グレーゾーンのTOEIC単語

TOEICに頻出ではないですがいつ出てもおかしくない単語というものがあると思います。クーポンや商品券などを使う場合に使われる動詞redeemもその一つでしょう。ニューヨークタイムズの購読者の方はここ一週間以下のようなメールが来ていると思いますので、メールの文言は日によって多少変わることもあるようですが、REDEEM SPECIAL OFFER という表現が一つのメールに３回も使われていたのでredeemという単語についつい目がいきました。

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Redeemという動詞はなかなかなじみがない単語かもしれませんが、こういう売り込みの広告でREDEEM SPECIAL OFFERとあればある程度意味を推測できそうですね。

（英辞郎）
redeem a coupon
商品券を商品と引き換える
Redeem this coupon for a free cup of coffee.
このクーポン券と引き換えで、コーヒー1杯を無料サービスします。

（オックスフォード）
redeem something
to exchange something such as shares or vouchers for money or goods
This voucher can be redeemed at any of our branches.

（ロングマン）
redeem
get money for something
to exchange a piece of paper representing an amount of money for that amount of money or for goods equal in cost to that amount of money:
You can redeem the coupon at any store.

ちなみにvoucherやcouponを使う場合はこのredeem以外にはspendやuseが使われるようです。

ちょうどredeem those gift cardsという表現が使われているニュースがありました。今年の年末商戦は予測ほどよくなかったようで、手持ちのクーポンや商品券を使って売り上げに貢献して欲しいという趣旨のものでした。



December 27, 2013, 7: 52 AM
Why retailers want you to redeem those gift cards

Shoppers, many armed with gift cards, are flocking to stores in the days after Christmas to redeem them and return unwanted presents. There are more bargains to he had as retailers try to clear their shelves to make room for their spring lines, according to Bill Martin, founder of ShopperTrak, which tracks sales in bricks-and-mortar stores.

"Today is the number 7 shopping day of the year," he said in an interview Thursday. "It's important...They will be heavily promoting this weekend."

Retailers are eager for shoppers to redeem their gift cards because they don't count as revenue until that occurs. Many retailers such as Wal-Mart ( WMT) and Target (TGT) were expecting a tough holiday season and early indications are that's what happened. Data from MasterCard Advisers estimates that U.S. holiday sales rose 2.3 percent this year, a growth rate that the company considers to be "decent."

また、アメリカでは配送の遅れでクリスマス当日にプレゼントが届かないということが頻発したようです。配送会社のUPSは、配送が遅れたものにはrefundするそうですが。。。



December 27, 2013, 7: 54 AM
UPS promises shipping cost refunds to some customers after holiday backlog debacle

Neither UPS nor FedEx have said exactly how many customers were impacted by the holiday delays, but they've brought in extra people and they've rented extra trucks to deliver a late Christmas to a lot of angry customers.

UPS now promises to refund shipping costs to some customers who didn't get their Christmas packages on time. A UPS spokesperson says only air and international customers are eligible for refunds, Mark Strassman reported on "CBS This Morning." FedEx has apologized for the delays, but has yet to say what its refund policy will be.

And they're not the only ones trying to get back into the good graces of shoppers. Companies like Walmart, Amazon, and Kohl's are offering everything from full refunds on shipping charges, to free gift cards toward future purchases.

配達遅れはTOEICでもよく出るものですから、TOEIC学習者はこのようなニュースは楽に読み進められるのではないでしょうか。下記に抜粋した文章は同じ内容ですが、refundが動詞と名詞で使われていますね。

UPS promises shipping cost refunds to some customers
UPS now promises to refund shipping costs to some customers

to some customersとsomeがついているのは一部の顧客にしか返金されないから。その条件は以下の文で語っています。be eligible for…という表現はTOEICでもおなじみです。

only air and international customers are eligible for refunds

配達の遅れにはお詫びがつきもの、ここでthe delaysと複数形になっているのは各地で配達の遅れが発生しているからでしょう。refund policyなんてのもTOEIC学習者にはピンとくるものですね。

FedEx has apologized for the delays, but has yet to say what its refund policy will be.

配達の遅れでrefund以上のものを期待するのはTOEICの世界だけではないでしょう。Amazonなどはfree gift cards toward future purchasesを提供しているそうです。

Companies like Walmart, Amazon, and Kohl's are offering everything from full refunds on shipping charges, to free gift cards toward future purchases.

TOEICの世界観に合うニュース記事を配信してくれるサービスがあるとTOEIC学習者には有り難いかもしれませんね。