Recently, I ventured to Boston for the first time for a bite at my now-favorite seafood restaurant, Legal Sea Foods. Following on the heels of a conversation with a friend who grew up and resides in New Jersey (while I am a product of the Midwest), my ears were perked up to notice the differences in pronunciation that are so common (and often comical) between the regions of the U.S. Sometimes these differences can be so profound that even native English-speakers can occasionally not understand each other—to say nothing of those to whom it is a second or even third language!
Not only does pronunciation throw Americans off as we struggle to speak the same language, but our colloquialisms—or local or regional expressions—can confuse us even further. For example, at the restaurant, I asked one of the waitstaff, "Excuse me, which way is the washroom?" Suddenly, I realized he may not know that I needed the ladies' room, because the word washroom is a colloquialism in Chicago, several states away. Luckily for me, he was familiar enough with it to direct me without pause or question. (This likely had something to do with the fact that most of the patrons to the place were visiting from out of town.) In another example, I heard of a Bostonian traveling to a different part of the east coast and asking for a frappe at an ice cream shop. When the young woman behind the counter explained that they didn't serve Starbucks-style Frappucinos®, the man from Boston had some explaining to do, himself: He was asking for a milkshake!
The word colloquialism found its way into the English language in the early 1800s, while its parent word, colloquy, (conversation) was first introduced in 1751, a derivative of the Latin word colloquium, meaning conference, or literally, "speak together." Synonyms are cant, jargon, slang, and argot.
I found a fun, tongue-in-cheek list of colloquialisms collected by a local Bostonian (not to be confused with a Bostonite, which is a type of rock—found, not surprisingly, in and near Boston). Enjoy!
© KiKi Productions, Inc. 2009
Showing posts with label Starbucks. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Starbucks. Show all posts
Mar 27, 2009
Begin from Within: Corporate Integrity Starts with Personal Integrity
No matter where you stand on the political spectrum, the phrase “corporate integrity” may well get your blood boiling today—especially if you live in the U.S.: Corporate giant AIG, a decades-old institution in not only the American (and international) economy, but also (thanks to business and advertising) in the mind of the American, is being publicly lambasted for the choices it’s made in the wake of its federal financial bailout. The situation is a macrocosmic parallel to the American individual on public welfare whose monthly income checks are designated only for program-approved costs, like milk or diapers. If the individual gets “caught” spending welfare money on anything outside of those program-approved expenses, there are repercussions.
The terms of this “program-approved spending”—and its mismanagement consequences—may not have been so clearly defined for AIG and other corporate recipients of federal bailout money. Just like the financially unstable individual who suddenly wins the lottery, the company is perceived to have continued the spending spree that put them in the red in the first place.
But the backlash goes beyond spending practices. It’s no secret that personal wealth is a high priority for most Americans, as well as others around the globe. And when you factor in the success over the last decade of products that tout prosperity consciousness (such as Australian Rhonda Byrne’s The Secret), there’s really no mystery to the motivating force behind this seeming money-hungry madness.
But the difference between reaping rewards and sowing repercussions is not such a fine line. In fact, most prosperity consciousness programs—be they in audio book, afternoon workshop, weekend retreat or online e-course form—feature a compelling distinction between wealth and greed: generosity. “Giving to get back” is a phrase that can be twisted. Sound business practices call for “giving” to the business in order to generate more growth. But global companies like Starbucks have based their corporate mission statement around giving to not just the business’s bottom line, but its employees, customers, vendors and even the communities with whom they work.
Starbucks’ longtime CEO Howard Schulz has spoken at length about how he applied his personal philosophy of generosity to the mission and vision of the company almost from its inception, learning quickly that focus on the bottom line should remain the bottom of one’s focus for true success—success that’s measured in more than merely dollars. His personal values became his corporate values, and remain the paragon of virtue at his Fortune 500 business—a company that’s yet to ask for a handout in 2009. (By the way, Starbucks is not only a Fortune 500 entity, it’s also currently listed as one of Fortune’s 100 Best Places to Work.)
Do you speak your truth all the time, even when no one is listening? Do you do the right thing, measuring the motives behind your choices, even when no one is looking? Integrity is commonly known as the ability to do the right thing even when no one is watching. Watchdogs and whistleblowers aside, getting caught misappropriating (or simply being inappropriate) only goes so far. Living an honest life can get you further than the greatest windfall; that measurement may include, but goes beyond money. Talk about your truisms!
(c) KiKi Productions, Inc. 2009
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
