Thursday, February 16, 2006

Is there a green hill outwith the city wall?

Outwith. It's a word that gets used in College meetings to mean outside - as in "let's deal with that outwith the meeting". Apparently although it's not in the dictionary, Google has Scottish references (e.g. civil marriages in Glasgow). As my spoof title suggests, it has the ring of without (=outside) when used in hymns. What is it about corporate documentation and meetings that makes us talk like this, given that we are some way south of the border?

2 comments:

Steve Tilley said...

I think you need to join the CIM - the Campaign for Interesting Minutes. Smeee started it at CPAS and I carried on his pioneering work. The Trainers' meeting had minutes so entertaining people would grab them off me as I stapled them. They were never ignored. They can be used to victimise anyone who lurches into managment speak.

Do you really need comment moderation on?

Mike Peatman said...

Comment moderation now off, Steve. Hadn't realised how tedious it would be to leave it on.

I wish I had that much creative energy when writing minutes, although I know they would be censored at College. We have to conform to protocols, and we are being assessed for Degree awarding powers at the moment, so the paperwork has to be just so.

Would love to try it, though!