Thread: ratchet up (translate, pls)

The ratcheting up of compensation has been obscene. There is a tendency to put cocker spaniels on compensation committees, not Doberman pinschers.

Whay do they mean in the first sentence and what compensation they are talking about? There are different words for "compensation" in Russian, I can't choose.

Thanks in advance.

rachet up = increase in steps over time

compensation = salary, stock options, perks,etc.

The gist is that the author is unhappy that compensations for the highest-paid workers (CEO level and such) has kept being increased because the compensation committee members (who control compensation) are acting more like cocker spaniels than Dobermans, i.e., they should be preventing the racheting up but are instead acting like friendly puppies, pets.

Oh, big thanks!!!
I suspected they were talking about rising salaries, but couldn't grasp why it was bad. You made it perfectly clear!

Originally Posted by chaika

rachet up = increase in steps over time

compensation = salary, stock options, perks,etc.

The gist is that the author is unhappy that compensations for the highest-paid workers (CEO level and such) has kept being increased because the compensation committee members (who control compensation) are acting more like cocker spaniels than Dobermans, i.e., they should be preventing the racheting up but are instead acting like friendly puppies, pets.

I am impressed Chaika -- I wouldn't have chalked this up to a corporate setting at all -- I'd have thought it was some of those crazy dog-show types talking about some sort of elitest dog organization!

Chaika's correct, an excellent explanation and metaphor, and on-target...

...but I would add this, business-wise... this is not normal English in some areas (international business) to use dog-comparisons, but, of course, I understand the comparisons... cocker-spaniel vs. doberman ... the comparisons are just not understood everywhere equally in the English-speaking world. Some non-native English speakers will not always catch the comparison.

An observation, from experience with various English forms and usage.

The simpler, the better.

Originally Posted by Dobry

Chaika's correct, an excellent explanation and metaphor, and on-target...

...but I would add this, business-wise... this is not normal English in some areas (international business) to use dog-comparisons, but, of course, I understand the comparisons... cocker-spaniel vs. doberman ... the comparisons are just not understood everywhere equally in the English-speaking world. Some non-native English speakers will not always catch the comparison.

An observation, from experience with various English forms and usage.

The simpler, the better.

I'm a native speaker -- and I know what these breeds are and their temperment, but you're spot on -- this is a lousy metaphor. Like I said (*cough* admitted *cough above it wasn't clear to me...

Originally Posted by Бармалей

I'm a native speaker -- and I know what these breeds are and their temperment, but you're spot on -- this is a lousy metaphor. Like I said (*cough* admitted *cough above it wasn't clear to me...

Thanks, guys. Your opinions were really interesting.

It's funny but I took the original phrase from the book for corporate spokesmen. It was given as an example of good analogy and clear thinking ("sometning even my grandmother could understand").