Say it straight.

The Polish legal translator Łukasz Gos-Furmankiewicz has written an interesting and thoughtful piece on the use of language and its effect in business transaction paradigms. Although it should be self-evident that it is not in one's interest to accept misleading euphemisms like "best rates" in a serious business conversation, many do (though I tend to turn that one around myself and quote double my top rate, figuring that this wiull be about as good as it can get). Łukasz offers some useful suggestions on how one might change the tone and content of such discussions and achieve better, or at least clearer results.