Two phrases have become ubiquitous over the last couple of years when politicians have been interviewed on television. The following are my translations into their real meanings. Please feel free to add your own.
P-speak:
'We are working hard...'
Real speak:
'We have dropped the ball horrendously, so don't expect us to get things sorted in the foreseeable future'.
P-speak:
'The fact of the matter is...'
Real speak:
'The next words that come out of my mouth are going to be, at best, a twisting of the facts and more likely, a complete fabrication'.
It always sounds goofy, politician-speak and, yes, BJ sounds goofy within the already established goofiness. In advertising though goofiness is just as powerful as sexiness in pushing product. Politician-speak is to do with broad and sometimes contradictory concepts that are pulverised, crystalised, condensed and capsulised into single words or short phrases. Elusive products are pushed, but it comes down to who will give us the most money. The message is always, “Take action because you just might end up with more means with which to take more action. as a result.” It’s verb-heavy and inaction is death.