When did “getting in touch” morph into “reaching out”

Apart from the French

Apparently the Dutch also have a language control board but they periodically review the language and change the grammar rules, so things you learned at school are no longer the case.  No-one keeps up to date with changes though, a bit like the Highway Code.

Language evolves

You just KNOW that anyone who says this one of these threads orders a coffee by saying “Can I get…”

It’s not just language change, it’s a lazy degradation of the language. ‘I was like…, he was like…’, ‘can I get…’, ‘I’m good’ just projects the speaker as not very bright, doesn’t read much and is unable to put together an interesting or funny sequence of sentences.

Utter tripe.  All this tells me is that you have a significant bias based on how someone speaks.   Many young people that I work with speak differently, have accents or include “like” in their sentences – it may come across as “not very bright” to you, but I can assure you, many of them are.    Many are simply unaware of how they speak until it’s pointed out to them.  When you do that, they change.  Alternatively, and what I see quite often is that when these “not very bright people” enter a new professional environment, they quickly (and unconsciously) change their style of speaking to match their new environment. I really hope you don’t get to interview people.

Have fond memories of American colleagues using it

I was working for a large American corporation, so was probably in the vanguard of reaching out.

All this tells me is that you have a significant bias based on how someone speaks

This is a real problem generally I think. Look at the difficulty someone like Angela Rayner has simply because so many are conditioned to hearing Etonian types in Government. Never judge someone’s value by the way they talk, only by what they’re actually expressing (equally the easier you make it for the listener the better, that’s obvious – but I think it should be more of a a 2-way thing).

Alternatively, and what I see quite often is that when these “not very bright people” enter a new professional environment, they quickly (and unconsciously) change their style of speaking to match their new environment.

Interesting example of that here – a tribunal ruled that an employee was unfairly dismissed for swearing / “banter” because the whole company culture had evolved to the point where it was completely accepted.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c5yml57lv0xo

You just KNOW that anyone who says this one of these threads orders a coffee by saying “Can I get…”

I don’t.

Just back from an agile sprint. Jolly good to see all the contributions expressed with great clarity, no split infinitives or grocer’s apostrophes.

Are the people that ‘reach out’ the same ones that walk in public shouting into the bottom of their horizontally held mobile phones whilst the recipient of the call is on speaker for all to hear? What happened to  putting the phone up to your ear?

I think we have The Apprentice to thank for that trend.

Not directed at anyone in particular because I get mildly annoyed by some of this stuff too, but in the words of James Hetfield (and Matthew a long time ago)

Before you judge me, take a look at you
Can’t you find something better to do?
Point the finger, slow to understand
Arrogance and ignorance go hand in hand

It’s not who you are, it’s who you know
Others’ lives are the basis of your own
Burn your bridges and build them back with wealth
Judge not, lest ye be judged yourself

Holier than thou
You are
Holier than thou
You are
You know not
Yeah, who the hell are you?
Yeah, you

Just back from an agile sprint. Jolly good to see all the contributions expressed with great clarity, no split infinitives or grocer’s apostrophes.

Given this is a conversation, the former would be just fine, especially in the context of modern language.  I occasionally get the latter wrong, not because I don’t know the difference, but because my fingers get carried away.  I’m often in a hurry and forget to proof read before submitting – it’s a flaw.

Probably about the time some one started using “old school”. Nearly as annoying as “for sure”

My work is full of this kind of bullshit these days – “can we sync on this”, “how are we showing up in this area” and “I’m going to double-click into this” are some of the worst I’ve heard quite a bit recently. Usually seems to be the kind of people whose only job seems to be setting unnecessary meetings to “run through a deck” that I’ve already seen a million times before.

ring fence the unicorn!

Reminds me, when the frig did a departmental meeting at work become a sodding “Town Hall”? My last 2 companies have used this stupid description. I bet its another **** Americanism

Yes, I worked for an American company and we had this, so those climbing the greasy pole could fellate the Senior Vice President. The same company cancelled its Christmas party because it hadn’t hit its sales target.

You just KNOW that anyone who says this one of these threads orders a coffee by saying “Can I get…”

one should never speaketh bollocks u no nuffink of da sort young man

Probably about the time some one started using “old school”. Nearly as annoying as “for sure”

back in the day, on page 2 of this very thread, bin dun.

Hey Nonny Nonny this thread is amaze balls!

If anyone wants the real solution, inbox me and I’ll download you.

when I was in senior posts at work on occasion I sent emails back to the author stating ” I don’t understand this, can I have an explanation please” if it was too full of jargon and nonsense