公司里的称呼因为不同的公司文化氛围而有所不同。有的公司严肃正式，称呼一律要带上“先生、女士”等字样，有的则很宽松，直呼名字就可以了。我们来看看F公司里的称呼习惯。

F: Welcome aboard!

欢迎你来本公司工作！

C: Thank you, I'm delighted to be working here, Mr. Buchwald.

谢谢。我很高兴能来这里上班，布奇华先生。

F: Call me Buck¹, will you? My name is Reginald Buchwald but everybody calls me Buck. It's easier.

叫我布客就可以了。我的全名是雷奇纳客·布奇华，但是大家都叫我布客。这样比较方便。

C: I'd prefer to call you Mr. Buchwald. Isn't it rather disrespectful to make a nickname² out of one's family name?

我更愿意称呼您布奇华先生。用别人的姓做昵称，不是很不礼貌吗？

F: Well, President Eisenhower was known as Ike. Everybody in this company all the way up and down the line is called by his or her first name.

嗯，艾森豪威尔总统也被呢称为艾克。我们公司的上上下下都是直呼每个人的姓。

F: It's been our tradition ever since the company was small. And don't worry about the 'disrespectful' business. OK?

在我们公司规模很小的时候这就已经形成传统。不要担心不礼貌的事了，好吗？

C: I'll try.

我会试试看。

F: Good. But when there are outsiders, like business people from other companies, it might be good to address your higher-ups as Mr., Ms. or whatever is appropriate. To those outside the company, it may be interpreted³ as a sign of flippancy⁴ or lax discipline. Get it?

好。不过。如果有外人在时，比如其他公司的人，最好能称呼你的上司为先生、女士或任何适当的称谓。对外人而言，我们的习惯可能会是轻率的和纪律松懈的表现。明白吗？

C: Yes, sir.

是的，先生。

F: (Laughing) And don't 'sir' me either. Now I'll show you your private office.

（笑着说）也不要叫我先生。现在，我带你去看你的私人办公室。