American Jargon American Jargon and and

Baffling IdiomsBaffling Idioms

What are some examples of language What are some examples of language proliferation in American Englishproliferation in American English ? ?

Old TermsOld Terms

Personnel DirectorPersonnel Director

Someone who is in Someone who is in charge of charge of InsuranceInsurance

Salesperson Salesperson

New TermsNew Terms

Director of Human Director of Human ResourcesResourcesDirector of Risk Director of Risk ManagementManagement

Account Manager; Account Manager; Service Service RepresentativeRepresentative

Why is American English so Why is American English so proliferated? proliferated?

Because it is full of:Because it is full of:

buzzwords, cusswords, puns, gags, buzzwords, cusswords, puns, gags, show biz zingers, hyperbole, show biz zingers, hyperbole, euphemisms, Latinisms, local colors, euphemisms, Latinisms, local colors, jargons, slang, and officialese. jargons, slang, and officialese.

What does the sentence mean: What does the sentence mean: ““ It is It is clear that America faces a clear that America faces a communications crisis that neither communications crisis that neither Berlitz nor bytes alone can solveBerlitz nor bytes alone can solve”” ? ?

What’s the meaning of the following idioms?What’s the meaning of the following idioms? As nervous as a long-tailed catAs nervous as a long-tailed cat

in a room full of rocking chairsin a room full of rocking chairs

Flat as a pancakeFlat as a pancake

Safe as Fort KnoxSafe as Fort Knox

Old as MethuselahOld as Methuselah

Funny as a rubber crutchFunny as a rubber crutch

Raining cats and dogsRaining cats and dogs

Flying by the seat of your pantsFlying by the seat of your pants

Coming up rosesComing up roses

Make wavesMake waves

Keep a low profileKeep a low profile

Leave someone out in left fieldLeave someone out in left field

Ballpark figureBallpark figure

Get to first baseGet to first base

Play for all the marblesPlay for all the marbles

A whole new ball gameA whole new ball game

Get someone into hot waterGet someone into hot water

DonDon’’t t ““FrenchifyFrenchify”” your American your American pronunciation. pronunciation.

DonDon’’t show off by using the Latin/Greek t show off by using the Latin/Greek equivalent of English equivalent of English expressionsexpressions, such , such as as per seper se,, ad hoc ad hoc, , quid pro quoquid pro quo, and , and a a prioripriori, unless you are in the field of , unless you are in the field of religion or law.religion or law.

Reasons: Reasons:

You may misuse or overuse them.You may misuse or overuse them.

You may embarrass your non-native You may embarrass your non-native English-speaking associates.English-speaking associates.

You may mispronounce them.You may mispronounce them.

You may make grammatical mistakes You may make grammatical mistakes when using them.when using them.

Other points about “how” to say things:Other points about “how” to say things:

Tame the down-home accent and Tame the down-home accent and word choices.word choices.Beware of drawls and twangs.Beware of drawls and twangs.Speak at normal speedSpeak at normal speed——not too fast not too fast and not too slow.and not too slow.Try to repeat sometimes.Try to repeat sometimes.Respect the Respect the ““silent periodsilent period”” among the among the Japanese during business meetings.Japanese during business meetings.Keep in mind that your words may be Keep in mind that your words may be taken literally by your foreign taken literally by your foreign counterpart.counterpart.

JargonsJargons

Most jargons die out quickly. Most jargons die out quickly. Using yesterdayUsing yesterday’’s buzzword today is s buzzword today is as fatal a career move as rolling a as fatal a career move as rolling a Hula Hoop to the office.Hula Hoop to the office.Jargons donJargons don’’t always come from the t always come from the high-tech heritage, some low-tech high-tech heritage, some low-tech words that have been around a long words that have been around a long time and have been studied by time and have been studied by foreigners may be a challenge for foreigners may be a challenge for native speakers to understand. native speakers to understand.

Coast SpeakCoast Speak

A lot of idiomatic expressions in A lot of idiomatic expressions in American English come from American English come from California. California.

For example: For example: ““shareshare”” the life story the life story with youwith you

““consciousness-raisingconsciousness-raising””

““workshopworkshop”” on anything on anything

the use of the verb: the use of the verb: taketake a meeting, a meeting, do do drugs, drugs, flowflow……

General Confusion in CommandGeneral Confusion in Command

Jargons used in the military and the Jargons used in the military and the space program affect the way people space program affect the way people use the language.use the language.

