The expression "reach/reaching out". Is that a regional thing?

[Suzanne in ABQ]

So, my son is attending college in Florida.  I have noticed that every single person I talk to at that school uses the expression, "reach out" or "reaching out" at least once (usually more) in every conversation. 

 

"Hey, thanks for reaching out to us today."

"I'm just reaching out to touch base with you about ..."

"Hold just a minute while I reach out to the housing office."

 

I have always lived in the southwest part of the US (New Mexico, West Texas, California, Colorado).  While the expression isn't totally foreign to me, the main times I've heard it used in this context was in those old AT&T commercials, "Reach out, reach out and touch someone..."

 

I'm wondering, is this just a thing at that particular school (their employees are trained to use this expression), or is it common in Florida, in the south, or in other parts of the country?  Is this a relatively new thing that just hasn't worked it's way over her to New Mexico?  Do I live in a bubble and missed this somehow?

[Seasider]

I am so sick of that phrase! It belongs with a few others overused in business lingo trends (paradigm, anyone?).

 

I shake my head over the grammatical gymnastics some folks use as they try to include some form of the phrase in their communications.

 

I don't know if it's regional or not, but I've seen it in written materials and spoken pieces originating from many geographical areas.

 

PS, I would love to know if there's a correlation between acceptance of that terminology and introversion/extroversion. As in, you can reach all you want but if you actually touch me, watch out.

Edited September 21, 2016 by Seasider

[Guest]

I've heard it in California and Alaska, but it's not a daily thing except in group emails soliciting volunteers :p

[Farrar]

I'm an east coaster and am definitely familiar with it... I don't feel like it's tied to a particular region, but I've known people who used it a lot.

[Rebel Yell]

SW PA. I use, and hear it used, several times a day in a variety of contexts.

[zoobie]

I used to only hear it in church-y settings, but it seems to have spread. (Deep South)

[Crimson Wife]

I'm an east coaster and am definitely familiar with it... I don't feel like it's tied to a particular region, but I've known people who used it a lot.

 

I've heard it from both New Englanders and Californians so I don't think it's regional.

[Amira]

I'm curious how long it's been around. It's seems to me that it's come into widespread use in the last 5-7 years rather than being a regional thing.

[Jean in Newcastle]

I hear it on the west coast. 

[MelAR05]

That term drives me crazy!!! I first heard it about 7 yrs ago when my husband work in DC. Now I hear it locally.

[Tiberia]

I'm in WA state. I hear it mostly from business people. They use it instead of the verb "contact."

 

"I'll reach out to them and coordinate that."   

 

"We'll reach out to the case manager and try to get it on the calendar."

 

I've gotten used to it, but I do notice it. I still say "contact." 

[SKL]

They say it plenty where I live (Midwest).  It does get old.  :P

[EmseB]

I have heard it.  I don't know if I use it often, because it never occurred to me that it was any different than saying "contact".  I mean, I know the words are different, but I wouldn't have picked it out as some weird phrase in a conversation any more than if someone said something like, "I'll get in touch with Jane tomorrow."  I didn't realize it was distinct.

[DesertBlossom]

Mostly I have used it or heard it in terms of helping someone, or fellowshipping, or getting in touch with someone who has been estranged. It's more than just contacting a person.

[MomatHWTK]

Last 4-5 years I think, businesses "connect" or "reach out" instead of calling. 

[foxbridgeacademy]

I'm from Southern Indiana and while they use it there I definitely heard it more while living in the South/Southeast. 

[creekland]

I don't think I use the phrase personally, but I definitely recognize it and hear it relatively often here in South Central PA and other places we've been.  I agree with others that I think it's a more recent addition to regular vocab (which is probably why I don't use it - old dogs new tricks and all that).  Did it come from a TV show?

 

It doesn't bother me at all to hear it.  I never even thought about it bothering anyone before.

[kewb]

East coaster, definitely familiar with the phrase. It doesn't bother me so it barely registers if someone uses the phrase.

 

Synergy, otoh, makes my skin crawl.

[whitestavern]

It's common where I live, in New England.

[Tiramisu]

Mid-Atlantic. It's extremely common.

[Lady Florida.]

It's a common phrase here in Florida, but I don't hear it often. Maybe that's because I'm not in the work world, but afaik it isn't overused in my area of the state.

[poppy]

Was common corporate jargon 10 years ago.

[Alessandra]

I'm curious how long it's been around. It's seems to me that it's come into widespread use in the last 5-7 years rather than being a regional thing.

I think I remember the first time I heard it -- in the tv series, NYPD Blue, back in the 1990's. Multiple characters used the phrase, iirc. It usually had the connotation of talking with people that you would not normally talk with.

 

In real life, I'm not sure I've ever heard It, lol.

Edited September 21, 2016 by Alessandra

[QueenCat]

Currently East Coast, have spent much time in the South. It's been used pretty much everywhere I've lived in the past couple of decades. Typically between neighbors and friends. Haven't really heard it used in professional settings.

