, I rn/ght have some somewhere ...
EJaine: Oooh, 10veJy. And it's such great news aboul you
and Pat job-sharing!customer relat ions manager
[,k"s!;)m'1 ri'le'J' nz ,mlCmd3:1)
get it I'gel nl ,fml.
graphie designer I.gra:f,k di'zarnJI
holy terror Lh;uli 'lcr"l ifml.
lIunting gfOund l'ho\nllij graondl
job-sliare l'd30b Je,,)
keen: be -to do stil. [ki:nl
matemity-lea~ replacement
[m;'13:n;li li:v ri,plel$m;nl )
set foot (jll a place) [,sei '(Ol]
sillg sb.'s praises [,510 'prellIZ)4/2010
Kundenbetreuer( In)
es kapieren
Graflker(m)
hier: Plage
jagdre~ler
sich einen Arbeitsplatz teilen
sehr in teressiert daran sein,
elw. zu lun
Schwangerschaftsvertretung
eirlerl Fuß (an emen Ort) setzerl
ein Loblied auf jmdrl. sirlgerlElaine: Oh, Sandra, of course! We're so sorry.
Malcolm: Wait aminute. Wasn't the job-sharing YOUf idea?
Sandra: Yes, it was! I just didn't expecl everyone to be so
so ... [Iaughs helplessly] so very happy abaut it.
Jeff: You're astrange woman, Sandra. But I missed you.
Elaine: We all did, very much.
Malcolm: And now let's have some of that lovely welcome-
back cake that Pat made yesterday!
Jeff: That girl is a master baker - you won·t believe il!
Sandra: [laughsj Oh, Jeff, you just don't ge1j1, do you? IIIJeff says to Sandra, "I thought you guys were gOing
to Job-share." This IS an example of a common way
of SlgnaUing a second·person plural In spaken US
English. As "you" can be both singular and plural, the
addition of "guys" makes It clear that a plural is
meant. InlerestlOgly, though one "guy" IS always
male, "you guys" can be used for exclusively female
groups as weil, as Jett demonstrates here.~ You can hear thls dialogue on Business Spoillght Audio
Business Spotlight 81