We are under the gun to get this project finished at work.

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Peaceblinkfriend

#543469 Sat, 19 Jul 08 11:24 AM

We are under the gun to get this project finished at work.

Does the inclusion of 'at work' means that the project can only be worked on in office hours?

Thank you

PBF

[Edit] italicised example

Peaceblinkfriend

Joined on Wed, May 9 2007

Australia

Contributing Member (1,578)

Marius Hancu

#543482 Sat, 19 Jul 08 11:41 AM

No, it only means at the place of work.

Use italics for your examples.

Marius Hancu

Joined on Wed, Apr 26 2006

Montreal, Canada

Veteran Member (11,673)

optilang

#543484 Sat, 19 Jul 08 11:42 AM

Peaceblinkfriend
We are under the gun to get this project finished at work.

Does the inclusion of 'at work' means that the project can only be worked on in office hours?

Thank you

PBF

It could be interpreted like that. But I interpret it to mean as part of my work/job.

Things are a little difficult at work. We have too much to do, and we don't have the necessary resources.

optilang

Joined on Tue, May 13 2008

Poland

Senior Member (2,177)

OptiNative British English Speaker Wherever I may roam, I'm still a Londoner.

Peaceblinkfriend

#543499 Sat, 19 Jul 08 12:39 PM

Thank you for your replies.

Just to be certain that I completely understand this. The other interpretation of the phrase is that it only serves to tell us where the project belongs to, am I correct?

Thanks again

PBF

Peaceblinkfriend

Marius Hancu

#543502 Sat, 19 Jul 08 12:50 PM

The original sentence is poor as it is ambiguous.

It can mean that you have problems at work, or that you can't take the project home to work on it:

Write, if you mean you have problems at work:

We are under the gun at work to get this project finished.

At work, we are under the gun to get this project finished.

For the other:

We are under the gun to get this project finished, and we're not allowed to take it home.

We are under the gun to get this project finished, and we're not allowed to work on it at home.

Marius Hancu

optilang

#543503 Sat, 19 Jul 08 12:51 PM

Peaceblinkfriend
Thank you for your replies.

Just to be certain that I completely understand this. The other interpretation of the phrase is that it only serves to tell us where the project belongs to, am I correct?

Thanks again

PBF

We are under the gun to get this project finished at work.

The two interpretations I see are:

a) the project must be finished at work - at the place of work, during work hours. The project cannot be taken out of the work place and worked on outside normal working hours, so you couldn't take it home and then try to claim overtime. It does allow for the possibility to claim overtime if the work carried out is done at the place of work.

b) at work refers to your job. So, in the course of work duties, there is a high priority attached to the completion of the project.

optilang