The meaning of 'portfolio'

Question

Hello.I'm not sure how many meanings the word 'portfolio' has.Recently, when I was solving a TOEIC question, I ran into the following sentence.Given our international portfolio, language skills will be a very big advantage.I couldn't understand what the word PORTFOLIO means in the sentence.Someone said it meant 'tendency,' but I'm not sure. My dictionaries don't have meaning like that.Does anyone can help me?

Usenet · Accepted Answer

[nq:1]I'm not sure how many meanings the word 'portfolio' has. Recently, when I was solving a TOEIC question, I ran ... said it meant 'tendency,' but I'm not sure. My dictionaries don't have meaning like that. Does anyone can help me?[/nq]
I'm not at all convinced that the word is used properly, but what was meant is that the business venture is international.
Others might be able to explain this better.

Skitt (in Hayward, California)
www.geocities.com/opus731/

Usenet · Answer

[nq:1]Hello. I'm not sure how many meanings the word 'portfolio' has. Recently, when I was solving a TOEIC question, I ... said it meant 'tendency,' but I'm not sure. My dictionaries don't have meaning like that. Does anyone can help me?[/nq]
One of the meanings of "portfolio" is a list of the stocks and bonds owned. An international portfolio would contain stocks and bonds of companies in several countries. The ability to read different languages would help in researching these companies. The research could be anything from reading financial articles in the newspapers to reading the company's annual report or prospectus.

Usenet · Answer

[nq:1]Recently, when I was solving a TOEIC question, I ran into the following sentence. Given our international portfolio, language skills will be a very big advantage. I couldn't understand what the word PORTFOLIO means in the sentence.[/nq]
British English commonly uses PORTFOLIO for

1. Specifically, the responsibility of a singlegovernment minister (e.g. Education, Railways)

2. Generally, a sphere of responsibility.

American English commonly uses PORTFOLIO for

3. The investments owned by one individual orcompany.
Your example could be case 2 (the company has
worldwide responsibilities) or case 3 (the company owns shares or businesses in several countries
besides its home country.)

Don Phillipson
Carlsbad Springs (Ottawa, Canada)

Usenet · Answer

[nq:1]I'm not sure how many meanings the word 'portfolio' has.[/nq]
Probably quite a few. Heaven knows why, we've got plenty of words to work with, but English seems to like assigning multiple meanings to words nearly as much as coming up with multiple words with roughly the same meaning.
[nq:1]Recently, when I was solving a TOEIC question, I ran into the following sentence. Given our international portfolio, language skills will be a very big advantage. I couldn't understand what the word PORTFOLIO means in the sentence.[/nq]
The meanings of "portfolio" cluster around the idea of a collection of things. An artist's portfolio is the selection of his art he shows around when looking for work (and hence the container he keeps it in, too). A cabinet minister's portfolio (Brit.) is the department he heads, that is, the collection of responsibilities he has. An investor's portfolio is the collection of stocks and things he owns (and a portfolio manager is the person he hires to take care of it for him).
"Our international portfolio" could be used in an investment context (they own investments in many countries). It could be said about a company or a department, meaning "we do business / have interests in many countries".
[nq:1]Someone said it meant 'tendency,' but I'm not sure. My dictionaries don't have meaning like that.[/nq]
"tendency" sounds all wrong to me.

David Dyer-Bennet, , RKBA: Pics: Dragaera/Steven Brust:

Usenet · Answer

Thanks for all who have replied my question!
Now I'm convinced that the word PORTFOLIO meant INVESTMENT in this case.

Have a good day!

Usenet · Answer

[nq:2]Hello. I'm not sure how many meanings the word 'portfolio' ... don't have meaning like that. Does anyone can help me?[/nq]
[nq:1]One of the meanings of "portfolio" is a list of the stocks and bonds owned. An international portfolio would contain ... The research could be anything from reading financial articles in the newspapers to reading the company's annual report or prospectus.[/nq]
I think the meaning meant was probably the "roster of clients" one, that should be dicced up if it isn't already, since I see it used all the time in service-sector PR-material-er-I-mean-strategic- communications.
ObPond: AmE "blue-chip corporations" are, of course, "blue-crisp firms" in BrE.

Ross Howard

The meaning of 'portfolio'

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