Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I hate this too! I used to be a journalist and never had to deal with this kind of silly corporate-speak. Now I do public information work for a nonprofit and it comes up occasionally. I also hate "tasked" but I'm afraid I'm losing that battle, it's everywhere now.

So task is a verb and ask is a noun. Let's call a meeting to task the ask.

But, what's the ask? I'm just spit balling here, but we need a work around because this isn't in line with our mission statement. Let's have an all hands meeting in the conference room and we can whiteboard some ideas and work out some best practices.

"I'm a lawyer who does some government relations work. I use it with certain people in a conversation or an informal email, but not in a letter or legal memo. It's called colloquialism.

And when you use it I think less of you, so it be hooves you to not do that.

+1. It really does make you sound like a dimwit. There is a suitable word: request. Why do you need to turn a verb into a noun?"

Really, I'm a "dimwit" to use the same term as others with whom I'm working (lobbyists, PR specialists)? Well, I guess that is better than being seen as an uptight, asshole lawyer, which is how you two would be perceived. I have a reputation as someone who is both good to work with and who does high quality work, the former because I'm flexible enough to speak the same language as others around me.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm a lawyer who does some government relations work. I use it with certain people in a conversation or an informal email, but not in a letter or legal memo. It's called colloquialism.

And when you use it I think less of you, so it be hooves you to not do that.

+1. It really does make you sound like a dimwit. There is a suitable word: request. Why do you need to turn a verb into a noun?

Anonymous wrote:Why does it suck? I am a native speaker but saw this used in million dollar listing. I like how English is flexible you could never do this in my language.

Therein lies the danger. See 12:04.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Not as bad as some who pronounce "ask" as "axe."

As in "I axed my mother" or "Axe the teacher."

Then they really will need a lawyer who will have a big "ask" of the prosecutor!

If i remember chaucer used 'ax' instead of ask.

if its good enough chaucer, it's good enough for shaniqua.

Or Clitoreece.

Anonymous wrote:

FruminousBandersnatch wrote:For the non-lawyers, the problem is that use of words in a non-standard manner can create ambiguity. While "ask" may be a term of art in some aspects of finance (e.g., "bid-ask"), using it generically as a noun in legal drafting may open the usage up to some argument about meaning. So, while it may sound pedantic for the lawyers to get snippy about casual usage of things like "ask," it can make a difference.

In contracts, grammar can make an enormous difference. There's a famous case where millions of dollars turned on the placement and interpretation of a comma (see http://www.theregister.co.uk/2006/10/26/the_case_of_the_million_dollar_comma/). In that case, the placement of the comma determined when one party could terminate the contract.

Correct grammar and diction are essential for lawyers because of the potential for things like this.

Damn! I know those skills as an overeducated, overpaid proof-reader would be important some day.

"Knew" -- guess I'm not that good of an overeducated, overpaid proof-reader.

Anonymous wrote:Not as bad as some who pronounce "ask" as "axe."

As in "I axed my mother" or "Axe the teacher."

Then they really will need a lawyer who will have a big "ask" of the prosecutor!

If i remember chaucer used 'ax' instead of ask.

if its good enough chaucer, it's good enough for shaniqua.

FruminousBandersnatch wrote:For the non-lawyers, the problem is that use of words in a non-standard manner can create ambiguity. While "ask" may be a term of art in some aspects of finance (e.g., "bid-ask"), using it generically as a noun in legal drafting may open the usage up to some argument about meaning. So, while it may sound pedantic for the lawyers to get snippy about casual usage of things like "ask," it can make a difference.

In contracts, grammar can make an enormous difference. There's a famous case where millions of dollars turned on the placement and interpretation of a comma (see http://www.theregister.co.uk/2006/10/26/the_case_of_the_million_dollar_comma/). In that case, the placement of the comma determined when one party could terminate the contract.

Correct grammar and diction are essential for lawyers because of the potential for things like this.

Damn! I know those skills as an overeducated, overpaid proof-reader would be important some day.

Anonymous wrote:I hate this too! I used to be a journalist and never had to deal with this kind of silly corporate-speak. Now I do public information work for a nonprofit and it comes up occasionally. I also hate "tasked" but I'm afraid I'm losing that battle, it's everywhere now.

So task is a verb and ask is a noun. Let's call a meeting to task the ask.

Not as bad as some who pronounce "ask" as "axe."

As in "I axed my mother" or "Axe the teacher."

Then they really will need a lawyer who will have a big "ask" of the prosecutor!

I hate this too! I used to be a journalist and never had to deal with this kind of silly corporate-speak. Now I do public information work for a nonprofit and it comes up occasionally. I also hate "tasked" but I'm afraid I'm losing that battle, it's everywhere now.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm a lawyer who does some government relations work. I use it with certain people in a conversation or an informal email, but not in a letter or legal memo. It's called colloquialism.

And when you use it I think less of you, so it be hooves you to not do that.

Behooves (damn auto correct).

Anonymous wrote:I'm a lawyer who does some government relations work. I use it with certain people in a conversation or an informal email, but not in a letter or legal memo. It's called colloquialism.

And when you use it I think less of you, so it be hooves you to not do that.

Anonymous wrote:OP here. People use it as a replacement for "request" or "demand." Everytime I hear it, I think the person using it is a goddamned moron. I guess people think "ask" sounds "nicer" than "demand."

Actually it's sloppy and inefficient... "Ask" is nothing more than a substitute for "offer" or "request", but they're turning a verb into a noun and sounding like twits in the process.

Totally agree.

It is sloppy and reflects glib but graceless slangy usage.

More appropriate for a Glengarry, Glenross kind of 3d rate shill feast than serious professional usage IMO.