Meetings · Plain-English guide

What does “Table this” mean?

Ambiguous: it can mean put something forward for discussion in UK usage or postpone it in US usage.

“The table appears to have two opposite ends.” — Arthur

What it means in practice

This phrase is particularly easy to misunderstand. In British usage it can mean formally putting a subject forward for discussion. In American usage it often means postponing consideration. The speaker’s intended meaning matters.

An example and a clearer version

The original wording

Let us table this proposal.

In plain English

Do you mean discuss the proposal now or postpone it?

What to say instead

say whether to discuss it or postpone it.

How to make the next step clear

Ask whether the subject is being introduced or deferred. If writing minutes for an international team, use ‘discuss now’ or ‘postpone until’ so the decision is clear to everyone.

Wording you can adapt

Do you mean we should discuss this now, or leave it until the next meeting?

The wording around a phrase matters. Keep the names, dates, amounts and conditions from the original when you rewrite it.

Try “Table this” with Arthur →