joshnii 2 Posted December 8, 2011 Share Posted December 8, 2011 There's this guy at work and he's one of these people who simply uses too many words - without ever getting to the point. I'm sure the point is in there somewhere, but it's totally drowned out by masses of other vague fluffing. Infuriating it is, I find myself constantly asking him for clarification - after which he comes back with another barrage of un-necessary words. Just had one more of those exchanges now. Link to post Share on other sites
kokodoko 67 Posted December 8, 2011 Share Posted December 8, 2011 i feel your pain, bro. I cannot stand people who constantly yap nothing but trivial garbage all day long.. Link to post Share on other sites
joshnii 2 Posted December 8, 2011 Author Share Posted December 8, 2011 It's not really as if he is talking off-topic trivial stuff -- it's just padding and skirting round 'the point'. He just never seems to get there, almost as if he is trying to hide 'the point', though I'm sure he isn't. He just cannot talk clearly. It makes for such an awkward conversation. My colleagues say the same, though they are probably much better at getting the message as they are used to him and speaking the same language! Link to post Share on other sites
hellyer 216 Posted December 8, 2011 Share Posted December 8, 2011 I find the same thing, usually from people in government or semi-government positions. For example my daughter and one of my son's work in those type jobs and if I ask them what they do there I get a very comprehensive reply, at the end of which I still have no idea what they do! Proud of them just the same. Ask me what I do, I am very succinct - "bit a this, bit a that" Link to post Share on other sites
RobBright 35 Posted December 8, 2011 Share Posted December 8, 2011 He has verbal diarrhoea. Link to post Share on other sites
hellyer 216 Posted December 8, 2011 Share Posted December 8, 2011 Who me? Link to post Share on other sites
NoFakie 45 Posted December 8, 2011 Share Posted December 8, 2011 Just be grateful its not your job to translate it! Link to post Share on other sites
Chriselle 158 Posted December 8, 2011 Share Posted December 8, 2011 Say what you mean, mean what you say.....simple. Anything more ....you're dumb and wasting my time. Link to post Share on other sites
yamayamayama 2 Posted December 8, 2011 Share Posted December 8, 2011 Just be grateful its not your job to translate it! Surely more words means more money for a translator? Link to post Share on other sites
Mantas 3 Posted December 8, 2011 Share Posted December 8, 2011 I don't know what politicians are like elsewhere but here they have a real talent for waffling. If an interviewer asks a simple question, they can waffle on for a good 2 -3 minutes without ever even coming close to giving an answer. I'm not sure if that the kind of person your referring to but it annoys the S@#t out of me just the same. Link to post Share on other sites
panhead_pete 27 Posted December 8, 2011 Share Posted December 8, 2011 Try working with Social Scientists...... Link to post Share on other sites
Chriselle 158 Posted December 8, 2011 Share Posted December 8, 2011 I don't know what politicians are like elsewhere but here they have a real talent for waffling. If an interviewer asks a simple question, they can waffle on for a good 2 -3 minutes without ever even coming close to giving an answer. I'm not sure if that the kind of person your referring to but it annoys the S@#t out of me just the same. That's kind of expected though. right? Especially in today's hyper-sensitized media circus....confronting issues is, more than ever, political suicide. I was kinda talking about the guys that think they have something to say who either don't really have anything of value to say or are just too daft to string a few ..to the point.. sentences together. I work with one of those guys. His mouth is always in gear but his brain is in neutral. Link to post Share on other sites
NoFakie 45 Posted December 8, 2011 Share Posted December 8, 2011 Just be grateful its not your job to translate it! Surely more words means more money for a translator? That depends on whether you charge based on the source or the translated text, and whether you are prepared to write word-for-word waffle just because it makes money. Text that's well written, flows logically, and makes sense is easiest to translate and makes you the most money per unit time. With waffle, you end up stopping and thinking wtf does this person want to say, and have to second-guess how much of it you can rearrange or omit without peeing the client off or getting yourself into a situation where you have to explain everything. Link to post Share on other sites
HelperElfMissy 42 Posted December 9, 2011 Share Posted December 9, 2011 Just be grateful its not your job to translate it! Surely more words means more money for a translator? That depends on whether you charge based on the source or the translated text, and whether you are prepared to write word-for-word waffle just because it makes money. Text that's well written, flows logically, and makes sense is easiest to translate and makes you the most money per unit time. With waffle, you end up stopping and thinking wtf does this person want to say, and have to second-guess how much of it you can rearrange or omit without peeing the client off or getting yourself into a situation where you have to explain everything. And if you are INTERPRETING the same waffle you have to make those choices on the fly! Nightmare. Can't stand it when people are unclear and talk in circles. 1 Link to post Share on other sites
bikertom 0 Posted December 9, 2011 Share Posted December 9, 2011 Mo' wurds, mo' problems Link to post Share on other sites