[ktgrok]

That term drives me crazy!!! I first heard it about 7 yrs ago when my husband work in DC. Now I hear it locally.

 

Yup, it's corporate speak. Basically, I think it came to be to cover all the possibilities of communication - call, email, text, etc. But yeah, it drives me insane. Hubby uses it daily regarding work stuff. 

 

Even worse as "going forward" which seems to be disappearing thank heavens. 

[Ellie]

So, my son is attending college in Florida.  I have noticed that every single person I talk to at that school uses the expression, "reach out" or "reaching out" at least once (usually more) in every conversation. 

 

"Hey, thanks for reaching out to us today."

"I'm just reaching out to touch base with you about ..."

"Hold just a minute while I reach out to the housing office."

 

I have always lived in the southwest part of the US (New Mexico, West Texas, California, Colorado).  While the expression isn't totally foreign to me, the main times I've heard it used in this context was in those old AT&T commercials, "Reach out, reach out and touch someone..."

 

I'm wondering, is this just a thing at that particular school (their employees are trained to use this expression), or is it common in Florida, in the south, or in other parts of the country?  Is this a relatively new thing that just hasn't worked it's way over her to New Mexico?  Do I live in a bubble and missed this somehow?

 

Oh, no, it is definitely not regional.

 

I don't hear it often in daily IRL conversation, but I do hear it. And it has shown up on major network TV shows for many, many years. It makes me crazy. Call someone, or email someone, or talk to someone, but please don't reach out.

[City Mouse]

I agree that it must be a business thing. Maybe that phrase was taught in some management class somewhere. People in the company I work for use that phrase, but I don't hear people use it outside of work.

It doesn't really bother me either way. Language is always evolving. There are words and phrases that bother me a whole lot more that "reaching out".

[TrixieB]

It's everywhere here. 

 

And it drives me nuts.

 

Person X says to me, "Person Y will reach out to you..."

 

So... will Person Y call me? Email me? Send me a letter in the mail? Or tap me on the forehead a la ET?

[zoobie]

It's everywhere here. 

 

And it drives me nuts.

 

Person X says to me, "Person Y will reach out to you..."

 

So... will Person Y call me? Email me? Send me a letter in the mail? Or tap me on the forehead a la ET?

 

Floo network. ;)

[Butter]

It's common in both the DC area and Texas.  It's become more common in the last few years.  It's overused and annoying.

[Arcadia]

I hear the phrase in my social circle as rendering help. Kind of like reach out and give a helping hand.

 

Hubby's workplace deals with quality control so they are very specific on whether they will call or text or email and by when. I didn't hear that phrase either when I was working a decade ago outstation here in Silicon Valley in high performance computing.

[Tap]

It is very common in our area, so much so that I don't really notice it. It is definitely management speak.  Dh is in upper management and I worked on a management college degree, so I am sure that we picked it up pretty early.

 

I agree with others who say it is less formal, and encompasses any form of communication. 

[wendy not in HI]

I'm not really from anywhere (military spouse), but I have been using that phrase in recent emails.  For my job, I have to send a bunch of emails out to check on different projects, and I really need the recipients to write back and check in with me.  There are only so many ways to say - "hello, just checking in"  Saying, "thanks for reaching out to me with your concerns" is a simple response, that seems a little more personal, maybe?  It's possible it's just a catch phrase right now.  It's not something that I use in my daily life, but I have used it frequently over the last year or so.... I'm not sure if you can say "touch base" any more ;)  so maybe "reaching out" has replaced it?

[SparklyUnicorn]

I live in the east (NY).  I do hear it sometimes.  It's not something I hear every single day, but yes I hear it fairly regularly. 

 

I myself never use it.  For one thing I'm not that friendly...  LOL

 

 

 

Edited September 21, 2016 by SparklyUnicorn

[TranquilMind]

It is SO annoying.

I didn't like it back when it was a telephone company jingle, "Reach out, reach out and touch someone."

 

No, you are NOT reaching out to touch someone. You are dialing a number on the phone. 

 

This seems to have seeped into the professional world as well.  It is easy to distinguish between old time professionals and younger ones.

 

Old timers will say (or write), "On August 3, 2015,  you were contacted via telephone (or email) regarding the following issue."

Whippersnappers will say or write, "I reached out to you on August 3."

 

Now doesn't that sound crazy?  I have a visual with someone extending his arms desperately in my direction.  Ha ha.

 

Ok, minor rant over. 

Edited September 21, 2016 by TranquilMind

[TranquilMind]

It's everywhere here. 

 

And it drives me nuts.

 

Person X says to me, "Person Y will reach out to you..."

 

So... will Person Y call me? Email me? Send me a letter in the mail? Or tap me on the forehead a la ET?

