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Microspeak: Space delivery

As I noted in an earlier entry of Microspeak, the real estate department here has their own weird jargon. Today's phrase is "delivering space":

Listed below is the schedule for delivery of space over the next twelve months.

Translation: "Listed below is the schedule for when new office space will become ready for use over the next twelve months."

Published Tuesday, September 23, 2008 7:00 AM by oldnewthing
Filed under: ,

Comments

# re: Microspeak: Space delivery

Tuesday, September 23, 2008 10:38 AM by jim

It's not all it's cracked up to be. We had a delivery of a big load of space a couple of weeks ago. Even though we desperately needed it, we were forced to send it back--we had nowhere to put it.

# re: Microspeak: Space delivery

Tuesday, September 23, 2008 10:55 AM by Nicholas

Usually I find the Microspeak articles entertaining as they show the corporate abuse of language.  However, this is one case that seems to make sense.  It is much more concise than your translation.  Isn't that what happens with a spoken language, in that it moves toward conciseness?

# re: Microspeak: Space delivery

Tuesday, September 23, 2008 11:44 AM by Robert F

>> Isn't that what happens with a spoken language, in that it moves toward conciseness?

That's just one tendency competing with many others. Too much concision leads to incomprehensibility.

# re: Microspeak: Space delivery

Tuesday, September 23, 2008 11:51 AM by Nathan_works

Does the delivery of space come with complimentary dark mater ?

# re: Microspeak: Space delivery

Tuesday, September 23, 2008 11:51 AM by mph

Do you also get periodic deliveries of time, or do they dole that out constantly?

# re: Microspeak: Space delivery

Tuesday, September 23, 2008 12:47 PM by Bob

If Microsoft can't go to space, space will come to Microsoft*.

*- Apparently, in a delivery van.

# re: Microspeak: Space delivery

Tuesday, September 23, 2008 1:34 PM by ::Wendy::

I need some space for my kitchen do they deliver off-campus?

# re: Microspeak: Space delivery

Tuesday, September 23, 2008 2:39 PM by Joe Butler

'lots of new offices' = 'massive distributed DoS'

# re: Microspeak: Space delivery

Tuesday, September 23, 2008 3:58 PM by Narr

>Translation: "Listed below is the schedule for

>when new office space will become ready for use

>over the next twelve months."

Uh, no, not better. How about this instead:

New offices (when):

...

# Post title is wrong

Wednesday, September 24, 2008 12:01 AM by Igor Levicki

Raymond, your post title doesn't have the same meaning as the jargon you are criticising.

>>Space delivery<< is a delivery made in space. Ever watched Futurama?

# re: Microspeak: Space delivery

Wednesday, September 24, 2008 8:13 AM by Iain

Think Igor needs to brush up on his English.

# re: Microspeak: Space delivery

Wednesday, September 24, 2008 9:43 AM by Patrick

There are other definitions for "deliver," such as "to hand over or surrender."  Delivery does not necessarily mean the transport of tangible objects from one place to another.

# re: Microspeak: Space delivery

Wednesday, September 24, 2008 10:37 AM by Igor Levicki

@Iain:

It was a joke, sigh.

Obviously thas phrase isn't Microsoft specific (TM):

http://www.fmlink.com/ProfResources/HowTo/article.cgi?BOMI%20International:howto1003.htm

# re: Microspeak: Space delivery

Thursday, September 25, 2008 3:50 AM by Whatever

I think you will find that the real estate department subcontracted everything to NASA.

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