Contents
=> “More New Business English,” - vocab and exercise by Matthew McMillion
=> “A Messy Russian Hotel Brochure” - a correction activity
=> “I Knowed It!” - commentary by Dr. Flavio Lanuginoso
=> In the Next Issues

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More New Business English” by Matthew McMillion
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Here is some More up-to-date corporate lingo from our friend and Russophile Matthew McMillion.

Directions:
The following expressions were all spoken during a one-hour business meeting at a prestigious software company in California. Most of these expressions are common outside of the business arena too.

Match the expressions with the definitions that follow. (Answers below)

A. “sitting pretty”
B. “chance for overlap”
C. “tried and true”
D. “cookie-cutter approach”
E. “time to market”
F. “on the table”
G. “cross your t’s and dot your i’s”

definitions
1. make sure your work is accurate
2. something that has been proven to work effectively.
3. currently in the process of negotiation
4. chance that two or more products or services are doing
the same thing, in one or more areas.
5. in a good position; e.g. the company and/or its products look very attractive to customers
6. the amount of time for a company to have a product or service ready for sale to their customers.
7. a plan characterised by sameness and lack of creativity

Matthew McMillion works in law enforcement in California. He’s interested in Russia, and in going to Russia to teach someday. You can write to him at matthew_mcmillion@yahoo.com<>

Anwers
A (5) “sitting pretty” = in a good position; e.g. the company and/or its product look very attractive to customers.

B (4) “chance for overlap” = chance that two or more products or services are doing the same thing, in one or more areas.

C (2) “tried and true” = something that has proven to work effectively.

D (7) “cookie-cutter approach” = a plan characterised by sameness and lack of creativity.

E (6) “time to market” = the amount of time for a company to have a product
or service ready for sale to their customers.

F (3) “on the table” = currently in the process of negotiation.

G (1) “cross your t’s and dot your i’s” = make sure your work is accurate.

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“The Messy Russian Hotel Brochure” - correction activity by Kevin
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Here are some excerpts from a hotel brochure that I picked up in Russia. But I won’t say the name of this fine Kamchatkan hotel.

directions for teachers
Write these sentences on the board. Then ask tudents (perhaps in pairs) to
re-write them. Re-writing doesn’t only mean correcting mistakes, but also improving the language so that is more readable and comprehensible. What exactly do are these sentences supposed to mean? Re-write them to make the meaning clear.

Afterwards the class may discuss which changes are the best.

1. “Frequent guests accommodate in the same rooms, as if they are attached to them.”

2. “You will never be refused of help in resolving your problems even if they are hard to resolve.”

3. “The hotel has been working since 1973.”

4. “Please make no noise at the hotel.”

5. “Please, do not leave strangers in your room.”

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“I Knowed It!” - commentary by Flavio Lanuginoso
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What’s the “correct” past form of the verb “see?” What about “know?” On vacation in California, in the last 24 hours, I have heard on the radio these forms of the past:

“I seen him”
“I knowed him.”

When I return to Italy, how will I explain these usages to my students? Well, I will say that not everybody speaks the standard form of English all the time. It’s true, isn’t it?

It is a little dangerous always to think of about “correct” and “incorrect.”

Dr Lanuginoso is professor of Linguistics and Merrymaking at Dritto University of Piza, Italy.

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In the Next Issue
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Issue #66 (around August 17, 2004):
“Tons of Ways to say ‘A lot’”

How to translate “Remont” into English

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Copyright 2004 Kevin McCaughey & I.M. Poosheesty
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