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29 March 2009

Despatching a currier

Sam: I need Edwina to focus on document XYZ because I don't have anyone else.

Me: Yes but that worries me. She needs supervision. Which is stupid I know, but she does.

Sam: Well I don't have anyone else to do it so we have to take the risk.

[2 hours later]

Me: Edwina can you please review document XYZ? We're running late here so I'd like you to focus on it, update the English and highlight anything that we need clarity from. Call them in to clarify once you have a list.

Ed: What? Oh. Yeah. Sure. I don't know if I will know what they mean but I can try.

[One day later]

Me: Have you finished? Can I see? How was it?

Ed: No I haven't finished it because I didn't understand it. It was impossible. Their English was everywhere.

Me: Just change it then.

Ed: But I don't know what they're saying half the time. It's impossible.

Me: Give me an example

Ed: Well I was reading one sentence that they wrote "send something through using a currier" -- I mean ... what's a currier?

Me: It's courier. Just change it. Obviously they mean courier. They are referring to sending documents from one location to another. Please don't turn it into a personal crusade.

Ed: Yes that's what I thought. Courier. But "currier" didn't come up in spellcheck in Word so then I checked it on google and it's an actual word, did you know?

Me: I don't care. It's not relevant. Make the changes please. Did you met with them to clarify other things which aren't clear?

Ed: No but I called them and said you were not happy with their progress.

Me: I'm actually more worried about your progress.

Ed: Yes, but a "currier" is certainly nothing to do with the process that they were writing about. It relates to someone who--"

Me: We don't have time to be pedantic. Please just change it and stop scoring points. We know their English is not good, so change it. We don't have time and we do know what they mean to say most of the time.

Ed: It actually has something to do with leather tanning--"

Me: Please. Stop. Now. Change it. Please."

[2 days pass] 

I'm doing a final review of Edwina's document. I come across a comment in the revised document ... "Please explain currier. Do you mean courier? Currier doesn't make sense in this sentence. Please outline what you mean." Fer fuck's sake.

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

i'm on Edwina's side... you go girl.

little_black_duck said...

You know Edwina IMed me about this topic too. And went on about it.

I told her my documents were in Spanish and she had nothing to complain about.

She still managed it though.