Language and Economics
Dear Juliette
Thank you for your very long blog. I should say “thank you” and “well done” at the same time, because I can see that you made a tremendous effort with this blog! Your effort has been rewarded with writing which is logical and coherent. You use many linking words and all of them have been used correctly! This means that the ideas “flow” throughout your writing. Your paragraph structure is also good, and added to the good organisation of your writing. You made a few little spelling mistakes where you repeated a French-ish spelling of some English words (governements and responsability). I’d just like to draw your attention to the use of “one” as a pronoun. We can use “one” as the subject of a written sentence to mean “I” or “you”. We use it when we are describing a condition which could be universal. The reflexive pronoun of one is “oneself”. Similarly, the reflexive pronoun for “you” is “yourself”. I’m sure that you know this already, but to keep the style of your writing consistent, remember to match up the correct reflexive pronoun with the subject of the sentence. Thank you for all of your hard work! I know it is difficult to find the time to write when you are working already. I’m looking forward to reading your next blog!
Thank you for sending your comments in about the time/money/work relationship in your own countries. One thing is clear, in many countries, employees have no choice about the long hours they have to work. In this case, it is important that we make a distinction about an employee’s lack of choice. It is not really fair to describe such an employee as a workaholic, I think we would describe him or her as “overworked”, but living in a workaholic culture. I found your comments so interesting that I did a little bit of research on the internet today! I discovered that although downshifting is a trend in the UK, it is a definite reaction to the “long-hours” work culture, which encourages employees to do unpaid overtime in order to gain respect or promotion at work…
Whilst the reality may be depressing, one aspect is fascinating for me! Look at the way the English language is adapting to cope with these changes in society: downshift is a new word which uses a preposition (down) and a verb (shift). The use of a preposition at the start of a verb is a very new form of language use, it seems to be a back-to-front phrasal verb. I tried to think of other examples, and they all represent new developments in the way we live. Look at these words: upload and download. Both are verbs and nouns, both have been invented in relation to the use of information use and computers. To start a computer, we now use the verb power-up! It's also possible to power-down a computer, but this word is not as commonly used. Two more words used in connection with computers are upgrade (improve / promote) and downgrade (reduce / demote). Correct me if I’m wrong, but did these words originate from airline travel?
Back to the world of work, these days, many companies are involved in a process called downsizing which means eliminating staff. The process of privatising parts of a large company (the catering or cleaning, for example) is called outsourcing. Our materialistic culture can be described as throwaway, an adjective which sums up our purchasing aspirations and habits: the more things we buy, the more we have to throw away (dispose of).
In all of the cases above, you can see how a new word has been created from a preposition and a noun or verb. The words connected to employment are known as euphemisms, that is, polite or indirect ways of saying unpleasant or socially "unacceptable" things. In English, there are many euphemisms used to sack or fire people. Here are some of them: restructuring (the workforce); streamlining; rationalising; letting someone go. Whilst much of this language is simply the use of jargon to disguise cold, hard economics, I think it also shows something about the nature of language. Language use is dynamic, and inventive. New words are emerging and evolving to accommodate the changing world we live in.
Let me know your thoughts!
Best wishes,
Samantha.
USEFUL WORDS AND EXPRESSIONS
universal (adjective)
a condition which applies to everyone.
tremendous effort (noun)
a really big effort which in this case has brought about results!
overworked (adjective)
this means that someone has t work much harder than they really want to.
downshifting (noun)
conscious decision to live on less money, to lead a simpler life with fewer luxuries.
long-hours (noun)
the unofficial working day, which continues longer than the employee's contracted hours.
overtime (noun)
extra work that an employee does to meet deadlines.
upload (verb / noun)
transfer information (files, images) onto a computer.
download (verb / noun)
extract information from a computer.
power-up (verb)
to start up a computer.
power-down (verb)
to switch off a computer.
upgrade (verb / noun)
to improve / promote.
downgrade (verb / noun)
to demote / reduce.
downsize (verb)
euphemism (indirect expression) for firing employees.
outsource (verb)
euphemism (indirect expression) for sub-contracting or bringing in cheaper companies to do exisiting jobs in a company.
throwaway (adjective)
disposable, wasteful.
euphemism (noun)
an indirect way of saying something socially "unacceptable".
jargon (noun)
technical words used to confuse the listener or reader.
dynamic (adjective)
powerful, a driving force.
inventive (adjective)
creative, original.
