27 July 2010

These words are actioning my mentalisation

Today I received an e-mail inviting me to attend a "dynamic and comprehensive 10 month leadership program incorporating one-on-one coaching, seminars, residentials, external networking opportunities and action learning projects."

Residentials?
Action Learning Projects?

WTF?

What does residentials mean? It is not a word. I hope that it means they will provide me with a house. If so, I would like a house with a pool, tennis court and separate area for an energetic dog. I could use the big yard for all those action learning projects I will have to complete.

And what exactly are action learning projects? That phrase is pointless. It tells me nothing. Are there inaction learning projects? The phrase is ungrammatical and a perfect example of the weasel-words beloved by governments and people-management consultants.

My suspicion is that these phrases are made up by people who have a very poor grasp of English but a very high self-regard. Clearly wankers or, as they would call themselves, personal friction facilitators.

3 comments:

  1. Residentials is a jargon term for courses where you stay somewhere for a period of time (eg in-residence). I imagine action learning projects are just practical projects where you learn something. Yes, there are plenty of weasel-words in government, although a lot of these have their origins in the business world. "Moving forward" is a pet hate of mine. Jargon often originates within particular professional groups so they can feel self-important and exclude others from their world by using terms that only they understand.

    ReplyDelete
  2. But the word 'residencies' already exists!

    *Holds head and rocks back and forth*

    Yes I loathe 'moving forward' too. It is so idiotic - it suggests that there is the option of moving backwards... It is the Labor party's slogan for the 2010 election. Cringe!

    ReplyDelete

Blog Visit Counter