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常混淆的what、how錯誤:面試時可以問「How much is the salary」嗎?

常混淆的what、how錯誤:面試時可以問「How much is the salary」嗎?
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我們想讓你知道的是

用how much的句子問薪資會產生文法上的錯誤。英文面試裡怎麼問薪資才自然呢?來看一段談薪資的對話......

Ben到一家外商面試,最後面試者問他有沒有問題想問,而他想知道這個職位的薪資,就直接問:How much is the salary?

結果面試結束在一種他覺得小尷尬的氣氛中。Ben問我們,英文的面試裡怎麼問薪資才自然呢?

用how much的句子問薪資會產生文法上的錯誤。看看該怎麼問才對:

請問這個職務的薪水是多少?

(X)How much is the salary?
(O)What is the salary of this job?/What does this job pay?
(O)What is the salary range for this position?

「薪資」是一個概念,抽象的東西,How much後面要接的是實體的東西,像桌子、房子、衣服之類的。因此問薪資的時候,我們要用what而不是how much。直接說What is the salary of this job?或是What does the job pay?在文法上都沒有錯。

想委婉一點,多半公司的薪資都有一個範圍(range),可以用salary range/pay range來表達。來看一段談薪資的對話:

Interviewer: So Ben, do you have any questions for me? (所以Ben還有什麼問題嗎?)

Ben: Yes, I have a few. First off, what is the salary range for this position? (有一些。首先想知道這個職務的薪資範圍。)

Interviewer: How much are you earning now? (請問你現在的薪資如何?)

Ben: I'm focusing on opportunities between $50,000 and $60,000. (我希望在$50,000和 $60,000之間。)

How much這個詞錯誤率很高,只要用中文直譯就會錯。所有已經含有錢和數量概念的名詞,像價格(price)、收入(income)、預算(budget),都不可以用how much問,要用what。

這價格是多少?

(X)How much is the price?
(O)What is the price?

他的收入是多少?

(X)How much is his income?
(O)What is his income?
(O)What does he earn?
(O)How much does he earn?

Income是一筆錢,可以用what問。但How much does he earn?在文法上是可以的。這裡省略掉money,原來是How much (money) does he earn?

你的預算是多少?

(X)How much is your budget?
(O)What is your budget?

其實不只是錢,只要任何含有數字概念的名詞,像temperature是溫度、population是人口數目,這類東西問多少的時候,都用what 而不是how much。

外面的溫度是多少?

(X)How much is the temperature outside?
(O)What is the temperature outside?

東京的人口有多少?

(X)How much is the population of Tokyo?
(O)What is the population of Tokyo?

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本文經世界公民文化中心授權刊登,原文刊載於此

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核稿編輯:翁世航