Monday 19 June 2006

The need of jargon

Jargon is
a characteristic language of a particular group
[http://wordnet.princeton.edu/perl/webwn], or

The specialised or technical language of a trade, profession, or similar group
[http://www.flexiblelearning.net.au/toolbox/demosites/series3/317/resources/glossary/gls_idx.htm] or

has also come to mean inflated, vague, meaningless language of any kind. It is characterized by wordiness, abstractions galore, pretentious diction, and needlessly complicated word order.
[http://members.tripod.com/hjohnsonmac0/TermsToKnow.htm]

It is generally agreed that using jargon in a piece of writing is bad writing. However from a teaching/induction point of view, we like our learners to become familar with the jargons of the trade/profession they are induced into.

What we should object, in writing, is the "wordiness, abstractions galore, pretentious diction, and needlessly complicated word order". When we are writing a piece for audience outside the community, we should try to avoid jargon - to a certain degree.

Some jargons refer to procedures (CPR in first aid for example stands for Cardio-Pulmonary Resuscitation, which when fully spelt out still means nothing to those without first aid training!), other refer to a theory (Newton's law of motion). Jargons, in fact, are short-hands.

Jargon is a necessary part of an efficient communication - provided they are part of a communication to the correct audience.

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