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  • Alisha: Hi, everybody! Welcome back!

  • My name is Alisha, and I'm joined again by

  • Michael: Michael. Hello!

  • Alisha: And today, we're going to be talking about must-know business buzzwords.

  • Let's get right into it.

  • Michael, what is your first buzzword that we must know?

  • Michael: First thing I thought of with buzzwords wassynergy.”

  • This, I think, is the archetype buzzword that you probably shouldn't use, in my opinion,

  • because it doesn't really mean much, so it's a little bit ambiguous.

  • The rest of the buzzwords I chose, I think, are really useful ones that you're going to

  • use in everyday life, but this one, first thing that came to mind, but it just means

  • kind of working together.

  • But it sounds much more powerful, more exciting, right?

  • Alisha: Yeah, it really just means to work together with someone else or to work together

  • as part of a group like, “We have good synergy.”

  • I think it's a sentence that you might hear, that it just means you work well together,

  • but it's one of those words that sounds, it sounds fancier than it really is but the true

  • meaning isn't so.

  • Michael: And it's overused, too, right?

  • Right?

  • Alisha: Yes.

  • Synergy.

  • Michael: What about you?

  • What's your word?

  • Alisha: Let's see.

  • What I shall choose for my first one.

  • You can use two words in this phrase.

  • I heargoing forwardormoving forward,” which means just the next step or what you're

  • going to do in the future; your future plans or your future ideas.

  • But I hear it in planning meetings, for example, maybe like, “So, going forward, we expect

  • blah, blah, blah,” orMoving forward, this is what we'd like to do.”

  • Just say, “In the future.”

  • I don't know why, butgoing forwardormoving forwardsounds kind of like

  • a buzzword to me.

  • Michael: I'm pretty sure they choose these kinds of word.

  • They have to choose everything they use very carefully to give the right impression.

  • Going forwardsounds like you're making progress even if you're firing people and

  • your business is going down.

  • Well, you're going forward, you're going in the right direction.

  • Maybe a lot of these buzzwords are a good way to kind of sugarcoat bad news or to make

  • good news sound even better, right?

  • Alisha: Not all business buzzwords are bad, I don't think.

  • But anyway, going forward.

  • Michael: This is a good one, and you use this in everyday life, too.

  • Think outside the box.”

  • I think this is good.

  • This is, I would just say, like an idiom.

  • Synergy,” I don't feel like it qualifies as an idiom or something.

  • It's been overused to where you probably shouldn't use it, butthink outside the boxhas

  • been used so much that it's now part of our everyday vocabulary, and it just means that

  • in the box means doing what you're supposed to do, doing what you've been told to do,

  • what's the norm, that kind of thing.

  • And if you think outside the box, it's being creative, having a new idea, having something

  • that's never been thought before, not within your realm.

  • Alisha: Yeah, I think I agree.

  • That has usually a positive image, at least for me.

  • I would say maybe the phrase is guilty of overuse.

  • People will say, “Think outside the box,” like, “Yeah, I know.”

  • I think, at least in American business culture, I think maybe in my case, you're kind of raised

  • expecting to think outside the box, expecting to have new ideas, so you kind of already

  • feel like you're supposed to be doing that.

  • But it is a good thing to keep in mind.

  • But I think that's a good phrase.

  • You can use that in business settings or in just regular settings, as well casual conversations.

  • Let's see for my next one, I guess I will choose this one just because I feel like it's

  • overused.

  • This word isrobust.”

  • I feel like you can throw inrobustjust about anywhere you feel like a word needs

  • an extra emphasis or something just needs a little extra push like, “We have a robust

  • plan.”

  • I hear politicians use this word a lot, as well as business people, but robust is just

  • an emphasizer, really.

  • In my mind, it has kind ofat least, for methe image of strength, like doing something

  • really, really well or it's very thought through.

  • But it's just sort of an empty word to me, like to have a “robust planor we have

  • a “robust programor whatever.

  • And shouldn't your plan be good?

  • Or shouldn't your program be good?

  • It's a little bit silly to say that again, but that's kind of a buzzwordy buzzword thing

  • for me.

  • Do you get that nuance from the wordrobust?”

  • It just feels sort of empty to me.

  • Michael: Yeah, to meRobust…I don't know.

  • Alisha: Okay.

  • Maybe that's just me then.

