Interpreting a Business Negotiation
An interpreter facilitates communication between a Chinese delegation and an American company during a high-stakes business negotiation, handling complex terminology and cultural nuances.
Dialogue
Listen and follow along with the conversation
Vocabulary
Essential words and phrases from the dialogue
joint venture
A business agreement where two or more companies work together to start a new project or company, sharing risks and profits. Useful in negotiations to discuss partnerships.
delegation
A group of people sent to represent their organization or country in meetings or talks. Common in international business to refer to a visiting team.
clarification
The act of making something clear or easier to understand by explaining it. Often used in discussions to ask for more details without confusion.
clause
A specific part of a contract or agreement that states a rule or condition. Important in legal and business talks to refer to contract sections.
perpetual
Something that lasts forever or never ends. In business, it describes licenses or rights that do not expire, like ongoing access to technology.
elaborate
To explain something in more detail. Used politely in meetings to ask for additional information on a topic.
hedging strategy
A plan to reduce financial risks, like protecting against changes in currency values. Practical in international deals to manage money risks.
addendum
An additional document added to a contract to include new terms or changes. Useful when updating agreements during negotiations.
Key Sentences
Important phrases to remember and practice
We appreciate you making the time for this significant discussion.
This polite opening shows gratitude and sets a professional tone. Use it at the start of business meetings to thank participants. 'Appreciate' is followed by a gerund ('making') for expressing thanks.
They've reviewed the revised terms sheet and have a few clarifications they'd like to make before proceeding.
This sentence introduces points for discussion after reviewing documents. Useful in negotiations to signal questions. Note the contraction 'they've' for 'they have' and 'they'd like' for polite requests.
We're here to facilitate that.
A helpful response offering support in a meeting. 'Facilitate' means to make something easier. Use this to show willingness to help in professional settings; 'that' refers to the previous topic.
Could you elaborate on the scope of 'perpetual' and the implications for future technology developments?
This asks for detailed explanation using 'could you' for politeness. Useful for seeking clarity on contract terms. 'Elaborate on' means explain more; 'scope' and 'implications' add precision to business questions.
The 'perpetual' aspect refers to the duration of the license, meaning it does not expire.
This defines a term simply and clearly. Good for explaining legal concepts. Uses 'refers to' for definition and 'meaning' to rephrase for understanding.
They suggest adding a specific hedging strategy.
This proposes an idea in negotiations. 'Suggest adding' is a common pattern for recommendations. Use it to offer changes politely without demanding.
We can discuss incorporating a mutually agreeable hedging strategy.
This shows openness to ideas using 'mutually agreeable' for fairness. Useful in compromises; 'incorporating' means including in the plan, with 'can discuss' for suggestion.
The delegation finds that agreeable in principle.
This expresses basic agreement with room for details. 'In principle' means theoretically yes, but needs more work. Common in business to acknowledge positively.