Questions from Itasan

<b> Forum for those teaching business English </b>

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Itasan
Posts: 557
Joined: Wed Nov 05, 2003 8:22 am
Location: Yokohama, Japan

index-linked

Post by Itasan » Wed Aug 16, 2006 10:54 pm

Are these all possible and do they mean the same thing?
1. Our wages are indexed to prices.
2. Our wages are on a sliding scale.
3. Our wages are index-linked.
4. We are paid on a sliding scale.
5. Any other?

Thank you.

tigertiger
Posts: 246
Joined: Sun Nov 13, 2005 9:42 am

Re: index-linked

Post by tigertiger » Fri Aug 18, 2006 2:11 am

Itasan wrote:Are these all possible and do they mean the same thing?
1. Our wages are indexed to prices.
2. Our wages are on a sliding scale.
3. Our wages are index-linked.
4. We are paid on a sliding scale.
5. Any other?

Thank you.
All are possible but,
these are two unrelated things.

Index linked - is where wages are linked to some index of inflation. For example the retail price index or some cost fo living index. Or it can be linked to the official rate of inflation.



Sliding scale - is where wages in a company rise in a linear (as opposed to a stepped) fashion.
For example (in its crudest form)
- a level 4 manager's wages could start at 10 000 and rise by increments to a maximum of 14 900.
- a level 5 managers wages would start at 15 000 and raise by increments to ...

In some industries (especially if unionised), and the public sector, you will see job adverts that say "salary range 13 500 to 16 000"

These sliding scales can also allow for previous experience, and for rewarding good performance, and recognising time served in the post.

Itasan
Posts: 557
Joined: Wed Nov 05, 2003 8:22 am
Location: Yokohama, Japan

sliding scale

Post by Itasan » Fri Aug 18, 2006 9:30 pm

Thank you very much, tigertiger, for
the detailed explanation.
It's because the wages SLIDE depending
on the experience, etc.?

tigertiger
Posts: 246
Joined: Sun Nov 13, 2005 9:42 am

Re: sliding scale

Post by tigertiger » Sat Aug 19, 2006 1:41 am

Itasan wrote:Thank you very much, tigertiger, for
the detailed explanation.
It's because the wages SLIDE depending
on the experience, etc.?
CORRECT

Level of the post (worker, supervisor, foreman, manger etc), experience, qualifications, time served in the post etc. The important thing is that pay rates are linear and not stepped.
The criteria are usually pretty well defined in the public sector. In the private sector there is more room to negotiate initial salary.

Itasan
Posts: 557
Joined: Wed Nov 05, 2003 8:22 am
Location: Yokohama, Japan

backbite/backstab

Post by Itasan » Tue Aug 22, 2006 8:48 am

Do the following both mean the same thing and are they
used both in the US and UK?
1-1. backbite
1-2. backstab
2-1. backbiting
2-2. backstabbing
3-1. backbiter
3-2. backstabber

Thank you.

eslweb
Posts: 208
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Location: United Kingdom
Contact:

Backstabbing

Post by eslweb » Wed Aug 23, 2006 3:54 am

In the UK the common form is backstab/baclstabbing etc.
I've never heard of the backbiting, but it might be an American term...

James

tigertiger
Posts: 246
Joined: Sun Nov 13, 2005 9:42 am

Re: Backstabbing

Post by tigertiger » Fri Aug 25, 2006 12:37 pm

eslweb wrote:In the UK the common form is backstab/baclstabbing etc.
I've never heard of the backbiting, but it might be an American term...

James
I have heard backbiting in the UK.

Back stabbing is being disloyal (et tu Brute), and working against people behind thier back.

Back biting is being very critical of someone (often spitefully), and is usually done behind someones back. Or if the back biter is especially nasty they will do it just out of earshot.

eslweb
Posts: 208
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Just goes to show you learn something everyday...

Post by eslweb » Sun Aug 27, 2006 2:40 am

Thanks for the clarification...And I checked it in the Complete Oxford English Dictionary. It is actually quite an old word having first appearing in about 1175. It's definitely of British-English origin... :oops:

I'd have said it wasn't in common usage, but I'll leave that to the forum to decide... :wink:

James

--------From OED------

Forms: 2–3 -bitunge, 4 -bytyng, -bityng, -byting, 5 -bytynge, -bitynge, -bitinge, -byting, 5– -biting. [f. as prec. + -ing1.]

The action of detracting, slandering, or speaking ill of one behind his back.

c1175 Cott. Hom. 205 Cursunge, bacbitunge and fike~lunge. 1303 R. Brunne Handl. Synne 3544 No custummable bakbytyng God forŠeueþ. c1550 Avyse thee Welle in Babees Bk. (1868) 357 Be ware of bagbytynge, y the rede. 1685 Gracian's Courtier's Oracle 45 There is great difference betwixt censure and backbiting. For the one is grounded upon indifference, and the other upon malice. 1862 Trollope Orley F. lviii. 420 Not given to backbiting.

Itasan
Posts: 557
Joined: Wed Nov 05, 2003 8:22 am
Location: Yokohama, Japan

interchange

Post by Itasan » Sun Aug 27, 2006 5:42 am

Thank you very much, everybody.
'interchange'
CALD says: UK a junction at which smaller roads meet a larger
road, especially a motorway
I wonder what is the US equivalent.

Thank you.

Itasan
Posts: 557
Joined: Wed Nov 05, 2003 8:22 am
Location: Yokohama, Japan

e

Post by Itasan » Mon Sep 04, 2006 10:32 pm

I have recently read that just "e" is used as an
abbreviation for "e-mail" and that the plural form
is "e's".
I wonder if the following are possible:
1. I received 20 e's today.
2. I have just e'd (e'ed??) him about the matter.
3. Send me an e tomorrow.

Thank you.

eslweb
Posts: 208
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Contact:

e's

Post by eslweb » Tue Sep 05, 2006 9:50 am

Itasan,

e's I'd watch this word, because e's is also a short form for the illicit drug ecstacy! i.e. I've taken a couple of e's. I think currently this wordform has only been used in SMSs, but it'll be interesting to see if it takes off...

James

Itasan
Posts: 557
Joined: Wed Nov 05, 2003 8:22 am
Location: Yokohama, Japan

flannel panel

Post by Itasan » Thu Sep 07, 2006 11:31 pm

Thank you. By the way:
'flannel panel'
I have read some kind of definition on this, but I cannot
grasp the image too well. I wonder if I could have some
sample articles of this kind.

Thank you.

eslweb
Posts: 208
Joined: Wed May 31, 2006 1:46 am
Location: United Kingdom
Contact:

A job for Google images...

Post by eslweb » Fri Sep 08, 2006 6:41 am

I think this is a job for Google Images!

James

P.S. The link does take you directly to the correct search...

Itasan
Posts: 557
Joined: Wed Nov 05, 2003 8:22 am
Location: Yokohama, Japan

flannel panel

Post by Itasan » Fri Sep 08, 2006 8:34 am

Thank you very much, eslweb.
Sorry I should have given more details.
It seems to be some kind of newspaper column.
'Flannel' here seems to mean 'hot air'.

sbourque
Posts: 158
Joined: Thu Dec 09, 2004 12:32 pm
Location: USA

Post by sbourque » Fri Sep 08, 2006 3:48 pm

Or it could mean a "flannel board", used when teaching young children, where shapes are stuck on to a flannel-covered board, and can be taken off and reused.

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