Comments
Hi Samantha! I was almost sleeping in front my computer, but I keep myself awake untill your blog arrive! I always confuse when I use one in a sentence, now is more clear to me, thanks. You are right. I think the majority of the workers could be described as overworked. We work for long hours, sometimes we also work in weekends. Tiredness is not tolerated. You must be dynamic, you must be inventive, it´s our duty to be constantly aware about everything that happens around us. Therefore euphemism is part of workers´s routine. At the minimum signal of economic crisis we hear words such as downsize, restructuring, rationalasing, etc. Some companies alredy get the idea that as much relaxed and less stressful the emploeeys are, more profitable they will be to the companies. Moreover the absence because of illness and insurance expence low down considerably. Best wishes, Ana Paula.
Hello, Samantha. I have been waiting for a long time to read your new update! After reading your newest blog, I want to say that I can’t agree more with you about the new words emerged in our daily lives. One word we should not forget is Blog. We all know that it’s an abbreviation of Web and Log. Now the blog is quiet popular. But there is a problem, when I type ‘blog’ in my computer, the Microsoft check button often tells me that the word ‘blog’ is wrong. I think the word database of the Microsoft should also be improved and updated. Do you have the same problem like me? Waiting to see your next post! All the best, Jill.
Hello Samantha, You made a tremendous effort in searching and downloading the information on downshifting trends. Your research work is commendable. However, it is a universal fact that people throughout the world are more and more become materialistic and they go for money in short time. The values and standards are going down or are totally ingnored in this context. People look for short cuts and try to get more money no matter how it comes and this is the main cause for increasing corruption in any society. In developing countries there is brain drain, highly educated, technical people look for opportunities in developed countries and move there just to earn money and a better living. We could not blame people because the inflation rate is high in these countries, and people find it hard to meet the both ends. On the other hand those who want to work in their country do not get jobs in accordance to their qualifications or expertise or if the job is available then the incentives are less so they have become frustated and think to go somewhere else. The companies or institutions are in the process of euphemisms on the name of restructuring because they want to do work by outsourcing or to employ new workers on cheaper rates. The work atmosphere has totally been changed as the blue eyed employees are getting more financial and other benefits as they try to fitin the circle of those who work late and pretend to be workaholics just to get these benefits. Those who are sincerely working are getting more and more work with no rewards. The downshifting trend in UK is amazing as no one wants to live on less money, to lead a simpler life with fewer luxuries. If every one try to think like that and adopt this trend then the life will be much easier and one can live in peace of mind. Farida
Samantha I really like your blog today, language is a dynamic invetion of humanity and can be upgrade for helping in communication.And so new words born every time that is needed as dowload upgrde etc. But always academics try to keep language clear and in his formal stractur.
In Italy we have many new words in Information Technology. These are English words, as download, upload, mouse, mouse-pad (do you use it?), screen, refresh and so on. When I use them I like to think how English people feel when they use them. I mean, Mouse for me is only the tool to move the cursor on my Personal Computer (another English word we usually use), but for you is the little animal squeeting!!!! I'd never touch a mouse!! But Italian people also invent new English words, I mean words that do not exist in English Language but for us are English words. For example, to say "jogging" we usually use "footing"...but with a big surpire I recognised that "footing" is NOT English!! And sure NOT Italian...(In Italian foot=piede and jogging=correre). And that's all. Best wishes
Dear Samantha, I have read your next entry with curiosity - thank you for your intresting observations about language's flexibility and economics! I am absolute dillettante is English words ethymolgy, but I would like to add that it possible that the word "downgrade" was earlier used by skock market anlysts too. Languges are adapted to reality, people want to explain everything what they feel, see, and judge; and if they dont have apropriate words they make a new. In many cuontries reality changes so fast that people don't manage to invent new words to describe it, and they borrow it from another languages. I this way in my country we have many words which are borrowed from English. Otherwise I don't suppose that all big companies' CEOs are in some way hypocritical, they don't use euphemisms to hide the wish to fire employees. If they didn't do outsocing or restruturing, their competitors will outrun them. In majority comanies are forced by markets to use euphemisms... Societies, incuding business organizations, are systems which go faster and faster. Joseph Schumpeter, the famose economist, use to say that business world come under the low of endless creative destrucion. This is one idea that explains a bit the fact that companies tend towards streamlining, outsorcing and downsizing. The best wishes for You and all bloggers,
Where to begin?What to say or how to say it? I have just to tell you that it is mind-enjoying to read your blog.This is my first time to read you but for sure I won't miss reading such a marvelous and so informative blog.My mouth is already watering for your next blog.See you!
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