LESSON 4

INTERNATIONAL NEGOTIATIONS

DISCUSS THESE QUESTIONS

1 What sort of negotiations have

you taken part in (AT WORK OR
OUTSIDE)?

 Read about the experiences of

negotiating internationally below
and answer these questions

1 WHAT ARE YOUR PERSONAL

REACTIONS TO THE EXPERIENCES
DESCRIBED AND VIEWS EXPRESSED?

2 WOULD THE EXPERIENCES

DESCRIBED BE

A) NORMAL,
B) A LITTLE UNUSUAL, OR
C) VERY UNUSUAL IN YOUR
COUNTRY?
1. It was very different to what I
am used to. They didn’t seem to
want to write anything down.
There was a real emphasis on
getting to know you - lots of small
talk. 1 felt it was all rather slow.
No one seemed to be in a hurry to
get anything done.
2.Our negotiation was
interrupted by new people
coming in all the time. There was
also a lot of attention paid to the
business cards, which was new
for me. We had three meetings
before we talked about any
business at all. We were kept
waiting for a longtime
3.There were too many jokes and
first names. It wasn’t clear who
was in charge and making the
decisions. It was too casual and
relaxed for me. I think people
should behave more formally, use
surnames and behave like
businesspeople.
4. We thought we had a deal and
made an agreement. Then they
asked for some new concessions

5.There was no compromise. It

was a real fight. In the end, we
reached deadlock and they
walked out. There was a lot of
emotion and shouting -I wasn’t
sure if it was normal or not. It
upset me a bit, if I’m honest
6. There was a lot of eating and
drinking during the negotiation,
having lunch at the same time as
working.

7.They seemed to want to discuss

everything at the same time. It
felt disorganised and without
structure. 1 prefer some kind of
agenda - you know, more logical
8. It was all quite hard line. It was
more like some kind of
competition. They seemed to just
want to win - to get something for
nothing.
8. It was all quite hard line. It was
more like some kind of
competition. They seemed to just
want to win - to get something for
nothing.
 1.TO BICKER: TO ARGUE ABOUT UNIMPORTANT
THINGS.

2.TO BUTT IN (OR INTO + OBI): TO INTERRUPT WHEN SB

ELSE IS SPEAKING OR WHEN TWO PEOPLE ARE TALKING.

3.TO NATTER (ABOUT 8TH) : (INFORMAL) TO CHAT ABOUT

UNIMPORTANT THINGS.

4.TO SCOLD SB FOR DOING STH: TO TELL SB OFF (QUITE

FORMAL)

TO CLINCH: TO SUCCEED IN WINNING STH (A

CHAMPIONSHIP, THE TITLE, ETC), HAVING FIRST HAD TO
FIGHT LONG AND HARD FOR IT
 1.THEY WERE BICKERING ABOUT/OVER
WHICH TVPROGRAMME TO WATCH.
2.I WISH YOU WOULDN'T KEEP BUTTING INTO
OUR CONVERSATIONS. COULD I BUTT IN FOR A
MOMENT?
3.THE TWO OLD LADIES SPENT THE ENTIRE
JOURNEY NATTERING ABOUT THEIR FAMILIES
4.I WAS ALWAYS SCOLDED AT SCHOOL FOR
BEING LATE.
5.UNITED CLINCHED THE TITLE IN THE LAST
MATCH OF THE SEASON.
 Un.. . and In... Adjectives
1.TO MOPE AROUND: WANDER AROUND LOOKING AND FEELING UNHAPPY.

STOP MOPING AROUND THE HOUSE ALL DAY AND GO OUT AND FIND
YOURSELF ANOTHER JOB.

2. TO PERK UP: TO BECOME/MAKE SB HAPPIER AND FEEL MORE

POSITIVE.

SHE'S BEEN A BIT DEPRESSED RECENTLY, SO I THOUGHT I'D TAKE HER TO

THE BTTZ FOR DINNER. THAT SHOULD PERK HER UP.

3. INNOCUOUS: HARMLESS, NOT DANGEROUS.

THIS INNOCUOUS-LOOKING FROG IS THE MOST VENOMOUS CREATURE
ON EARTH

4. UNFLAPPABLE : SB WHO REMAINS CALM AND LEVEL-HEADED IN A

CRISIS OR IN A VERY DIFFICULT SITUATION.
THE GREEK COACH HAD CHOSEN HIS MOST UNFLAPPABLE PLAYER TO
TAKE THEIR LAST PENALTY.

5. UNGAINLY: BIG, AWKWARD, CLUMSY.

DESPITE HIS UNGAINLY AIR, HE IS AMAZINGLY AGILE.

 VERBS
1.TO FIZZLE OUT - TO END AND DISAPPEAR IN A WEAK AND
DISAPPOINTING WAY RPE PROTEST AGAINST THE NEW TAX SOON
FIZZLED OUT AS THE GOVERNMENT WOULD NOT BOW TO THE
PROTESTORS'DEMANDS.
2.TO PETER OUT TO GRADUALLY DISAPPEAR AND COME TO AN END.

3.TO EAVESDROP: TO INTENTIONALLY LISTEN TO THE PRIVATE

CONVERSATIONS OF OTHER PEOPLE HE STOOD OUTSIDE THE ROOM
EAVESDROPPING ON THEIR CONVERSATION.

4.TO PLUMMET: TO FALL DRAMATICALLY (E.G. FOR PRICES) THE PRICE

OF OIL CONTINUES TO PLUMMET AND HAS NOW REACHED AN ALL-TIME
LOW OF 50 CENTS A BARREL.

5. TO SLUMP: TO SUDDENLY OR DRAMATICALLY FALL (FOR

PRICES AND BUSINESS) WE WERE DOING VEL}' WELL FOR THE
FIRST THREE MONTHS OF THIS YEAR AND THEN, FOR NO
DISCERNIBLE REASON, OUR SALES SLUMPED.
6. TO PLUNGE: (I) TO FALL DRAMATICALLY (FOR PRICES AND
TEMPERATURES) (II) TO DIVE INTO WATER (III) TO MOVE
FORWARDS AND THEN FALL A LONG WAY DOWN THE
TEMPERATURE PLUNGED TO A RECORD LOW. HE PLUNGED
INTO THE SEA AND SWAM TOWARDS THE SHORE. THE CAR
CRASHED THROUGH THE BARRIER AND PLUNGED OVER THE
CLIFF
 VERBS

7.TO HURL: TO RO STH VIOLENTLY AND WITH GREAT FORCE,

OFTEN BECAUSE YOU ARE ANGRY HE WAS SENT OFF FOR
HURLING MUD AT THE REFEREE.

8.TO PELT: TO THROW STH AT SB AND HIT THEM WITH IT

[NOTE: TO PELT DOWN = TO RAIN HEAVILY] THEY PELTED
EACH OTHER WITH SNOWBALLS.

9.TO COUR: TO MAKE A THOROUGH SEARCH OF A PLACE OR

STH I SCOURED THE ENTIRE HOUSE LOOKING FOR MY WATCH.