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大家應該在職場上都有機會出席一些公司聚會或是重要的社交活動。這個時候，當你遇到一個你覺得很眼熟的人，他跟你熱情的打招呼，甚至跟你大聊特聊時，你卻記不得這個人的名字。這個時候你該怎麼辦呢? 相信這樣的狀況，大家應該都有碰過，今天的文章裡要告訴大家三個方法，甚至告訴各位，用英文談話的時候，要怎麼樣有技巧地把這樣的狀況，輕描淡寫的帶過，並且適度的跟對方道歉。
Neil: Well, today’s programme is all about business socialising. And, as we all know, socialising is a very important aspect of working life. Although it doesn’t always go the way we want it to,does it Feifei?
Business socialising 也可以解釋成 “應酬”。這對於很多職場上的人是很重要的一環，尤其是業務捧油們。不過，在應酬的同時，並不是所有的事情都很順利的如我們所願進行。
Feifei: If you’re referring to the office New Year party, we said we wouldn’t mention that again…
Neil: OK, I definitely won’t mention theword photocopier… Anyway, Feifei, I’ve been out and about talking to people about embarrassing things that happened to them while they were socialising at work. Have a listen to this!
Out and about 意思是說“在外面四處談論關於…”。這裡是指Neil已經針對這個主題在外面問過一些人他們的看法
Man: I was on a business trip abroad and people had quite difficult foreign names. I kept getting the names wrong with the people – so I’d be calling a man by a woman’s name and a woman by a man’s name. It was very embarrassing, but they were very nice about it.
Business trip 是商務旅遊的意思，簡單來說就是出差。這個人指出，當他去一個外地出差時，有些國家的名字很難念，常常會把男生叫成女生，女生叫成男生。
Woman: I always enjoying going to business socialising occasions, such as cocktail parties or conferences. But one of the most embarrassing things is you see somebody you find them familiar, you know you’ve met them before but you can’t remember their names, especially sometimes you get mixed up with where they work and job title, so that’s one thing I find embarrassing.
這個女人認為很多女生都很喜歡出席社交場合，就像是雞尾酒會。但是最尷尬的就是，當你遇到一個很眼熟的人，你記得你們見過面，但是你就是想不起來對方的名字。或者，你會把某人工作和職稱搞混，當你叫錯名字或是認錯人的時候，真的很尷尬!
Feifei: Oh dear. That sounds so embarrassing, poor lady! I’m sure something like that has never happened to you Neil?
Neil: No Feifei, as you well know I never mix business with pleasure anymore. Here’s Business Betty to help us find out what that poor lady should have done!
Never mix business with pleasure 是指Neil公私分明，不會把工作上的事情和個人的玩樂混為一談。
BB: Hello you two! I trust you never find yourself in that situation but if you do, here’s what to do. If you’ve forgotten someone’s name or job title or where you have met them before, don’t panic! The best thing to do is:find out, apologise and move on. I’ll say that again:find out, apologise and move on. A good way to find out someone’s name is tosay "I think we’ve met before, haven’t we?"
Don’t panic 是別慌! 當你遇到這樣的窘境時，最好的做法就是，想辦法問出或是想起那個人的名字，跟對方道歉，然後就把焦點放在應該要談的重要公事上。如果用英文的話，最好的方式就是問對方說，“我想我們應該有在哪裡見過吧?” “I think we’ve met before, haven’t we?”
Neil: I think we’ve met before, haven’t we?
BB: Or "You must be Feifei".
Neil: Oh hello, you must be Feifei.
BB: Or, "I can’t quite remember your name."
Neil: I can’t quite remember your name.
BB: Step two is the apology. Neil, can you apologise please:
Neil: Feifei, of course, how silly of me to forget.
抱歉的方式可以說， “我腦袋不好，常忘東忘西的，真是不好意思!”
BB: Or say this:
Neil: Oh yes, of course, I’m so sorry!
BB: And once you’ve found out and apologised, move on! We all make mistakes and the best thing to do is get on with business. A really easy way to move things on is to say "Ho ware things with you?"
當你找出對方的名字，道歉之後，就應該開始你們對話的重點，就可以開始問對方“How are things with you?” “最近還好嗎?” 這就是get on with business，開始聊正事。
Neil: How are things with you?
BB: And even easier is, "How are you?"
Neil: How are you?
BB: And then you can get on with things.Remember, we all make mistakes, and knowing how to get out of tricky situations is what makes the difference. Just try to keep the conversation flowing.
所以當你遇到這樣的狀況時，不要慌張，要記得，不是每個人的記憶都那麼好，只要適度的道歉，就可以讓對話重點轉移到之後要談論的公事上。
Neil: We will Business Betty. You’re the best!
Feifei: So there you go! Find out.
Neil: Apologise.
Feifei: And move on! She really does know what she’s talking about that Betty…
所以三大要訣就是，find out、apologise、move on!
Role-play 對話實際練習
Neil: Hi there.
Feifei: Oh hello.
Neil: I think we’ve met before haven’t we?
Feifei: Errr, have we? Oh yes, we met a couple of months ago, didn’t we? You knocked the cup of coffee over? It’s Neil…how are you Neil?
Neil: I’m good, very good. Please forgive me. I can’t quite remember your name.
Feifei: It’s Feifei.
Neil: Of course, Feifei, how silly of me to forget. How are things with you?
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