The English language is excellent if one wants to be vague. I have learned this lesson during a meeting involving a German manager and her British underling. They were reviewing the status of projects. The German manager ask for a project update from her British underling: ‘Ven will zis project be completed?’

The quintessential Oxford educated British man had completely forgotten he was responsible for the project. He responded: ‘it will be ready momentarily’.

‘Excellent’ said the German manager and after a pause said, ‘when exactly?’’. The man answered, ‘momentarily’.

‘Very good’ she said. After a pause she turned to him again and asked, ‘so when is exactly is momentarily’?  With a big grin on his face the man answered ‘presently’.  She then realized he had not done the job, gave him an irritable look and said ‘two weeks’. Not wanting to be cornered, he responded to his boss, ‘distinctly feasible’.

She rolled her eyes, and the meeting continued. The British gentleman later explained to me that the English language has over forty phrases to express any moment in time between now and eternity. He knew them all.