ready with a pitch
Kevin
Could anyone tell me what does "I was ready with a pitch" mean?
In Alan Greenspan's book, I found this sentence, he talked with
Clinton, the president-elect, about the huge deficit, and when Clinton
asked him to assess the economic condition of the US. Greenspan said
"I was ready with a pitch". With thanks.
Kevin
tony cooper
wrote:
"Pitch", in this context, means "presentation". Greenspan was ready
to make a presentation on some aspect of the economic conditions.
Usually, "pitch" means a presentation in order sell something or to
present something for approval.
We say salesmen have "sales pitches". Advertising and marketing
people make pitches to clients to get them to agree to a campaign.
Greenspan is being very informal in this usage. A person of his
stature would only put himself on the level of a salesman as a form of
mock humility. He wouldn't think that he was selling anything; he
would think he was presenting gospel.
--
Tony Cooper - Orlando, Florida
Clive
'A pitch' often refers to the persuasive presentation of an
idea or plan, to someone whose approval is required.
Best
wishes, Clive
--------------------------------------------------------------
El tango argentino es un pensamiento triste que se puede bailar (The
tango argentino is a sad thought which can be danced) Enrique Santos
Disc�polo
Clive: http://www.englishforums.com/user/drqr/profile.htm
--------------------------------------------------------------
Kevin
> On Sun, 15 Nov 2009 18:26:35 -0800 (PST), Kevin <paro...@gmail.com>
Thanks Tony,
I know that many people, especially those who had worked with him,
dislike him very much.
Some seemed to imply Greenspan knows nothing about economy, while
others said he is arbitrary.
Kevin
Kevin
> Hi,
> 'A pitch' often refers to the persuasive presentation of an
> idea or plan, to someone whose approval is required.
>
> Best
> wishes, Clive
>
> --------------------------------------------------------------
>
> El tango argentino es un pensamiento triste que se puede bailar (The
> tango argentino is a sad thought which can be danced) Enrique Santos
>
> Clive:http://www.englishforums.com/user/drqr/profile.htm
>
> --------------------------------------------------------------
Thanks Clive,
I could not find the definition in my dictionaries. I initially
guessed, would it be that he raised his voice (with a pitch)...:)..
Kevin
Robert Lieblich
[re Alan Greenspan]
> I know that many people, especially those who had worked with him,
> dislike him very much.
> Some seemed to imply Greenspan knows nothing about economy, while
> others said he is arbitrary.
Greenspan confessed a few months ago that the basic economic principle
on which his entire career was founded -- that economic markets in a
capitalist society are self-correcting and need little if any
regulation -- was wrong. I admire his courage, but his judgment seems
in retrospect to have left much to be desired.
He was also a loyal disciple of Ayn Rand. Make of that what you will.
--
Bob Lieblich
The foregoing is not an invitation to debates on topics political or
economic
Kevin
Bob - sorry that I could not get your meaning of "but his judgment
seems
in retrospect to have left much to be desired". Do you mean
Greenspan's
own confession is far enough?
Kevin
mm
wrote:
>On Nov 16, 10:58�am, Clive <clive-nore...@englishforums.com> wrote:
>> Hi,
>> 'A pitch' often refers to the persuasive presentation of an
>> �idea or plan, to someone whose approval is required.
>>
>> Best
>> �wishes, Clive
>>
>> --------------------------------------------------------------
>>
>> El tango argentino es un pensamiento triste que se puede bailar (The
>> �tango argentino is a sad thought which can be danced) Enrique Santos
>> �Disc�polo
>>
>> Clive:http://www.englishforums.com/user/drqr/profile.htm
>>
>> --------------------------------------------------------------
>
>Thanks Clive,
>I could not find the definition in my dictionaries. I initially
>guessed, would it be that he raised his voice (with a pitch)...:)..
>Kevin
Wow. What a great example of the importance of an idiom, compared to
what I think is taught mostly in Engish classes.
BTW, I don't think using "pitch" is necesarily an example of false
modesty. In public, he may have felt the need to speak in one style,
perhaps formally to be more convincing, but in his book and since he's
probably retired from public office, he can use any style he wants.
"Familiarity breeds contempt" and he too by now may think of his
presentations to Congressional committees and presidents as more like
pitches than anything else. I did here him quote someone who said
roughtly "he can use more words to say less than anyone I know."
