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@Work
2007.08.27

Greetings, and welcome to the start of a new two-week series of WordMaster@Work. This time we get down to the long, hard work of labor-management negotiations. It's sure to involve a lot of patience and compromise, and maybe even a little drama as well.

So, WordMaster@Work readers, unite! - for the common goal of more masterful English communication!

Today's LessonCATEGORY: 混同しやすい言葉
AGREEMENT vs. CONTRACT   合意 VS. 契約

Explanation

  • An agreement or contract is an arrangement between individuals, companies, or other groups to do something, or the document in which the terms of the arrangement are written.

    Be Careful! An agreement can be formal or informal, written or verbal (= spoken). A contract, however, is usually formal and written; therefore, the word “contract” would normally NOT be used in situations such as those in Examples 1 and 2a.
  • agreement または contract とは、個人や企業、その他の集団の間で交わされる、何らかの行動を取るという取り決めや、取り決めの条件が書かれた文書のことです。

    注意：agreement は、公式、非公式を問わず、また、文書、口頭、いずれの取り決めにも使います。一方、contract は、たいていの場合、公式の文書によるものをさします。したがって、下記の例の1.や2a.のような場合には、contract ではなく、agreement を使うのが一般的です。

AGREEMENT vs. CONTRACT

examples

  1. I made an agreement with my staff to take them out for drinks after work on Friday whenever they have to work more than 10 hours of overtime in a week.
  2. (employee to employer)
    a: But we had an agreement that when Howard left, I could have his position. So you have to give it to me.
    b: I'm sorry. I may have said that, but I don't have to do anything that's not in your contract.
  3. After weeks of negotiations, they were finally able to reach an agreement on the terms of the merger.
  4. She's a freelance graphic artist and has contracts with some very impressive clients.
  5. Be sure to read the small print before signing any contract.
  6. They've threatened to sue us, claiming that we've broken the terms of our contract.
  7. We've won the contract, thanks to the excellent presentation you gave the other day!

英会話レッスンWe'll keep the wheels of industry turning with another @Work edition tomorrow!