Yes!  The imprecision!  Ahhh..

[Alessandra]

Now could someone explain bucket list?

[Suzanne in ABQ]

Awesome everyone!  Interesting discussion.  Thank you.  

 

The expression doesn't bother me, not yet anyway.  I was mainly just struck that every single person I talk to at that school uses it.  It is a business environment, so I can see how the usage would have spilled over from the business world.  Also, most of the employees are on the young side, so there may be a generational factor as well.  It does seem to come from the east coast, with spillover into California (perhaps because the world is round?)  :)  

[Suzanne in ABQ]

Now could someone explain bucket list?

 

 

Explain what it means, or explain its origins?

 

I love the movie, "The Bucket List," with Jack Nicholson and Morgan Freeman.  See it if you get the chance.

[SparklyUnicorn]

Now could someone explain bucket list?

 

It's a list (either real or in your imagination) of all the things you want to do before you die.

[Guest]

Business/sales people need a better thesaurus! This thread just brought to mind all of the cliche type things I tried to block from too many stupid meetings back in the day!! Touch base, reach out, follow up, oooh my most hated....network. It's funny how everything has it's own jargon though. 

[Seasider]

It's a list (either real or in your imagination) of all the things you want to do before you die.

Things you want to do before you "kick the bucket" (a euphemism for dying).

[heartlikealion]

I think it's a business thing. Like something I could easily imagine an Amazon employee saying just as much as an employee at a specific state university. In your post, however, it seemed overkill LOL. Like they are trained to say it. Reminded me of Chick-Fil-A with "my pleasure."

[J-rap]

I do hear "reaching out" here, though not every day.  Why would it bother anyone to hear it?  I don't get that at all.  It's not like it's without any foundational meaning.  I mean, reaching out literally means extending your hand, doesn't it?  From there you can easily go to extending a hand to someone who maybe could use a little help.

[gardenmom5]

I hear it here occasionally.   PNW.

 

eta: I hear it in a social setting - of reaching out to someone .. .

Edited September 22, 2016 by gardenmom5

[Guest]

Common here on the east coast, mid-atlantic. I don't really notice it, though. I don't think I typically say that, but I don't care if someone else does. It seems like I hear it the most at church.

[ktgrok]

I do hear "reaching out" here, though not every day.  Why would it bother anyone to hear it?  I don't get that at all.  It's not like it's without any foundational meaning.  I mean, reaching out literally means extending your hand, doesn't it?  From there you can easily go to extending a hand to someone who maybe could use a little help.

 

I think because it gets overused, and because we already had perfectly good phrases that meant the same thing. Like "contact". 

 

I'm a stick in the mud though. But "going forward" is still the one that drives me batty. 

 

My husband and his friends like to tease me by speaking "corporate speak" just to drive me nuts. I can't stand it. I wouldn't last a week in a corporate environment. Things like "thought share". Ugh. 

[Guest]

Business/sales people need a better thesaurus! This thread just brought to mind all of the cliche type things I tried to block from too many stupid meetings back in the day!! Touch base, reach out, follow up, oooh my most hated....network. It's funny how everything has it's own jargon though.

Why is this bad, though? All people use expressions unless they are Sheldon Cooper. Some opportunities to meet others are purely networking, for example. Should one explain these events as "opportunities to speak with and meet others who may be mutually beneficial in business"? Isn't it easier to just say it's a community networking event, even if that is a hackneyed term?

 

Usually when I use more general terms for communicating with someone, (get in touch, connect, touch base, etc.), it is because I don't know/don't care whether that will be a face-to-face meeting, an email, a FB message, a phone call or what. It's a way of saying, "we'll talk somehow."

[Guest]

Why is this bad, though? All people use expressions unless they are Sheldon Cooper. Some opportunities to meet others are purely networking, for example. Should one explain these events as "opportunities to speak with and meet others who may be mutually beneficial in business"? Isn't it easier to just say it's a community networking event, even if that is a hackneyed term?

 

Usually when I use more general terms for communicating with someone, (get in touch, connect, touch base, etc.), it is because I don't know/don't care whether that will be a face-to-face meeting, an email, a FB message, a phone call or what. It's a way of saying, "we'll talk somehow."

I think it's more when it becomes trendily overused. When you're in an office and hearing it said over and over again by people who six weeks before never spoke the term- then it's annoying. It doesn't bother me outside of offices, but when I worked in the corporate world incouls instantly pick out the salespeople by some of the trendy terms they used. It's just one of those eyeroll things for me at least.

 

I liken it to the terms: stumbling block, it's a season, fellowshipping, etc that can be seriously overused in some Christian circles.

[heartlikealion]

Maybe it's less the phrase and more the scripted way people say things. I get annoyed if someone uses the same phrase over and over in a robotic reflex kind of way. And I'm sure I overuse things lol but if it was said 3x in like 3 minutes I could see how that would feel pretty robotic.