And if he wasn't modest before, if this book was written after he made
an enormous mistake, he may be modest now. For 15 years everyone
thought he was doing a great job.
--
Posters should say where they live, and for which area
they are asking questions. I was born and then lived in
Western Pa. 10 years
Indianapolis 7 years
Chicago 6 years
Brooklyn, NY 12 years
Baltimore 26 years
tony cooper
wrote:
>On Sun, 15 Nov 2009 19:48:54 -0800 (PST), Kevin <par...@gmail.com>
>wrote:
>
>>On Nov 16, 10:58�am, Clive <clive-nore...@englishforums.com> wrote:
>>> Hi,
>>> 'A pitch' often refers to the persuasive presentation of an
>>> �idea or plan, to someone whose approval is required.
>>>
>>> Best
>>> �wishes, Clive
>>>
>>> --------------------------------------------------------------
>>>
>>> El tango argentino es un pensamiento triste que se puede bailar (The
>>> �tango argentino is a sad thought which can be danced) Enrique Santos
>>> �Disc�polo
>>>
>>> Clive:http://www.englishforums.com/user/drqr/profile.htm
>>>
>>> --------------------------------------------------------------
>>
>>Thanks Clive,
>>I could not find the definition in my dictionaries. I initially
>>guessed, would it be that he raised his voice (with a pitch)...:)..
>>Kevin
>
>Wow. What a great example of the importance of an idiom, compared to
>what I think is taught mostly in Engish classes.
>
>BTW, I don't think using "pitch" is necesarily an example of false
>modesty.
I didn't say it was. I said that Greenspan was using the word with
false humility. Greenspan, saying that he had a pitch on economics
ready, is like Moses saying he had some suggestions to offer about
ways to conduct a proper life.
mm
I should have said '"pitch" as used by Greenspan'.
>
>I didn't say it was. I said that Greenspan was using the word with
>false humility.
Yeah, I knew that. I don't think it's necessarily true, for the
reasons I gave.
> Greenspan, saying that he had a pitch on economics
>ready, is like Moses saying he had some suggestions to offer about
>ways to conduct a proper life.
--
Robert Lieblich
[ ... ]
> > Greenspan confessed a few months ago that the basic economic principle
> > on which his entire career was founded -- that economic markets in a
> > capitalist society are self-correcting and need little if any
> > regulation -- was wrong. I admire his courage, but his judgment seems
> > in retrospect to have left much to be desired.
> >
> > He was also a loyal disciple of Ayn Rand. Make of that what you will.
> Bob - sorry that I could not get your meaning of "but his judgment
> seems
> in retrospect to have left much to be desired". Do you mean
> Greenspan's
> own confession is far enough?
It appears, Kevin, that I used an idiom with which you are
unfamiliar. "Leave much to be desired" means "Perform inadequately"
or simply "be inadequate." The idea is that people who desired good
performance (from Greenspan in this case) did not get the quality of
performance they desired, so more was left to be desired. I was
attempting to convey the idea that Greenspan's judgment was not good
enough to enable him to consistently make correct choices while he ran
the Federal Reserve. Better judgment was much to be desired.
I hope this helps more than it confuses.
--
Bob Lieblich
Block that idiom!
Patok
>
> And if he wasn't modest before, if this book was written after he made
> an enormous mistake, he may be modest now. For 15 years everyone
> thought he was doing a great job.
I still think he did. What happened to change the perception?
--
You'd be crazy to e-mail me with the crazy. But leave the div alone.
mm
wrote:
>mm wrote:
>>
>> And if he wasn't modest before, if this book was written after he made
>> an enormous mistake, he may be modest now. For 15 years everyone
>> thought he was doing a great job.
>
> I still think he did. What happened to change the perception?
The big econominc tumble, led by the collapse of investment banks, and
including the big problmes of a lot of commerical banks.
Greenspan felt market forces would keep this sort of thing from
happening, and he was one of many reasons. but an important one, why
more steps weren't taken in advance to prevent it. He admitted he was
wrong, in testimony to Congress I think, and iirc apologized. I'm
sure his actions were sincere and he didn't gain personally from the
positions he took, but that doesn't mean he did a great job. Much as
I'd like to say he did.
He was appointed by both Demorcatic and Republican president(s?)
P&M. Sorry I didn't notice this post earlier.