“It’s raining cats and dogs” – this idiom is probably the best-known idiom and simply means that it is raining a lot. The English idiom “it is raining cats and dogs“, used to describe particularly heavy rain, is of unknown etymology and is not necessarily related to the raining animals phenomenon. The phrase has been used at least since the 17th century. We don’t know. The phrase might have its roots in Norse mythology, medieval superstitions, the obsolete word, ‘catadupe’ (waterfall), or dead animals in the streets of Britain being picked up by storm waters. The first recorded use of a phrase similar to “raining cats and dogs” was in the 1651 collection of poems Olor Iscanus. British poet Henry Vaughan referred to a roof that was secure against, “dogs and cats rained in shower.” One year later, Richard Brome, an English playwright, wrote in his comedy City Witt, “It shall rain dogs and polecats.” (Polecats (der Iltis) are related to the weasel (Wiesel) and were common in Great Britain through the end of the nineteenth century.)
Special English Word:etymology /ˌɛtɪˈmɒlədʒi/ noun: etymology
the study of the origin of words and the way in which their meanings have changed throughout history.
“the decline of etymology as a linguistic discipline.”
the origin of a word and the historical development of its meaning.
plural noun: etymologies
“the etymology of the word ‘Easter’.”
Special words:Besondere Worte:
Kafufflenoun. /kəˈfʌfl/ /kərˈfʌfl/ [singular] (British English, informal) unnecessary excitement or activity synonym commotion, fuss. a disturbance or commotion typically caused by a dispute or conflict In all the kerfuffle, nobody seemed to have noticed Harry, which suited him perfectly.
The root of “kerfuffle” is the very old Scots verb “fuffle,” which first appeared in print in the early 16th century and means “to throw into disorder.” The Oxford English Dictionary suggests that the “ker” part of “kerfuffle” may have come from the Gaelic word “car,” meaning “to twist, bend or turn around.”
Business English: Geschäftsenglisch:
Overtime
Part-time work
Full-time work
Law English / Recht Englisch:
Local authority (ies)
Arbitrator
Alien (X2)
Foreigner.
Vocabulary of Contracts:
Wortschatz für Verträge:
BSI
The British Standards Institution. The national standards body in the UK, brings together suppliers and users (including the government) to draw up standards. These are numbered as identified by the prefix ‘BS’.
Call-off agreements
Also known as call-off contracts. See standing arrangements.
Caveat emptor (let the buyer beware)
For an error to be operative and render a contract or term void, it must be an error of fact not an error of judgement. Thus if ‘A‘ buys an article from ‘B‘ for £100 when it is worth £50, the contract remains good. The buyer cannot complain of defects in goods of which he ought reasonably to have been aware in the circumstances.
Certificate of Compliance
A certificate issued by a supplier which warrants that goods supplied meet the buyer’s specified requirements.
CIPS Chartered Institute of Purchasing and Supply.
Closeout
Action on the part of a buyer to review the contract file after completion of the work. The buyer ensures that all documents are up-to-date and that they properly reflect and record the details of the exercise. While a record should be held of reasons for changes to, for example, tender specifications only the final versions should be retained on file. This will reduce confusion in the event of receiving a Freedom of Information enquiry.
A close-out report, reviewing the exercise, may be prepared and any lessons learnt summarised and shared with colleagues. This is also the ideal time to complete and file a vendor rating report on the supplier concerned.
Commitment
The result of formalising an agreement by an act of acceptance. It may also be used to describe the financial value of an agreement – the amount committed.
Competitive tendering
Awarding contracts by the process of seeking competing tenders. See also Market Testing.
Consideration
The legal term is used to describe the payment made for the goods or services provided by a supplier.
Consignment stocking
Stock items or lines are held at the buyer’s premises but owned by the supplier and not paid for until usage is replaced by the supplier. Alternatively, the supplier may hold the stock, at its own premises, for the buyer’s exclusive use.
Contract
See Agreement. Often used to describe a standalone document to set out the terms of the agreement between buyer and supplier, prepared to include specific conditions rather than the general conditions used in a standard purchase order.
Contracting out
In government, used to describe testing the efficiency of in-house services against tenders from outside firms. Contracting out means placing a contract for such services with an outside supplier.
Contract award notice
Notice of award of contract published in the Official Journal of the European Union (OJEU) in fulfilment of requirements under the European Public Procurement Directives as implemented into UK legislation.
Contract notice
Notice published in the Official Journal of the European Union (OJEU) by contracting authorities inviting firms to tender in open, restricted or negotiated procedures under the European Public Procurement Directives as implemented into UK legislation.
Copyright
Related not to the protection of ideas, but to the form in which they are presented (eg literary, dramatic, musical and artistic work, printed editions of books and computer programs).
Cost insurance and freight (CIF)
The supplier’s price includes all carriage-associated costs from dispatch to the port of receipt. The title for the goods passes at the point when the goods pass the ship’s rail.
Wit, Wit, Wit Business examples:
Witz, Witz, Witz Geschäftsbeispiele:
“An economist is a man who states the obvious in terms of the incomprehensible.” Quote by Alfred Knopf.
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