Glossary entry

English term or phrase:

drawing negotiations

English answer:

Continuing (extending, drawing-out) the process of negotiating

Nov 21, 2010 22:50
13 yrs ago
English term

drawing negotiations

English Bus/Financial Business/Commerce (general)
Dear all,

I am currently translating a few business letters (written by non-native speakers of English) and I've come across the following sentence...

Currently we are drawing neogtiations with company x concerning the purchase of cars.

What does "drawing negotiations" mean in this sentence? And is this a standard collocation (to draw negotiations)?

Thank you all very much for your help!

Discussion

Peter Skipp Nov 22, 2010:
The ultimate meaning is unclear Their negotiations could either be
1. in the process of continuing/being extended, or
2. about to finish/be completed.
A significant difference!
Perhaps the rest of the context may shed light...
As to the likelyhood of "we are drawing up papers with X" being the intended meaning, I think hardly. Negotiations would have finished before contracts, etc., are drawn up.
Veronika McLaren Nov 22, 2010:
Jack is probably closer it seems to be an unidiomatic use of "to draw up" - cf. www.idiomconnection.com
Nesrin Nov 22, 2010:
Agree with Jack... in his agreement with Peter below - I think "conducting negotiations" is what was meant here.
Perhaps the translator was thinking of "To draw up: To compose or write in a set form; write out: draw up a contract; draw up a list."

Responses

+4
22 mins
Selected

Continuing (extending, drawing-out) the process of negotiating

1. It means Continuing, drawing-out (as in drawn-out, meaning extended beyond what may be expected).

Example: "The SALT 2 Treaty was the outcome of drawn-out [meaning prolonged, difficult, torturous] negotiations"

Your example would mean, "Currently, we are engaged in prolonged negotiations with X concerning the purchase of cars."

2. No, this is not standard usage. It appears to be misunderstood or else to be outright wrong.

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Note added at 9 hrs (2010-11-22 08:12:29 GMT)
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Another use of "to draw" in the context of negotiations is "drawing negotiations to a close". In this light, the cited passage could mean "we are currently about to complete (to finish) negotiations with X concerning the purchase of cars".
Peer comment(s):

agree Jack Doughty : Probably should be "conducting negotiations".
13 mins
Thank you! Indeed -- one _conducts_ negotiations
agree Veronika McLaren
56 mins
Thank you!
agree Thayenga : With Jack
7 hrs
Thank you!
agree Sheila Wilson : conducting is probably the intention but as you say, it isn't certain
15 hrs
Thank you!
Something went wrong...
4 KudoZ points awarded for this answer. Comment: "Thank you very much!"
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