We've all been there, staring at the wall behind the boss' head as you try to look like you're listening intently. It's like being back at school again. What you didn't get in school to make the experience more bearable was Buzzword Bingo however! Next time you're in a meeting, print off the PDF file that's linked to on the right-hand side of this page. Bring it in and tick off the meaningless bits of jargon that the boss picked up from watching Wall Street once too many times. You get extra points when you hear a euphemism like "downsizing" (this bears the same relationship to sacking people as ethnic cleansing does to genocide). Extra points are also awarded for when a phrase is needlessly appropriated from American military usage or a Vietnam film. Similarly, keep an eye out for sporting phrases appropriated into the corporate framework. Here's another spin on the game. You may like to see how many of these naff, lazy phrases you can jam into conversation before you get caught. For more on the delightful language use that is employed in companies all over the Thames Valley, check out the management-speak feature in the Voices section. | 
