Unit 2 Telephone Calls 电话交流

Etiquettes in telephone calls are also somewhat different from culture to culture. When calling an English-speaking foreigner (John Smith, for example), one usually begins with "Hello!" followed by "Is that you, Mr. Smith?" or "Is Mr. Smith in?" or "May I speak to Mr. Smith, Please?" It is not proper to say "Are you Mr. Smith?" or "Who are you?" or "I'm looking for Mr. Smith," which are word-for-word translations of what Chinese people say when they make telephone calls in Chinese.

When answering a phone call from an English-speaking foreigner, you should greet "Hello!" first, then tell the caller who you are and what agency you are from, such as "This is Officer Chen from Evergreen Police Station." After that, ask "Can I help you?" or "Who is it calling?" or "Who is it speaking, please?" The answer is "This is Smith speaking," rather than "I'm Smith" , which is also Chinese English.

When answering a phone for somebody else, it's better to say "What name shall I give?" or "Who shall I say is calling?" If the person wanted on the phone is not nearby, a polite response can be "Hold the line, please. I'll get him/her for you." or "Hold on for a moment." If the person wanted happens to be close, you can hand the receiver to him/her and say "It's for you." or "For you." If the person wanted isn't in, you may say "Sorry, he/she isn't in." or "I'm afraid he/she is out." and ask the caller if he/she wants to leave a message by saying "May I take a message for you?" or "Can I take a message?" or "Would you like to leave a message? "

If you need to leave a message, you may choose "Could you take a message for me?" or "Please tell him /her that…" or "Will you please tell him/her to call me back later?"

When answering a phone, if the caller dials the wrong number, it's polite to respond like "Sorry, you've dialed the wrong number." If you realize you have dialed the wrong number, remember to apologize like "Sorry, I've dialed the wrong number. "

Whatever you say on the phone should be brief, clear and to the point. Say "Good-bye" politely before hanging up.

给外国人（以约翰·史密斯为例）打电话时，通常以hello开始，然后用下列表达法之一问对方：

Is that you, Mr. Smith? 您是史密斯先生吗？

Is Mr.…in ?某某先生在吗？

May I speak to…?我可以和某某讲话吗？

应避免按汉语习惯用下列表达法问对方：

×Who are you?哪一位？

×Are you…?你是某某某吗？

×I'm looking for…我找某某某。

接听外国人打来的电话时，通常也以hello开始，然后往往先向对方通报自己的姓名或单位，如：

This is Officer Chen from Evergreen Police Station.这是常青派出所陈警官。

接下来接电话者用下列表达法之一问：

Can I help you? 请问您需要什么帮助？

Who is that calling? 请问您是哪位？

Who is that speaking, please?请问您是哪位？

打电话的人应回答说：

This is Smith speaking. 我是史密斯。

不要按中文的习惯回答：

×I'm Smith.

代人接电话，最好说：What name shall I give?/Who shall I say is calling? 若要离开去叫人，须跟对方说：Hold the line, please. I'll get him/her to phone.（别挂断，我就去找他/她听电话。）或Hold on for a moment.（请等一会儿。）反之，若电话要找的人在身边，代接电话的人可说“It's for you.”或“For you.”（你的电话。）如果打电话要找的人不在，代接电话的人可说“Sorry, he/she isn't in.”或“I'm afraid he/she is out.”（他／她不在。）如果问对方是否要留话，可说：May I take a message for you? /Can I take a message?/Would you like to leave a message?

打电话者若要拜托接电话人转告要找的人某事时，可问：Could you take a message for me?/Please tell him（her）that（sth.）…/Please tell him（her）I called./Will you please tell him（her）to call me back later?

若对方打错电话，接电话者可说：Sorry, you've dialed the wrong number. 打电话人发现拨错号码，应说：Sorry, I've dialed the wrong number.

至于通话内容，要简明扼要。通话结束时应礼貌地道别。