“ “reentry”reentry”

“ “burnout”burnout”

“ “abort”abort”

“ “facility”—”a relief facility”facility”—”a relief facility”

OxymoronOxymoron

Jumbo shrimpJumbo shrimp

Metal wood (golf)Metal wood (golf)

Fair taxFair tax

Epic miniseriesEpic miniseries

Guest hostGuest host

Bitter sweetnessBitter sweetness

““laptop”laptop”

““desktop publication”desktop publication”

““read my lips”read my lips”

““spin doctor”spin doctor”

““catastrophic health insurance”catastrophic health insurance”

Business SlangBusiness Slang

““hog heaven”hog heaven”

““gridlock”gridlock”

““leveraged buyouts”leveraged buyouts”

““number crunching”number crunching”

““power lunch/breakfast”power lunch/breakfast”

The You Nobody KnowsThe You Nobody Knows

Avoid using expletives (swear words) Avoid using expletives (swear words) or slang expressions that have the or slang expressions that have the four-letter words connotation (e.g. “ four-letter words connotation (e.g. “ smart ass”) even when the business smart ass”) even when the business seems to be officially over. seems to be officially over.

Avoid the usual ephemera such as Avoid the usual ephemera such as “with it,” “go for it,” and “no way,” “with it,” “go for it,” and “no way,” even “scratch the sushi."even “scratch the sushi."

OfficialeseOfficialeseAcronyms should be avoided. Unless Acronyms should be avoided. Unless everybody knows what you are everybody knows what you are shortening, the best policy is to say the shortening, the best policy is to say the words out one by one. words out one by one.

““Found Under Carnal Knowledge”Found Under Carnal Knowledge”

APEC—APEC—Asia Pacific Economic Asia Pacific Economic CooperationCooperation

OPEC—OPEC—The Organization of Petroleum The Organization of Petroleum Exporting CountriesExporting Countries

ILGWUILGWU

ASCAPASCAP

Leave the Locals LocalLeave the Locals Local

Don’t imitate your host’s accent even Don’t imitate your host’s accent even though it is intended as a friendly though it is intended as a friendly joke or compliment.joke or compliment.

Never try to get a chuckle at the Never try to get a chuckle at the expense of the national cuisine or expense of the national cuisine or architecture or government. architecture or government.

Words and GrammarWords and GrammarExaggeration and Euphemism can be Exaggeration and Euphemism can be taken literally.taken literally.

“ “fantastic” “fabulous” “disaster”fantastic” “fabulous” “disaster”

“ “idiot” “slave driver”idiot” “slave driver”

“ “powder room” “comfort station”powder room” “comfort station”

GrammarGrammar

“ “I couldn’t read hardly a word of I couldn’t read hardly a word of your contract.”your contract.”

Me Tarzan, You JaneMe Tarzan, You Jane

Never go on to the next point until the Never go on to the next point until the last one is thoroughly understood. But last one is thoroughly understood. But never speak condescendingly, either.never speak condescendingly, either.

Ways of checking comprehension:Ways of checking comprehension:

“ “It’s a complicated subject. Did I go It’s a complicated subject. Did I go too fast?”too fast?”

“ “Sometimes I speak too quickly. Shall Sometimes I speak too quickly. Shall I I go over that again?”go over that again?”

Other Languages, Other Languages, Other MisunderstandingsOther Misunderstandings

Am EnglishAm English British EnglishBritish English

KnickersKnickers plus foursplus fours

At the end of the day At the end of the day Sth. will never be doneSth. will never be done

BacklogBacklog

(a list of order waiting (a list of order waiting (a hopelessly (a hopelessly

to be filled) to be filled) overstocked inventory) overstocked inventory)

TablingTabling an item at a meeting an item at a meeting

(put the discussion off) (put the discussion off) have the discussionhave the discussion

Am EnglishAm English British English British English

Fill him inFill him in

(provide him with (provide him with (hit someone(hit someone

some info.) some info.) over the head)over the head)

My presentation bombed.My presentation bombed.

failure failure a great successa great success

In SpainIn Spain: :

Discuss Discuss argue argue

“ “discutirdiscutir””

Support Support financial aid financial aid

Embarrassed Embarrassed pregnant pregnant

“ “Estoy embarazadoEstoy embarazado””

In FranceIn France::

DemandDemand ask ask

ActualActual present present

In JapanIn Japan::

YouYou very rude to address very rude to address someone directlysomeone directly

No No There is no real “no” There is no real “no” in the Japanese lg. in the Japanese lg.

“ “Our thinking is in parallel.”Our thinking is in parallel.” We are in disagreement. We are in disagreement.