  • Michael: I was trying to think of something.

  • Alisha: Maybe that's just me.

  • Okay, what do you have?

  • What's your next one?

  • Michael: Let's see.

  • This one is pretty good.

  • My next phrase istouch base.”

  • This is something again you'll hear inside and outside of the business world, and this

  • just means to keep in touch, to make contact.

  • A lot of times, when you're making plans and you're sending emails back and forth, blah,

  • blah, blah. you will say, “Let's touch base.

  • Let's touch base next week,” orWhen you find out, please touch base with me.”

  • Something like that.

  • Or if you're not really sure, you can also sayKeep in contact or keep in touch.”

  • Something like that.

  • Alisha: While we were talking about it, I was actually trying to imagine or trying to

  • think about why this phrase istouch base,” and for a second, I thought it might be baseball-related,

  • but that doesn't make sense.

  • It's not like people come together in baseball and touch the same base at any point but I

  • was thinking about the children's game.

  • A hide-and-seek, is it?

  • Maybe, it's tag, where everybody has to come to one designated base like headquarters for

  • the game, and if they touch base, they're safe.

  • That's kind of like the meeting point, so I'm guessing that in this way, maybebase

  • is kind of the meeting point where everybody involved in a project, everybody working together

  • on something can come together and talk about something, but we use it to meanlet's

  • share information.”

  • I like that phrase, actually.

  • Do you have a negative image of this phrase?

  • Michael: No, only the first one that I used was negative.

  • I think the rest is that I try to choose ones that were more positive, but most of them

  • kind of have the negative connotations, likerobustandsynergy,” that kind

  • of thing.

  • Alisha: “Touch baseis a good one, though.

  • I liketouch base.”

  • It's okay.

  • Michael: What's another word?

  • Alisha: I've chosen the wordleverage.”

  • Leverage is a very buzzy buzzwordy term.

  • It just means to take advantage of something.

  • Like, “We're going to leverage our position in the market to get more sales.”

  • It just means to take advantage of something else.

  • But, when you use the wordleverage,” as a verb in this way, it sounds so I can

  • leverage our relationship with our client company or whatever.

  • It's like, I don't know, especially in a sentence like that, saying you're going to leverage

  • your relationship with somebody else, it sounds like taking advantage of somebody.

  • I don't really like that word.

  • Michael: It's like kidnapping: “I have leverage.”

  • There's some sort of...

  • Alisha: Yeah.

  • I don't really like the nuance of that phrase, I guess.

  • Anything else?

  • Any other things you want to throw out there?

  • Idioms, business buzzwords?

  • Michael: That's pretty much it.

  • Let's touch base next video.

  • Alisha: Good one.

  • Michael: See you. Bye.

  • Alisha: Bye! Thanks very much!

  • We'll see you again next time.

Alisha: Hi, everybody! Welcome back!

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A2 alisha michael robust base touch leverage

English Topics - Must-Know Business Buzzwords

  • 14 2
    林宜悉 posted on 2020/07/03
Video vocabulary

Keywords

sort

US /sɔrt/

UK /sɔ:t/

  • verb
  • To arrange things in a systematic way, typically into groups.
  • To arrange things in groups according to type.
  • To organize things by putting them into groups
  • To deal with things in an organized way
  • noun
  • A category of things or people with a common feature; a type.
  • Group or class of similar things or people
phrase

US /frez/

UK /freɪz/

  • other
  • To express something in a particular way.
  • To express something in a particular way.
  • noun
  • A short expression that is commonly used.
  • A group of words that form a conceptual unit, though not a complete sentence.
  • A musical unit, often part of a larger melody.
  • Common expression or saying
  • A short expression that is commonly used.
  • A group of words that form a conceptual unit, though not necessarily a complete sentence.
  • Section of musical notes in a piece of music
  • A set of words used together
  • verb
  • To choose words to say what you mean clearly
progress

US /ˈprɑɡˌrɛs, -rəs, ˈproˌɡrɛs/

UK /'prəʊɡres/

  • noun
  • Act of moving forward
  • verb
  • To move forward or toward a place or goal
  • other
  • To move forward or onward; advance.
  • To advance or develop towards a better state.
  • To make progress; develop or improve.
  • other
  • Advancement or development towards an improved or more advanced condition.
  • The process of improving or developing something over a period of time.
  • Advancement or improvement in development, skills, or knowledge.
  • Forward or onward movement towards a destination.
  • other
  • To cause to advance or develop.
term

