Sensitivity

Being aware of the level of formality needed in your environment is the most important factor to bear in mind. Maybe you need to be more formal or more sensitive to the reader than you used to being in your own culture.

We also need to be aware of other factors such as the status of the other person and the possibility of “losing face”. In some countries these factors are very important.

To begin with, though, we will take a more light-hearted look at “bureau-speak”, that is, the language of administrators. What do they really mean?

Useful Definitions

The British ‘Justice of the Peace and Local Government Review’ described the following list is as a ‘guide to expressions used in Government and Local Government circles’.

Think about what you consider might be the meaning first. Then move your mouse over the phrase to get the guide’s interpretation.