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Jargon – the curse of the 21st century
By: Marion Scher

Just recently I gave a workshop to the communications department of one of South Africa's top companies. Before the course they sent me a sample of their in-house publications which I ploughed through – ploughed being the operative word here. Apart from the usual dreaded 'hatched, matched and despatched', there was a collection of jargon second to none...

When I went through these words with them, they were rolling about laughing – but when I told them I took them from their publications they looked a bit surprised. Is it because we've got so used to using these ridiculous expressions in our everyday lives that we don't even notice them anymore? And what about the other staff members who are reading them? In this case, a great majority were guys cutting down trees...

Here's just a sample of some of the dreaded words:
  • deployed
  • exacerbated
  • full complement of
  • interventions
  • channel contributions
  • integral
  • culture of inclusion
  • sustainable
  • diversity
  • inclusion on a global basis
  • meritocracy
  • embedded
  • impacted severely
  • non-conformances
  • tasked with
  • economic imperative

Can you imagine if we all talked this way? You'd say to your partner “So darling, do you think we should have a little diversity tonight and have the Jones' around – or perhaps we should broaden our cultural horizons and take in a full complement of movies, although this could severely impact on our economic imperatives? Maybe we should just stay embedded at home, but this could lead us to a culture of inclusion – so maybe we should look at something more sustainable...”

Doesn't anyone speak English anymore?

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Marion Scher (www.mediamentors.co.za) is an award-winning journalist, lecturer, media trainer and consultant with 20 years experience in the industry. For more of her writing, go to www.marionschat.blogspot.com.

[25 Mar 2008 09:06]


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Comment on this
 
• Jargon in your article... - hypocrite sniffer
    • Jargon not the same as cliches
• Bird droppings
• Gone going
• And what about "top company" - wiseowl


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