"If you want to be known for coining something, make sure to document it" ❤️

The BS Dictionary | Importance of Documentation

Make Sure You Document It…

I am presently reading this book on Business Speak, that has a weird and funny title.

It’s titled, The BS Dictionary: Uncovering the Origins and True Meanings of Business Speak.

“A fantastic book for anyone studying business in the English-speaking world. It not only clearly defines many of the business words and phrases they need to know in the corporate world, it also gives them the origin of each phrase in a very fun and informative way,”

says Kathleen O'Connor, Professor at London Business School on the book’s credentials.

Well, what I especially love about the book is the fact that, the authors try their hand at uncovering the earliest documented record of a particular ‘business speak’ expression in a very engaging, endearing and albeit funny way, thus making the expression all the more memorable to the reader.

As the authors Bob and Tim themselves confess,

In this book, Tim and I have tried to lighten up the subject matter some with the comedic aspects of business speak. We relied heavily on trusted sources (which we detail in the acknowledgments), including the OED, which really is an amazing resource. And where possible, to 3 supplement what we found, we tried to locate the original documentation or confirm with other reputable sources,

says Bob.

For example,

when elucidating on the meaning of the business speak expression, bait and  switch, Bob and Tim hunt for the earliest documented reference of the expression.

Here goes –

bait and switch fraud

1. The action of advertising a low price or special feature but then adding extra fees (or taking away the special feature) when the purchase becomes final.

2. The intention of substituting inferior or more expensive goods compared with what was advertised.

Origin: Bait-and-switch techniques have probably been around since the first days of commercial transactions.

One of the earliest references on record comes from 17th-century China, where Zhang Yingyu’s book about fraud, The Book of Swindles (published in or around 1617), contains 84 short stories about rip-offs and deceptions—including bait-and switch schemes.

The purported purpose of the book was to teach the reader about various detailed scams that had flourished during the latter part of the Ming dynasty, and how to avoid them. Zhang, though, is somewhat mysterious in his leanings, at times condemning the swindlers’ deceptions, and at other times praising their ingenuity.

According to the OED, the first known reference to bait and switch in English comes much later, in an August 1953 volume of Reader’s Digest:

This was my introduction to the “bait ’em and switch ’em” racket… . I learned that “bait advertising” is the biggest gyp and the most widespread abuse in advertising today.”

Well, almost all the terms connected with business speak, have the self-same method of analysis. Bon and Tim strike at the roots – the earliest documented reference, which counts a lot to understanding both the context and the story behind the birth of an expression.

Or take another expression.

face time

1. Time spent visiting with someone in person, as opposed to phone conversations or other means of communication.

2. The amount of time an employee spends in the workplace.

Origin: Face time—the term with two words—has been seen in print since at least the 1970s.

One of the earliest documented references comes from U.S. News & World Report, which said this about then-President Jimmy Carter in 1978: “drops by the White House press room … guaranteeing himself a few precious seconds of face time on the evening TV news.”

Later, Major General Perry M. Smith compiled a glossary of the insider lingo at the Department of Defense in his 1989 book Assignment: Pentagon that includes: “Face time: time spent near big bosses in attempts to impress them with your diligence and loyalty.”

Others say the phrase had been used on college campuses for decades, but was taken to mean a slightly different thing: to be seen or be seen.

One last point that Bob says in this book, is also a key takeaway for us all.

He talks about the importance of documentation.

Especially for students of literature!

Says Bob –

One thing we’ve realized in this whole process is that if you want to be known for coining something, make sure to document it.

For example, if you want to invent a new term— let’s say it’s a new style of music called “thrash disco”—you have to put it somewhere in writing so the Internet will see it.

Then, you need to spread the word about your new term and how you invented it. By doing so, you will become the “victor” of that phrase’s history, and all the spoils will flow to you—and reward you with Internet glory,

says Bob!

Speaks volumes to the importance of documentation.

Be it a word! A phrase! An expression! A neologism! A nonce-word! A made-up word!

A poem, a short story, an event, a memory! an opinion!

Document it!

By documenting it, you’re doing a great service for posterity!

Added, you’re finding yourself a unique space and place in the digital archives of the future as well! 😊

Remember: Every word that you write counts! And... your writing – whatever you write - has the power to make a difference!