Comments on: How to translate Big Pharma’s PR-Speak into English

By: cave76

cave76 — Mon, 21 Nov 2011 16:00:43 +0000

Carolyn,
I’m sure you already know this word:
iatrogenic = “resulting from the activity of physicians; said of any adverse condition in a patient resulting from treatment by a physician or surgeon”.

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By: Carolyn Thomas

Carolyn Thomas — Mon, 21 Nov 2011 00:58:48 +0000

Writing a blog is so educational! In the past month alone, I have learned new words I never knew before: first there was “mansplaining“, then there was “gaslighting” (post scheduled to run 11/25 on my blog Heart Sisters, and now “fisking“. Thanks, Cave! 🙂

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By: cave76

cave76 — Sun, 20 Nov 2011 21:26:23 +0000

As a newcomer to your blog, I’m slowly reading some of the older threads.
I came across this one today and just have to comment on how much I enjoyed it.

It’s a more refined way to employ Fisking which, because of its sarcasm and snarky approach, is more my style, I’m (almost!) ashamed to admit.

Fisking:
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The term fisking is blogosphere slang describing a point-by-point criticism that highlights perceived errors, or disputes the analysis in a statement, article, or essay.

The British newspaper The Observer defined fisking as “the practice of savaging an argument and scattering the tattered remnants to the four corners of the internet (named after Robert Fisk of The Independent)”

Eric S. Raymond, in the Jargon File, defined the term as:
“commentary that challenged, countered, and/or mocked Fisk’s viewpoints”.

A fisking is characteristically an incisive and fierce point-by-point rebuttal, and the aim is generally to weaken the target’s credibility rather than seek common ground.

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By: A. M. T.

A. M. T. — Wed, 17 Mar 2010 14:38:03 +0000

Brilliant! Thanks for this, Carolyn.

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By: MaryEllen

MaryEllen — Wed, 20 Jan 2010 03:12:46 +0000

Sandy, when you finish with Carolyn’s plain-speak translating skills at your office, please send her over to my office. We are desperately in need of this kind of help! 😉

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By: evelyn

evelyn — Fri, 15 Jan 2010 19:11:01 +0000

PR- speak! I love this!!!!! It’s a unique perspective. We should all become more versed in this translating ability!

Thanks so much – I love your site. I could spend hours here. It’s addictive. Thanks for opening my eyes and making me curious about such a wide variety of issues.

As you wrote elsewhere on your website, marketers are smart – we have to outsmart them.

evelyn

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By: Sandy Gizh

Sandy Gizh — Sat, 21 Nov 2009 18:07:12 +0000

Are you fluent in other languages of gobbledy-gook-speak? I could use your translation skills in some of our meetings at work!!!!!!!!!

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By: Paula Dunn

Paula Dunn — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 20:37:02 +0000

Very well-written. In particular, I loved your ‘translation.’
If I’m born without morals in my next life, I’ll have to consider a career in pharmaceuticals… not that I can even wrap my head around how much a mere BILLION dollars is, but it sure sounds like a heck of a lot of dough!

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