[Vocabulary] Touch Base

[sh.hazeri]

What/how is the meaning/usage of "Touch Base" ?

 

[emsr2d2]

What/how is the meaning/usage of "Touch Base" ?

It means to make contact briefly, just to make sure things are OK, or to tell other people that you are OK!

When people go travelling, they often promise to "touch base occasionally" just to let their friends and family know they're still alive!!

A boss might "touch base" with his office if he's abroad or out of town for some reason. It can be a call or an email.

 

[sh.hazeri]

1- Is that going to be used with "To" or "With" ? I mean for instance we say :

... in order to Touch base to you ....

or

... in order to Touch base with you ....

2- as per you say it means contacting in order to be informed, then is it as same as :

- Keep in Touch ?

 

[emsr2d2]

1- Is that going to be used with "To" or "With" ? I mean for instance we say :

... in order to Touch base to you ....

or

... in order to Touch base with you ....

2- as per you say it means contacting in order to be informed, then is it as same as :

- Keep in Touch ?

"To touch base with" and yes, it does mean "keep in touch" though it somewhat suggests brevity.

 

[bertietheblue]

[ - for makes my blood boil]

Touch base - a square on a 'bull***t bingo' (google it!) card.

Avoid rolling eyes, avoid people talking behind your back ("He said what?":shock. If you ever set foot in the UK, avoid!*

OK, OK, I exaggerate: if you've got an accent, you might get away with using it over here, especially if you're an American (... or a Canadian). Thing is, it's a US expression that comes from a US game - baseball - that we in the UK do not play and do not understand and it's come to us via US corporate culture. Great, fine if you're from the US, live in the US. But here?

Now, don't get me wrong, British English is all the richer for the words and expressions American English brings to it. But surely a little pride and not adopting eveything indiscriminately, especially this kind of all-branded corporate-suited guff?

*'Catch up' is fine.

 

[emsr2d2]

[ - for makes my blood boil]

Touch base - a square on a 'bull***t bingo' (google it!) card.

Avoid rolling eyes, avoid people talking behind your back ("He said what?":shock. If you ever set foot in the UK, avoid!*

OK, OK, I exaggerate: if you've got an accent, you might get away with using it over here, especially if you're an American (... or a Canadian). Thing is, it's a US expression that comes from a US game - baseball - that we in the UK do not play and do not understand and it's come to us via US corporate culture. Great, fine if you're from the US, live in the US. But here?

Now, don't get me wrong, British English is all the richer for the words and expressions American English brings to it. But surely a little pride and not adopting eveything indiscriminately, especially this kind of all-branded corporate-suited guff?

*'Catch up' is fine.

Wow - you really don't like the phrase, do you?! :-D

I would differentiate between "touch base" and "catch up" though. If I call someone and we catch up, it usually involves a reasonably long conversation, involving all the news from both sides since the last time we spoke.

If I touched base with someone, it would literally be a quick message to say "Hi, hope all is OK with you. I'm fine. Chat soon. x"

 

[bertietheblue]

Wow - you really don't like the phrase, do you?! :-D
I can stomach neither the phrase nor the corporate-cloned HR/PR "Rsholes without souls" in the City who use it.

I would differentiate between "touch base" and "catch up" though. If I call someone and we catch up, it usually involves a reasonably long conversation, involving all the news from both sides since the last time we spoke. I don't completely agree. I mean, when you catch up with people you know, I agree with what you're saying, but when you casually say "We'll have to catch up sometime!" to a business acquiantance it's meaningless - just a polite way of ending a conversation and taking your leave.

If I touched base with someone, it would literally be a quick message to say "Hi, hope all is OK with you. I'm fine. Chat soon. x"

Bertie

 

[Raymott]

Now, don't get me wrong, British English is all the richer for the words and expressions American English brings to it. But surely a little pride and not adopting eveything indiscriminately, especially this kind of all-branded corporate-suited guff?

Absolutely! ;-)