You said "Hogwash"?!!!

Every interpreter's nightmare is to miss the key word that you can't figure out from context. Mine came true during a presentation on mass sport events security prior to our Eurocup 2012. The presenter in a charming Texan accent was saying something to the effect "and above all, the most important thing you should never overlook is - dramatic pause - hogwash". I was thunderstruck - he can't have meant a shower, and for a hog?! So I substituted it for an innocuous 'analysis', which I thought the context dictated.

Later on I learnt that it was 'hotwash' and it meant 'the "after-action" discussions and evaluations of an agency's (or multiple agencies') performance following an exercise, training session, or major event". http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hotwash

The origin of the expression is equally descritive "The term Hot Wash comes from the practice used by some soldiers of dousing their weapons in extremely hot water as a means of removing grit and residue after firing. While this practice by no means eliminates the need to properly break down the weapon later for cleaning, it removes the major debris and ensures the cleaning process goes more smoothly. One infantry soldier described it as “the quick and dirty cleaning that can save a lot of time later".

Morale of the story: trust your instinct more than your ears:)

#hotwash