【語言偽術】卸膊都有技巧！必學被動語氣「委婉地」逃避責任
#職場 #打工仔 #委婉語氣 #被動句 #溝通技巧 #辦公室貼士
要宣佈壞消息怎麼辦？在英文書信中，大部分情況下都會使用「主動語氣」來直接描述你想表達的主旨，尤其是在促銷產品、服務、活動或業務的時候，「主動語氣」能帶來直接和強而有力的感覺。然而，在某些情況下，我們卻必須以較迂迴、委婉的「被動語氣」表達，否則容易讓人有被冒犯與不禮貌的感覺。
在甚麼情況下我們應該使用被動語氣？包括「宣佈壞消息」、「推卸責任」或「主語不重要」時。若在這三種狀況中使用主動語氣（主詞＋動詞），會讓對方有不舒服的感覺。相反，使用被動語氣（主詞＋"be" 動詞＋過去分詞）的話，反而可以産生較中肯與溫和的口氣，既不會為對方造成壓迫感，還可以為你帶來理性與沉穩的形象。
以下是最常使用「被動語氣」的三種狀況，大家不妨試下比較以下三組e-mail在使用被動語氣之後，語氣與態度上的變化。
Situation 1：宣佈壞消息
Email 1A：
To: victoria@worldcave.com
From: charlie@worldcave.com
Subject: Employment status
Victoria,
Your inability to meet the sales quotas for the past three months is a big problem. I have to terminate終止 your position. November 16th will be your last day. I wish you the very best of luck in your job search.
（在過去三個月，你一直無法達到業績目標。因此，我必須終止你的職務。四月十五日是你上班的最後一天，我們祝你能幸運地找到一份適合你的工作。）
Regards,
Charlie
＊ Email 1A使用了主動式語氣，感覺嚴厲而強硬＊
Email 1B：
To: victoria@worldcave.com
From: charlie@worldcave.com
Subject: Employment status
Victoria,
Unfortunately, the sales quotas 業績目標 were not met. As a result, I'm sorry to be the one to tell you that your position has been terminated終止. This decision will be effective生效 as of November 16th. I wish you the very best of luck in your job search.
（很遺憾地，你並未達成業績目標。因此，我很遺憾告訴你，你的職務被終止了，這個決定將於十一月十六日生效，我們祝你能找到一份適合的工作。）
Regards,
Charlie
＊ Email 1B使用了被動式語氣，感覺委婉而溫和＊
Email 1A及Email1B出現過的主動句及被動句：
(主動句1)
Your inability to meet the sales quotas…...
你無法達成業績目標......
(被動句1)
The sales quotas were not met.
業績目標沒有達到。
(主動句2)
I have to terminate your position.
我心須終止你的職務。
(被動句2)
Your position has been terminated.
你的職務被終止了。
(主動句3)
November 16th will be your last day.
十一月十六日是你上班的最後一天。
(被動句3)
The decision will be effective as of November 16th.
這個決定於十一月十六日生效。
Situation 2A：規避責任
Email 2A：
To: naomi@routeone.com
From: phoebe@routeone.com
Subject: There was an unfortunate incident last night
Ms. Webster,
I just want to let you know about an incident that happened last night. I left the door unlocked. As a result, a thief broke into the office and stole $8,500 in cash. We've filed a police report, but the
police have no suspects yet.
我只是想通知你昨天晚上發生的一件事。我沒有鎖門，結果小偷闖進辦公室偷走八千五百元。我們已經向警察局備案，不過警方到目前為止還沒有找到嫌疑犯。
Regards,
Phoebe Harrison
＊ Email 2A 使用了主動式語氣，直接暴露錯誤＊
Email 2B：
To: naomi@routeone.com
From: phoebe@routeone.com
Subject: There was an unfortunate incident last night
Ms. Webster,
I just want to let you know about an incident that happened last night. The door was left unlocked last night. As a result, the office was broken into and $8,500 was stolen in petty cash. We've filed a police
report, but the police have no suspects yet.
我只是想通知你昨天晚上發生的一件事。昨晚門沒有鎖，結果辦公室被闖空門且被偷走了八千五百元。我們已經向警察局備案，不過警方到目前為止還沒有找到嫌疑犯。
＊ Email 2B 使用了被動式語氣， 迂迴規避責任＊
Regards,
Phoebe Harrison
Email 1A及Email1B出現過的主動句及被動句：
(主動句1)
I left the door unlocked.
我沒有鎖門。
(被動句1)
The door was left unlocked last night.
昨晚鬥沒有鎖。
(主動句2)
A thief broke into the office and stole $8,500.
小偷闖進了辦公室還偷了八千五百元。
(被動句2)
The office was broken into and $8,500 was stolen.
辦公室被闖空門且被偷走了八千五百元。
Situation 3：當主語無關緊要時
Email 3A：
To: garginer@techtrade.com
From: emily@finefur.com
Subject: We received your letter
Ms. Garginer,
In answer to your question, a courier delivered the letter this afternoon. Thank you for sending the letter so quickly. We greatly appreciate it.
關於您的詢問，快遞今天早上已經將信件送達。謝謝您這麼快就寄出信件，我方非常感激。
Regards,
Emily Hammond
＊ Email 3A使用了主動式語氣， 易使讀者誤判重點＊
Email 3B：
To: garginer@techtrade.com
From: emily@finefur.com
Subject: We received your letter
Ms. Garginer,
In answer to your question, the letter was delivered this morning. Thank you for sending the letter so quickly. We greatly appreciate it.
關於您的詢問，信件已於今早送達。感謝您這麼快就寄出，我們非常感激。
Regards,
Emily Hammond
＊ Email 3A使用了被動式語氣， 不強調主詞。當原主語無關緊要時，甚至可完全不加以描述。＊
電郵所描述的信函(letter)雖然是快遞員(courier)送來的，但對說話者而言，是誰把信送來的並不重要，重要的是說話者要向對方說明有沒有收到信。因此也可以以直截了當的主動式語氣表達「我們收到信了」(we received the letter this morning ) 。
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More Examples:
1a. 因為一個電腦錯誤，我們損失了所有存在資料庫裡的檔案。
Due to a computer error, we lost all the files saved on our database.
1b. 因為一個電腦錯誤，存在資料庫裡的所有檔案都損失了。
Due to a computer error, all the files saved on our database have been lost.
2a.我們還沒有找到引起錯誤的原因。
We have not found the cause of the error.
2b.引起錯誤的原因還沒被找出來。
The cause of the error has not been found.
3a.我們很感謝您對這個狀況的耐心等候。
We appreciate your patience in this situation.
3b.很感謝您對這個狀況的耐心等候。
Your patience in this situation is appreciated.