Pippa and Phil dive into the spicy world of business jargon, focusing on expressions about delays. They explore phrases like 'putting something on the back burner' and 'parking something,' revealing the complexities of prioritizing tasks. The duo discusses how these terms illustrate the nuances of workplace communication and procrastination. Their engaging chat also teases future insights on vocabulary related to success, inviting listeners to reflect on their own use of jargon.
Common phrases like 'putting something on the back burner' reflect the nuanced approach to prioritizing and postponing work tasks at the office.
Expressions such as 'kicking the can down the road' highlight a tendency to defer addressing issues, often complicating future resolutions.
Deep dives
Understanding Business Jargon Related to Delays
Several common phrases are used in the workplace to discuss delays and their implications. Phrases such as 'putting something on the back burner' and 'parking something' convey the idea of postponing or deprioritizing tasks for a later time. For instance, when a boss suggests that a project be parked, it indicates that the focus will shift away from that project momentarily, with the possibility of revisiting it later. These expressions often reflect a nuanced understanding of urgency and can sometimes serve as polite ways to signal that a task is of lower priority.
Phrases That Indicate Ongoing Delays
In addition to expressions that suggest pausing work, there are phrases that describe the act of perpetually delaying tasks. Terms like 'putting something off' and 'kicking the can down the road' indicate a tendency to defer action rather than address issues directly. For example, 'kicking the can down the road' implies that a problem is not being resolved but merely postponed, suggesting future consequences. Similarly, 'kicking something into the long grass' describes a strategy of delaying discussion on a topic with the hope of it being forgotten, which can often be observed in political contexts.
Pippa and Phil talk about some common business jargon that is used to talk about delays and priorities at work.
Find a full transcript for this episode and more programmes to help you with your English at: https://www.bbc.co.uk/learningenglish/english/features/business-jargon/241125
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