美国文化脱口秀 第404期:真不能跟外国人谈钱吗?

 　　这周，大家都在讨论12万是否算高收入，中国的情况我们就不多说了。说说美国吧！怎么样在美国算高收入？美国人谈钱、谈收入真的这么难以启齿？

　　关键词：

　　工资：income，salary还是wage?

　　这些词都可以，不过每个的用法有区别：

　　Salary: 工资

　　多用于annual salary (年收入、年薪)

　　Wage: 工资

　　多用于hourly wage (小时薪酬)

　　Income: 收入

　　多用于monthly or annual income (月或年收入)

　　Make money 赚钱

　　We don't really talk about salaries. Too sensitive: 美国人真的互相不太聊工资、聊收入，很敏感

　　But when we do: 不过如果问，可以这样问：

　　Q:

　　How much do you make a month/a year?

　　What's the pay like?

　　A：

　　I make xxx.

　　The pay is (good) or (bad).

　　This topic makes most people uncomfortable and awkward: 这个话题让大多数人很不自在、很尴尬

　　Makes you seem very nosy¹ if you ask: 如果你问，别人会觉得你很爱管闲事

　　美国，6位数是高薪

　　这几天，大家都在讨论的“12万”这个数字，英语怎么说？

　　正式：

　　120,000: a hundred twenty thousand

　　口语：

　　120 grand: a hundred twenty grand

　　120 K: a hundred twenty K

　　虽然美国人不太会谈具体的收入数字，但是会说大概范围：

　　A 5-figure salary: 5位数年薪

　　A 6-figure salary: 6位数年薪

　　If you make 6 figures, it's something to brag² about: 如果有6位数年薪，那也值得夸耀

　　Most Americans don't make 6 figures: 大多数美国人都没有6位数年薪

　　"高收入"怎么说？

　　最口语的3种说法：

　　Someone makes a high salary: 收入不错

　　Someone makes a lot: 赚很多钱、收入高

　　You're doing pretty well for yourself: 收入不错哦

　　正式的说法：

　　High income earner: 高收入者

　　It's too formal. We don't use it in daily life: 太正式了，口语里不会这么说

　　税前、税后、到手

　　Gross income (before tax): 税前收入

　　Net income (after tax): 税后收入

　　还有一个很形象的说法

　　Take-home salary/pay: 到手收入

　　存钱、储蓄

　　To save up (动词)

　　Savings³ (名词)

　　It's hard to have savings nowadays: 现在要存钱真难

　　外国人怎么谈收入？

　　You don't talk about salary with mere⁴ acquaintances: 一般性的熟人不会谈

　　It's a very private and sensitive issue: 总之是个特别私人、敏感的话题

　　真不能跟外国人谈钱吗?

　　#1.好朋友能谈吗？With close friends

　　We usually talk about what we do, not the salary: 和朋友之间谈工作，主要是聊在做什么事, 不是工资

　　I don't know how much most of my friends make: 我不知道我好朋友的收入水平

　　但有一种情况下，美国人会和朋友谈工资：

　　If you're looking for work in the same industry: 如果你找工作，那个行业正好是你朋友从事的

　　You can ask them for advice to make sure you don't get the short end of the stick: 可以问一下工资建议，确保自己不吃亏

　　But don't ask the exact amount: 但也不会问具体的数字

　　Salary range: 大概的工资范围

　　Ballpark figure: 大概的范围，ballpark是口语的说法

　　＃2.男女朋友呢？With your boyfriend or girlfriend

　　Only if you're in a steady relationship: 除非是关系特别稳定的

　　Maybe you're heading towards marriage: 有结婚打算的

　　People who just started dating don't talk about their salaries: 刚开始恋爱的，不会谈收入

　　＃3.家人之间呢？With your own family

　　You talk about it with your parents and siblings⁵: 和父母、兄弟姐妹会聊

　　Maybe not always the exact figure: 有时也不是具体的数字

　　The first time I realized how much my parents made was during college application: 我第一次意识到我父母的工资是申请大学的时候

　　You have to put in your parents' income to see if you qualify for grants and scholarships: 要填父母收入情况，看你是否有资格申请助学金、奖学金

　　＃4.美国夫妻怎么管钱？With your husband and wife

　　In China, a lot of husbands give part of their salary to their wives: 在中国，很多先生会把收入的一大部分交给太太

　　The wife manages the household expenses: 太太会管理家用开支

　　Most married American couples have a joint⁶ bank account: 很多美国夫妻会有一个联名账户

　　It's a pool of money: 把钱都集中起来

　　But each person still has their separate card and access: 但是夫妻各自有自己的卡，和独立使用的权限

　　#5.要付父母房租？Pay rent to your parents

　　Most Americans think adults shouldn't live with their parents: 大多数美国人觉得, 成年后要从家里搬出去

　　Adults should be independent: 成年了，要独立

　　But many people are moving back or never leave home because rent is so expensive: 但是现在，越来越多的人搬回去跟爸妈住，因为租金太贵了

　　Most parents will ask their children to contribute a fixed amount each month: 很多父母会让孩子每个月付一笔固定的钱

　　To cover utilities, groceries: 贡献水电费、吃的喝的

　　In China, we also give part of our salaries to our parents: 在中国，我们也会给父母工资的一部分

　　But they save it up for us: 但是爸爸妈妈会帮我们存起来

1 nosy   

adj.鼻子大的，好管闲事的，爱追问的；n.大鼻者

参考例句：

• Our nosy neighbours are always looking in through our windows.好管闲事的邻居总是从我们的窗口望进来。
• My landlord is so nosy.He comes by twice a month to inspect my apartment.我的房东很烦人，他每个月都要到我公寓视察两次。

2 brag   

v./n.吹牛，自夸；adj.第一流的

参考例句：

• He made brag of his skill.他夸耀自己技术高明。
• His wealth is his brag.他夸张他的财富。

3 savings   

n.存款，储蓄

参考例句：

• I can't afford the vacation,for it would eat up my savings.我度不起假，那样会把我的积蓄用光的。
• By this time he had used up all his savings.到这时，他的存款已全部用完。

4 mere   

adj.纯粹的；仅仅，只不过

参考例句：

• That is a mere repetition of what you said before.那不过是重复了你以前讲的话。
• It's a mere waste of time waiting any longer.再等下去纯粹是浪费时间。

5 siblings   

n.兄弟，姐妹( sibling的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• A triplet sleeps amongst its two siblings. 一个三胞胎睡在其两个同胞之间。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• She has no way of tracking the donor or her half-siblings down. 她没办法找到那个捐精者或她的兄弟姐妹。 来自时文部分

6 joint   

adj.联合的，共同的；n.关节，接合处；v.连接，贴合

参考例句：

• I had a bad fall,which put my shoulder out of joint.我重重地摔了一跤，肩膀脫臼了。
• We wrote a letter in joint names.我们联名写了封信。