NoFakie 45 Posted December 9, 2011 Share Posted December 9, 2011 Just be grateful its not your job to translate it! Surely more words means more money for a translator? That depends on whether you charge based on the source or the translated text, and whether you are prepared to write word-for-word waffle just because it makes money. Text that's well written, flows logically, and makes sense is easiest to translate and makes you the most money per unit time. With waffle, you end up stopping and thinking wtf does this person want to say, and have to second-guess how much of it you can rearrange or omit without peeing the client off or getting yourself into a situation where you have to explain everything. And if you are INTERPRETING the same waffle you have to make those choices on the fly! Nightmare. Can't stand it when people are unclear and talk in circles. Yeah, it must be hard when someone is prattling on for thirty or forty seconds and then you turn to your client and correctly give it as "he said 'No'." Interpreters charge by time though, so I don't suppose you have the "I can either write nonsense or not get paid" dilemma. Link to post Share on other sites
ippy 66 Posted December 9, 2011 Share Posted December 9, 2011 I would just like it known, i use exactly as many words i require to get to my point! No more. no less. And should i at a later date decide to edit said words and maybe cut back on some, it was simply because it was required. Not because it was originally wrong. Times and tastes change! Thus my words must follow suit or be condemned to the past! (this is as short a post as you will ever get out of me ) Link to post Share on other sites
Metabo Oyaji 71 Posted December 9, 2011 Share Posted December 9, 2011 Could you expand on that a bit Ippy? Perhaps followed up with some thoughts on reverse camber? Thanks. Link to post Share on other sites
js 0 Posted December 9, 2011 Share Posted December 9, 2011 The amount of words I use to convey a point is in direct correlation to the perceived understanding (e.g. comprehension) of the person I'm adressing. If I think they will understand, then less words, and vice versa. Yeah, people in gov't possies need to use wordy talk to clearly and fully explain things - they aim to explain things so the 'the lowest common denominator' can understand it. I call it 'dumbing down' - because it doesn't make people think for themselves or inspire them to go and research the topic. Similarly, having done a few job apps lately, I find the resume is getting WAY too long and wordy - really hard to condense stuff down without omitting things or cutting it short. Link to post Share on other sites
Tubby Beaver 209 Posted December 9, 2011 Share Posted December 9, 2011 I've been trying to see how few words I can get away with saying......I've noticed that Japanese people, when greeting each other in the morning don't actually say Ohayo Gozaimasu.......its some shortened version and varies depending on who you're talking to..."hayo gozaimasu, hayo zaimasu, zaimasu"........I'e started just saying "sssssuu" as I stride past and it still provokes a response of "zaimasu" Bus drivers are even worse.......when they pull away from the stop they sound like a tire with the air escaping...."sssssss, sssssss, sss,sssssss" Link to post Share on other sites
Mick Rich 78 Posted December 9, 2011 Share Posted December 9, 2011 That's so true TB, especially the bus drivers! In fact it took me about a year to work out that the "zaimasu" was actually the end of "ohayou gozaimasu" I would just like it known, i use exactly as many words i require to get to my point! No more. no less. And should i at a later date decide to edit said words and maybe cut back on some, it was simply because it was required. Not because it was originally wrong. Times and tastes change! Thus my words must follow suit or be condemned to the past! (this is as short a post as you will ever get out of me ) Funny you should say that Ippy because when I read this post's heading, guess who I thought of?? 1 Link to post Share on other sites
ippy 66 Posted December 10, 2011 Share Posted December 10, 2011 That's so true TB, especially the bus drivers! In fact it took me about a year to work out that the "zaimasu" was actually the end of "ohayou gozaimasu" I would just like it known, i use exactly as many words i require to get to my point! No more. no less. And should i at a later date decide to edit said words and maybe cut back on some, it was simply because it was required. Not because it was originally wrong. Times and tastes change! Thus my words must follow suit or be condemned to the past! (this is as short a post as you will ever get out of me ) Funny you should say that Ippy because when I read this post's heading, guess who I thought of?? In your defense, the first person i thought about when i read the thread title was the same person Link to post Share on other sites
Mick Rich 78 Posted December 10, 2011 Share Posted December 10, 2011 Link to post Share on other sites
Tubby Beaver 209 Posted December 10, 2011 Share Posted December 10, 2011 That's so true TB, especially the bus drivers! In fact it took me about a year to work out that the "zaimasu" was actually the end of "ohayou gozaimasu" I would just like it known, i use exactly as many words i require to get to my point! No more. no less. And should i at a later date decide to edit said words and maybe cut back on some, it was simply because it was required. Not because it was originally wrong. Times and tastes change! Thus my words must follow suit or be condemned to the past! (this is as short a post as you will ever get out of me ) Funny you should say that Ippy because when I read this post's heading, guess who I thought of?? In your defense, the first person i thought about when i read the thread title was the same person Link to post Share on other sites
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