• notfromhere@lemmy.ml
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    19 days ago

    “Everyone on board” is slang for everyone agreeing to a way of thinking/doing. The sentence reads correct imo.

    • sugar_in_your_tea@sh.itjust.works
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      19 days ago

      Eh, it should probably be “getting everyone on board,” “everyone to get on board,” or “everyone on board agreeing…” It’s missing a verb. I understand it as-is, I just think it’s ungrammatical.

      • idiomaddict@lemmy.world
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        19 days ago

        It’s an elision which is common in many English dialects and totally out of place in others. A more common form of this that always feels incomplete to me is “needs washed,” but in both cases, “to be” is elided (omitted).

        • sugar_in_your_tea@sh.itjust.works
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          19 days ago

          I’ve heard “needs washed” and also consider it ungrammatical, but I also understand it. So I might say something like “everyone on board” or “needs washed” in conversation, but I wouldn’t do it in writing, especially more formal writing like this where someone is running a business and soliciting work.

          • Crashumbc@lemmy.world
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            19 days ago

            While this is writing, it’s not formal, it’s a marketing ad directed less than savvy want to be entrepreneurs… It’s meant to be sales speech.

            • sugar_in_your_tea@sh.itjust.works
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              19 days ago

              Right, and a sales speech should be somewhat formal. It’s not like an essay or legal appeal, but it should be a lot more formal than a discussion at a backyard BBQ or whatever.

          • idiomaddict@lemmy.world
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            19 days ago

            It’s more accepted in different areas, but this doesn’t seem at all out of place to me. I’m curious if other examples would sound incorrect to you (no pressure if you’re not looking for an interview):

            1. With his friends by his side, he felt safe

            2. he needed his friends by his side to feel safe

            3. she wasn’t comfortable with him at the wheel

            4. She identified the person at the wheel before proceeding to the booking office and making her report.

            5. He was unable to access all of the documents in the file.

            • sugar_in_your_tea@sh.itjust.works
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              19 days ago

              Those all seem fine. The third is a little colloquial and I’d say “She wasn’t comfortable with him driving” to make it clear what the issue was. But the rest don’t really need a verb, for example:

              1. what his friends are doing isn’t making him feel safe, their proximity is; if their actions were important, include the verb (“working,” “focusing,” etc)
              2. similar to 1
              3. implication is that he’d be an unsafe driver, but there could be other interpretations (e.g. if he’s a child, maybe he’d break the steering column), but those are unlikely
              4. law generally cares who was in control, not necessarily who actually caused the accident; if the passenger jerks the wheel, that’s on the defense to prove, prosecution just needs to know who was supposed to be in control to eliminate guilt for their client
              5. documents don’t do anything, so they are assumed to be at rest

              “Everyone on board” is using boats as an analogy, and it should be clear what the desired action is that needs to be taken (i.e. remain on board vs get on board). The verb there is pretty significant because it defines what action needs to be taken to get to the desired end state (everyone being on board). Most of the time, I hear, “we need to get everyone on board” instead of “we need everyone on board” because the action tells the listener what they should be doing.

              Anyway, that’s my take. In an informal setting (e.g. discussing over lunch or at someone’s desk), use whatever. But in a more formal setting (soliciting business, presenting at a meeting, etc), I expect more precise language.