keeping abreast of the information

As a native speaker English teacher, you're prepared for all kinds of questions about the language and sometimes really having to get into the nitty-gritty, nit-picking nuances of language use but nothing prepared me for a most surreal debate involving senior staff.


We'd been blitzing methodology for the new, first year teachers. One of them is, how shall I phrase this delicately, 'not exactly thin'. And, even allowing for her 'no-exactly-thin-ness', she is disproportionately 'top-heavy'. At a meeting, four of us were discussing the teachers' practice lessons we'd watched and her name eluded most people.

Woman 1: "The big girl was good" [accompanying her comment with a two-handed cupping gesture] Everyone: "Hmm, the big girl" [cue further cupping gestures]
Woman 2 named her, repeating the sign as if we hadn't already got the point. And so the linguistic debate began...
Woman 1: "Can I say big girl?"
Me: "It's quite euphemistic"
Man 1: "Can I say she has a fuller-figure? [slightly over-enthusiastically repeating the gesture]
Me: "That's nice and polite."
Man 1: "What about buxom?
Me: "Not really... slightly old-fashioned... bawdy novel"
After several more phrases...
Woman 1: "I can't say too much, I'm quite a big girl myself!"
Woman 2, butting in: "I'm not, that's why it's so funny!"
Man 1: "Rob, can I say she's busty?"
Me: "Yes, but not to her face, unless you want a slap."

It should read 'sososki' (sausages) but, with how it's been cut, it reads 'siski sosi' (suck boobs).