Whether we say it to impress or because we can’t think of the plain-English meaning, our use of nonsensical business jargon is on the up, much to the irritation of our peers.
Nearly half of Britons say the use of such terms is on the rise, helped by today’s economic conditions given that ‘Credit Crunch’ is on the list of the most common.
But the two-word term, used to define the dearth of credit, is a lot less irksome than other, traditional ‘buffling’ business terms like ‘Touch Base’ and ‘Going Forward.’
Ranked second and fourth respectively in a poll of the worst business bufflers, these phrases trail the most despised one in the UK today - ‘Thinking Outside of the Box.’
Yet one fifth of us say airing this term or other business howlers, like ‘Blue Sky’ or ‘360˚’ thinking, has had or will have a positive impact on our career, the poll of 2,035 adults found.
Such speakers risk annoying people in Liverpool or the North West regions, where 70% of respondents found such speak “very irritating,” says the poll by YouGov.
Commissioned by Ramada Encore Hotels, the poll found people in the East Midlands were the biggest bufflers, where one in six said they use management-speak regularly.
‘Heads up’ and ‘Flag it up’ both made it on the list, and were more despised than the more obscure ‘Pushing the Envelope’, says the poll, obtained by the Daily Telegraph.
Suggesting some of us forget to leave business-speak at the office, nearly half of the working respondents admitted to buffling in their own home and among their friends.
Nov 28, 2008
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