人在英國學英語 之一: accountability

今天開了一天的會，是關於 management 和 leadership 的主題。除了 在小組討論中認識了一些其它部門的中層 和 蹭了頓免費午餐外，最大的收獲便是學了一個新單詞 accountability. 這個詞在今天的會議上是個熱門詞，我當時琢磨了好一會它的意思。從詞根 account 來看，它好像跟‘解釋/說明’有關，但是從上下文來看又不大像。

回來一查，原來 accountability 就是 responsibility 的意思，還有 liability or answerability for something。它的同義詞有 liability, answerability, culpability, responsibility，看來它的詞根 account 跟 answer 還是有點關係的。

Tips: To account for something is to take responsibility or to answer for something. When you are accountable for something, you must answer for it, account for it, or take responsibility for it.

例句：
We don’t have enough accountability in the creative department; no one wants to take responsibility for unacceptable ad concepts. (answerability, responsibility)

How can we account for all the business we lost last month when we meet with the board of directors next Monday? (answer) verb

You're not my boss; I'm not accountable to you. (answerable) adjective

The consumer advocacy group demanded greater accountability from the big energy company. (liability, answerability)

詞霸把 Accountability System 翻譯成‘問責製’。

[shengjinbiao]

也祝你春節快樂。

[林貝卡]

寫得好，學會了accountability的用法，謝謝分享。

祝你春節快樂。