English with an American Corporate Accent - 005

This is another collection from recent meetings and trips. It works best if you can find a native English speaker with exposure to corporate America to elaborate on the finer points that I cannot cover well here.

* That issue must have fallen through the cracks. [That issue must have been forgotten.]
* Don't drop the ball yet, we still hope to get that done in time. [Don't give up yet, we still have hope to get that done in time.]
* We really want to leverage the vendors; we don't want to hold the bag. [We really want to build on top of what the vendors have done; we don't want to do this all by ourselves.]
* Hopefully we won't have any fire drills next week. [Hopefully we won't have any last-minute work to do next week.]
* That's the old guard thinking; they have the NIH syndrome. [That's the traditional and outdated thinking; they have the not-invented-here syndrome. If not done here, they won't use it.]
* They'll bring in distinguished engineers to defend for them, then we'll have a pissing contest. [They'll bring in a group of elites to defend for them, then we'll have a contest of wills and egos.]
* Guys, knock yourself out! [Guys, go ahead and do it!]
* At some point, there will be top-down communication; the bottom-up communication only works to some extent. [At some point, there will be directives from the top; the bottom-up discussions and consensus building only works to some extent.]
* Let's separate the FUDD from reality. [Let's separate the rumors and wishes from the truth.] [FUDD: Fear, Uncertainty, Doubt, and Disinformation]
* Paul, we bit our tongues when John asked whether there were any more defects on the software. [Paul, we had to restrain ourselves from talking when John asked whether there were any more defects on the software.]
* There will be a few more stragglers calling in later. [There will be a few more late comers calling in later.]