Corporate speak

企业发言

Learning English Conversations

2014-06-02

3 分钟
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Blue-sky thinking? Pushing the envelope? Learn what these business terms mean
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  • This is a feature from BBCLearningEnglish.com for more information and our terms of use, go to bbcworldservice.com podcasts the English we.

  • Speak.

  • Ah, hi, Lee.

  • I didn't see you in the canteen today.

  • I brought you a sandwich.

  • Oh, that's very kind of you, Finn.

  • I had to go and buy these.

  • Oh, an envelope and a nice picture of a sunny beach.

  • It's the sky, Finn.

  • My boss told me that we need blue sky thinking and we need to push the envelope if we want to succeed in the current market.

  • All right, and what are you going to do with this envelope and this picture, Lee?

  • Well, the beach has a blue sky, so maybe I need to push it into the envelope and send it to the client.

  • I'm not sure, Lee.

  • I think what he wants has nothing to do with the sky or envelopes.

  • These are two expressions people use in business nowadays.

  • It's corporate language, or as we say, corporate speak.

  • What do they mean?

  • Well, in English, blue sky thinking means having ideas which are very original, even if they're not practical or realistic.

  • Your boss wants you to be creative.

  • And what do I do with this envelope?