To postpone a discussion or move it to a private conversation outside the current meeting or forum.
This phrase emerged from computer terminology in the 1980s-90s, where 'offline' meant disconnected from a network or main system. It migrated to business meetings as a way to suggest moving detailed discussions away from the main group conversation, preserving the efficiency of larger meetings.
This phrase represents a fascinating evolution from computer jargon to meeting etiquette. It's essentially a polite way to say 'this is getting too detailed for everyone here,' while using technology metaphors to soften what might otherwise sound like exclusion from the conversation.
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