付款Payment

又要逾期付款！賣方說什么也不能讓它發生，但談好的生意有如煮熟的鴨子，千萬不能讓它飛了。于是雙方得協議一套付款的方式。

英文正文

A: We are having a little trouble selling the goods, so we want to ask if we could defer payment until the end of the month.

B:I can't accept that, because this will be the second time you have not met the agreed-upon payment schedule. I will get in trouble if I let you defer again.

A: OK. Would it be alright if we make the initial payment in two weeks, then pay in one-month installments after that?

B: I'll have to check with my manager, but I think it will be alright if you promise there will be no more delays after that.

A: I give you my word that payments will be made on time from now on. And I will make the initial payment a lump sum payment of half the total.

B: That is even better. I'll phone you tomorrow to let you know what my manager says.

句型總結
●　我不能接受
1. I can't accept that.
2. I'm afraid I can't agree with you on that.
3. I couldn't agree with you less.

"accept"在此的解釋等于"agree"，是‘（心中）接受’的意思。這個句型表示不同意，語氣強硬，如在句前加上"I'm afraid..."則有緩和的作用。

短語解說
defer payment 延付貨款
"defer" ‘延緩延期’。‘延期付款’是指賣方于貨物裝運出口之后，將有關的貨運單據寄給買方，買方經過一段時期之后，再支付貨款。這種方式對賣方風險太大，因此除非買方信譽卓著，或是賣方在進口當地設有分公司，收款較方便外，極少采用。

meet the agreed-upon payment schedule 依約定的
"schedule",‘時間表’；"payment schedule"是‘預定付款的時間’。"agreed-upon"則是從動詞詞組"agree upon"（同意）轉化而來的，意思是‘彼此約定好的、協議好的’，而"meet the schedule"意思是‘按時間表進行、趕得上進度’。故"meet the agreed-upon schedule"是指買方按照雙方所約定的付款時間交款。

initial payment 頭期款
"initial"‘最初的、開頭的’。"initial payment"是指分期付款一開始所付的頭期款。

lump sum payment 一次付款
"lump"，‘塊’；"sum"，‘數量’。"lump sum"是商業專用語，等于"lump sum payment"，簡稱為"I.S."。是指不論金額多寡都一次付款，常見于包工工程契約等。是"installment"的反義詞。