‘Devil’s Dictionary’

* Though Adela de la Torre’s commentary on “corporatespeak” was satiric (Nov. 15), it made a somber point. Euphemizing a worker’s firing by calling it downsizing doesn’t make it a positive or humane event. Given our Republican Congress, which favors employers over employees, and a President with strong pro-business leanings, the United States may be on its way to a totalitarian corporate state where “corporatespeak” will be a required course in our schools. Before you scoff, recall the perversions of the Russian and German languages earlier in this century.

JAY HOFERR

Los Angeles

* More entries for the corporate “devil’s dictionary”:

Paradigm shift--Same paradigm, only with less people.

Quality circle--Musical chairs for the next wave of layoffs.

Employee empowerment--Process of identifying fall guys and gals.

Lateral promotion--Lucky to have a job.

Competitive global market--Meet your replacement from overseas.

Workplace diversity--Plan to minimize discrimination suits.

Reinventing--”If at first you don’t succeed . . . “

MARK A. LEON

Pasadena