There Ought to be a Law

There ought to be a law against physicians (or anyone for that matter) who are "young" greeting their older patient with, "Hello young man!"  The only appropriate response:  "Eff off, junior."

jeffl, that’s snide ageism and should be pointed out to them. (It’s akin to sexism and therefore inappropriate these days)

There ought to be a law against the use of the word CONGRATS--spoken or on Facebook.  What's so hard about congratulations!??

Canned, insincere corporate/bureaucratic apologies that begin or end with "we apologize for any inconvenience"

there should be a very strong law against mother in law  giving her daughter in law any kind of personal advice about wight, skin, or anything else that a mother would give a daughter.  Even a simple statement of "your skin looks red"  should be punishable by exile. I can think of other examples where the guillotine would be appropriate.   If you want to give that advice, no matter how small, you'll need to go get your own daughter.  

How about companies that send birthday or holiday greetings over email or snail mail? It's a personal thing, not a business thing, so keep it to yourself, please.

I'm going to say any marketing/advertising person who decides to use "We Are..." in a catchphrase gets 3 months for the first offense and a year or more for further offenses.  Yes, I know "We Are Marshall" was an amazing movie.  But "We Are Popcorners" is not as heart-stirring and inspiring.

I’m sensing a lot of frustration and exasperation in the MOL universe...   

Using the phrase "cover off" at a meeting. The new business-speak. I don't even know WTH it means. Pretty sure the people who say it don't know either.

shoshannah said:
Using the phrase "cover off" at a meeting. The new business-speak. I don't even know WTH it means. Pretty sure the people who say it don't know either.

Can you use it in a sample sentence? I haven't heard it yet. I'm grateful that I don't work with anyone who uses stupid business buzzwords. I used to have a weekly meeting with a project manager, and I kept myself occupied by writing her buzzwords in the margin of my notebook.

Tom_Reingold said:

shoshannah said:
Using the phrase "cover off" at a meeting. The new business-speak. I don't even know WTH it means. Pretty sure the people who say it don't know either.

Can you use it in a sample sentence? I haven't heard it yet. I'm grateful that I don't work with anyone who uses stupid business buzzwords. I used to have a weekly meeting with a project manager, and I kept myself occupied by writing her buzzwords in the margin of my notebook.

 These are real quotes.

"We should have him cover it off at the top of the agenda."

"I’ll cover off on outstanding items."

"Do you think we can cover off on email and then raise it during Wednesday’s call?"

"I will cover off on projects before I fly."

"I will cover off with a list of priorities."

Wow. I don't know what it means, either. Put a lid on it?

Sounds like a way of saying get started, like taking the cover off something like a new can of coffee.

(Sometimes however I will take the cover off a storage container that's been in the fridge too long and it  can be eye-opening.)

sounds to me like a militaristic way of keeping things superficial. Looking like you’re doing something when you’re really not. Busy-work, in other words. 

Is that the sense you’re getting from the follow-through??

I’ve just done a google search for the phrase - it’s sometimes interesting lexicology to see the changes in phraseology. 

There’s a 2012 reference asking if it’s about uncovering or covering. Then there’s this reference, from 2016. And the meaning shows suss motives:

https://english.stackexchange.com/questions/334548/what-does-cover-off-mean-10067

Mutually providing excuses for inadequate action. IOW cover up.

There’s also this lovely reference:

http://bad-pr.blogspot.com/2008/08/********-bingo-5-cover-off.html

It's crazy. Don't you think it has different meanings in all of the above examples? I actually asked a client who uses the phrase often. I flat out told him that I had never heard it before and I wanted to be clear about what he meant. He said it meant to just address something minimally (to satisfy some people) then move on to the more important stuff. OK, but then he has used it many other times when that definition did not make any sense in the context. Also, most of the quotes above (from two different clients) don't fit that definition.

the comments in my last reference are very revealing - people who were unaware of the original use, now use it to underline or emphasise their need to discuss an agenda item *even if it’s brief - their need is more important than yours). The fact it’s minuted  or noted still accomplishes the cover-up. 

It might be useful to quietly point out the proper meaning of the phrase and suggest everyone just ‘covers’ stuff ‘moving forward’

Perhaps a misuse of "CYA"?

I'm glad I'm retired.  

Where I taught, the principal at meetings would always -- and I mean always, 'get a hook' on problems.

More business speak that crept into education a few years back: “we’ll put that in the parking lot for now”. 

Formerlyjerseyjack said:

Where I taught, the principal at meetings would always -- and I mean always, 'get a hook' on problems.

At my schools, only we students went the hooky route. 

annielou said:
More business speak that crept into education a few years back: “we’ll put that in the parking lot for now”. 

 My first thought was that we don't have room in our parking lot for anything else . . .

sprout said:
Perhaps a misuse of "CYA"?

 Nope. That's not it.

A post-script on my screed against "sorry for any inconvenience" etc.

I met someone for breakfast at an airport hotel recently and the food was so shockingly bad that I did something I almost never do, which is email a complaint to customer service.

I got back the canned "sorry for any inconvenience" message.  What inconvenience?  I didn't drive around looking for a second breakfast.  I didn't change hotels.  I wasn't even staying at the hotel, which I told them.  The food sucked in a memorable way, that's all. 

Waitress last night --- "Have WE decided what WE are having?"

I was gonna invite her to sit down an join us.