From Northanger Abbey by Jane Austen.

[Catherine:] “I do not understand you.”

[Henry:] “Then we are on very unequal terms, for I understand you perfectly well.”

[Catherine:] “Me? Yes; I cannot speak well enough to be unintelligible.”

[Henry:] “Bravo! An excellent satire on modern language.”

I have known many a person who speaks well enough to be unintelligible. Many politicians in particular have this talent to speak so well that no one can understand them. It is also a gift with which some of our managers at work have been blessed.

I recall a meeting of our entire section several years ago. It was a last minute, no notice, drop everything and come meeting. Those are the kind that means something big is afoot. There had been rumors of layoffs, and people were very nervous as we gathered to hear the news. You could feel the tension in the air as our Section Head began to speak. He went on for over fifteen minutes speaking so well that he was unintelligible. The general idea was that money was tight, and we had to do what we could for the good of the company, but as he continued to talk without actually saying anything, people got visibly more upset and nervous.

Finally, he let the news drop: A couple people would be shifted from one team to another. That was it. It was no big deal. By the way he handled it, some people were almost in tears. But he had his fifteen minutes of talking to an audience that could fully appreciate his oratorical skills before actually getting around to saying what was the purpose of the meeting.

I like to think that, like Catherine, and unlike my previous Section Head, I cannot speak well enough to be unintelligible.