Lost in corporate translation: Viral video hilariously exposes what not to say vs. office-speak alternatives to sound professional

A viral video from Instagram account @wankernomics has hilariously captured the absurdity of workplace communication, showcasing just how far we stretch language to sound more… sophisticated? Professional? Let’s be honest—it’s mostly just nonsense.

«It's a Living, Breathing Document» and Other Office Jargons

The video brilliantly highlights the everyday struggles of corporate lingo. For example, if you need to say that the document is editable, don't say «It is editable»—oh no, that won’t do. Instead, you must say, «It is a living breathing document.»

If you need to ask the simple question, «How much does it cost?»—oh no! Instead, you must say, «What's the cost attached to that?» (Because, apparently, price tags are now «attachments.»)

Even better, when you don’t know the cost? Saying «I don't know» is a rookie mistake. The correct response? «I don’t have the numbers in front of me.» And if you do have the numbers but still don’t understand them, just throw in «There are a lot of moving parts.» Boom—instant credibility.

Meetings, Miscommunication, and the Art of Bluffing

One of the biggest culprits of corporate jargon inflation is email etiquette. Instead of admitting, «I didn’t read your email,» we masterfully disguise our negligence with «There may have been a miscommunication» Smooth.

And of course, the ultimate power move—referring to a simple chat with a co-worker in finance as a «cross-functional meeting with finance.» Why sound like a regular person when you can sound like a corporate overlord?

Why