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Attack of the Corporate Weasel Words
theodp writes "Does it bother you that churches have a Mission Statement touting their Core Values? That even the CIA has a Vision? In his book Death Sentences: How Clichés, Weasel Words and Management-Speak are Strangling Public Language and in this Newsweek interview, Australian author Don Watson argues it's time to protest the mind-numbing business jargon that infests our schools, churches and political speech. Examples that people have sent to him can be found on Watson's website."
Is your sig supposed to look like spam?
Weasel Words
.In response to the question:"How are you" ? "I'm good"." Does anyone say "I'm bad" ? When someone says that he or she is good, the person could be asked if he or she has been bad recently, or if he or she is simply making a statement about his/her morals.' [from Paul Grant, Ontario]
Productivity gains is where workers have to work longer hour for less money and produce more products/outcomes. Productivity gains has nothing to do with developing new technology or buying latest technology, machinery, hardware or even software, because industry cannot incur such costs to their bottom line. If industry did invest in such areas it would not achieve the mystical productivity gains.
Choice - that which allows one to have more than one option if they have the financial resourses above and beyond one hundred thousand dollars. [from R.Conlon]
Anytime soon 'If something is going to happen soon, it is imminent. But if it is likely to occur anytime that seems to me to be inexact. Anytime might mean soon but also might mean in a hundred years. So I declare "anytime soon" weasel wordish.' [from Peter Hair]
Situated pedagogy 'I think that this means that how you teach depends a bit on where you teach. ' (From Dr Catherine Scott)
Time Poor 'This from,Gardening Australia magazine, June 2005, "People these days are time poor..." The article was referring to selling your house and recommended that the garden was immaculate, for the potential purchaser's satisfaction.
As if our parents and grandparents were not short of time after; milking the cow, lighting the lamps, washing by hand, chopping the wood, tending the livestock, walking rather than riding, writing error-free letters in long hand and queueing for work.
Today's time poor must have such a dreadful rush; flicking a switch, ordering online, driving everywhere, relaxing at the cafe, turning on a machine, editing at leisure on the computer and enjoying the benefits of industrial awards that protect their working conditions.[from Max Shooter & Charlie Myres]
Geo immobilised ' This morning on ABC 702, during a discussion about nuclear energy, a Greens MP (Ian Cohen?) used the term "Geo Immobilised" when describing the disposal of nuclear waste. What I think he meant to say was they bury it!' [from Murray Whitlocke-Jones] Does anyone have another interpretation? Email us if you do.
Poor Customer Service ' When used by a customer, this really means "you aren't giving me back my money even though I have used your product and discovered I don't like it."This is different from "good customer service", used by the merchant, who has busted a gut to get the right product in the customer's hands so the merchant doesn't have to hear customer complaints who discovered that he doesn't like the customer that he insisted on buying over the merchant's objections (only applies to independent retailers - sorry) [From Gerry Lewarne]
Outcome 'Heard on the ABC news. Describing the conclusion from a coronial inquest in regard to the death of a woman after an operation. It is concluded that the woman would have had a better outcome if something had been done sooner. She would have died later? Not as much? Or not at all? Presumably the latter.' [From Jeffrey McCubbery & Dr Chris Fyffe]
'The outcome was very, very unfortunate for the people involved.' Former Immigration Minister Philip Ruddock on ABC radio when asked about the Cornelia Rau and Vivian Alvarez cases.
Socialisation 'Used in the context of communicating information to people in order to get their feedback and/or approval. In my workplace, people say things like "we need to socialise this idea with the management team" - too bizarre. [from Vanessa Petterson]
How are you? I'm good: '
For your convenience: 'Heard on a Virgin flight from Brisbane to Sydney: "for your convenience, the cabin will be pressurised". How about, "so you don't die, the cabin will be pressurised" or just, "the cabin will be
Then there's his Uncle Dick Cheney - who avoided military service altogether but wants everyone to die in Iraq and elsewhere. What a guy! (OK - I realize this is slightly off topic....)