US /tɚm/

UK /tɜ:m/

  • noun
  • A condition under which an agreement is made.
  • Conditions applying to an agreement, contract
  • A fixed period for which something lasts, especially a period of study at a school or college.
  • Each of the quantities in a ratio, series, or mathematical expression.
  • A limited period of time during which someone holds an office or position.
  • Length of time something is expected to happen
  • The normal period of gestation.
  • A way in which a person or thing is related to another.
  • Fixed period of weeks for learning at school
  • The (precise) name given to something
  • A word or phrase used to describe a thing or express a concept, especially in a particular kind of language or subject.
  • other
  • Give a specified name or description to.
  • verb
  • To call; give a name to
vocabulary

US /voˈkæbjəˌlɛri/

UK /və'kæbjələrɪ/

  • noun
  • Words that have to do with a particular subject
  • The body of words used in a particular language.
  • The words that a person knows
  • other
  • The range of words known to or used by a particular person or group of people.
positive

US /ˈpɑzɪtɪv/

UK /ˈpɒzətɪv/

  • adjective
  • Completely certain or sure that something is correct or true
  • Showing agreement or support for something
  • Favorable or advantageous.
  • Being sure about something; knowing the truth
  • Indicating the presence of a disease or condition.
  • Carrying a positive electric charge
  • Having the charge produced by electrons
  • Having a good effect; helpful or useful
  • Being good or useful
  • Expressing a quality without comparison
  • Greater than zero
  • Showing the presence of a particular substance, disease, or condition
  • Feeling sure that something good will happen; optimistic
  • Showing a photographic image in natural colors or shades.
  • Showing that a chemical is present in a test
  • noun
  • A photograph in which the tones correspond to those of the original subject.
  • A photograph in which light areas are light and dark areas are dark
negative

US /ˈnɛɡətɪv/

UK /'neɡətɪv/

  • adjective
  • Pessimistic or unfavorable.
  • Unfavorable or critical.
  • Harmful or undesirable.
  • Carrying a negative electric charge.
  • Expressing or containing a negation or denial.
  • Being harmful, unwanted or unhelpful
  • Less than zero.
  • In mathematics, being less than zero
  • Less than zero.
  • Focusing on the bad aspects; pessimistic
  • Indicating the absence of something, such as a disease or condition.
  • Expressing disagreement or refusal.
  • Indicating the absence of a particular condition, substance, or organism.
  • Expressing or signifying negation, refusal, or denial.
  • noun
  • The opposite to a positive electrical charge
  • In grammar, containing words such as 'no' or 'not'
  • Reply to a question or statement that means 'no'
  • Image on camera film used to make a photo
  • A reversed image on a transparent base, used to make positive prints.
  • A refusal, denial, or rejection.
  • A negative statement or response.
advantage

US /ædˈvæntɪdʒ/

UK /əd'vɑ:ntɪdʒ/

  • noun
  • A condition or circumstance that puts one in a favorable or superior position.
  • Thing making the chance of success higher
  • Benefit or profit gained from something.
  • A positive point about something
  • other
  • Benefit resulting from some course of action.
  • other
  • To make use of something, especially to further one's own position; exploit.
strength

US /strɛŋkθ, strɛŋθ, strɛnθ/

UK /streŋθ/

  • noun
  • Condition of being strong
  • Power or effectiveness gained by a large group of people or things.
  • The number of people in an organization or group.
  • The number of people in a group or organization.
  • A good or beneficial quality or attribute of a person or thing.
  • other
  • The degree or intensity of something.
  • The degree to which something is effective or likely to succeed legally.
  • The ability of a material to withstand force or pressure.
  • The ability to withstand pressure or force; power to resist.
  • The quality of being morally strong.
  • The quality or state of being physically strong.
  • A good or beneficial quality or attribute of a person or thing.
  • The ability of a material to withstand force or pressure.
expect

US /ɪkˈspɛkt/

UK /ɪk'spekt/

  • verb
  • To believe something is probably going to happen
  • other
  • To anticipate or believe that something will happen or someone will arrive.
  • To believe that something will happen or is likely to happen.
  • To require something from someone as a duty or obligation.