Word of Mouth: Workplace Idioms for the Non-Native Speaker

A number of years ago when I began to work at several corporations teaching ‘accent reduction’ to non-native speakers of American English, I was often asked to define informal, everyday expressions. These employees were eager to know the meaning of idioms and slang that they had heard their colleagues use in the workplace.

At lunches, in meetings, at seminars and conventions, even in homes, Americans use language that is often incomprehensible to non-native English speakers. This can interfere with understanding as well as effectiveness.

Non-native speakers believe that some of these sayings could be used to strengthen their own work presentations or interpretations of employee and customer business related issues.

Certainly these informal expressions are important for doing business and getting along at the workplace. Again and again my students reported that they smiled politely and laughed inappropriately when they heard their colleagues talking informally. They knew that these Americans would soon learn the secret that they did not totally understand what was being said.

‘WORD OF MOUTH’ was created to help remedy this problem. Many of the expressions explained in these pages are also used in non-work situations. However, the author wanted to focus this book especially on the work environment.

Thus, the terms included here are defined primarily in the context of the workplace. The number of non-native speakers is growing dramatically in the workplace of our nation. Men and women in this group should understand that they are valued citizens and that their contributions are needed and very much welcomed in America.

If this book helps you learn our language practice better, gets you closer to other Americans or improve your communications on the job, the author will be pleased and this publication will have accomplished its goal.



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