Why jargon leads to dead-ends

By your comment "Outsiders, after all, were far less of a threat if they couldn't speak the language." It sounds that you are inferring jargon was created to keep outsiders out? Not so! Isn't it more true to believe that when a group of people work in the same field without a language monitor that they will create words to identify particular events or objects that are specific to that field. There is no underlying plot to exclude people! Also, isn't it healthy for a language to grow and expand to put words to these things or feelings not otherwise described? Isn't it also true that words fall in and out of favor with fads or current events? Are you suggesting that robot like black and white monologs are more effective in communicating than the different colors of flowery pros? Is it really so wrong to tip your culture, knowledge or lack there of to someone you wish to open a dialog? I say, be clear, be concise, but for gosh sakes don't be boring!

You've got it exactly backwards. Nobody is trying to exlude anybody from anything. In fact, jargon is a great enabler. Specialized occupations - medicine, law, information technology, or even plumbing - require specialized vocabulary to allow their practitioners to communicate accurately and efficiently amongst themselves about their jobs.

You can just imagine the labored and imprecise communication that might occur if two doctors tried to communicate a complicated medical condition and the surgical treatment plan for for it, using "plain english".

The lesser problem you're describing, occurs when "outsiders" try to talk to "insiders", about stuff on the inside. It's then incumbent on the insider to speak in terms that the outsider can understand. I think we can all agree that a confused outsider is much less of a problem than a mis-diagnosed or mal-treated medical condition.

I find it a bit ironic that you use the "silo" buzzword in your rant against jargon. All the definitions of "silo" in my Webster's have to do with farming or missiles, not the metaphorical segmentation of expertise which I assume is your meaning.

Perhaps the winners will be those who invent the most jargon that is adopted into the global vocabulary? I can see how English might ultimately become a global lingua franca, but how might I get by speaking only math? 077E4?

Fascinating topic, one that I've thought about quite a bit, Stephen. I think there's a tension here that you're not acknowledging, however: professions require increasingly accurate terminology as their become more and more specialized to be able to communicate. Think doctors, for example, or large site system administrators. It's a very natural evolutionary step that has been around since before rhyming slang and the backwards talk of Aussie butchers: specialization begets specialized language.

However, "The Creative Class" and other groups all seem to lead to the conclusion you've drawn too, that breakthroughs and innovations are going to come from cross-functional teams, from pairing a child psychologist with a Java programmer, with a top marketing expert, with an anarchist.

But making those connections happen is darn difficult. I've been trying to create that sort of venue for years, and while it often occurs spontaneously at professional events (one excellent reason to always hang out at the bar of a conference hotel after hours, in my opinion), formalizing the entire process, particularly in academia, is problematic.

We won't get there without pushing, however, so let's keep talking about this, by all means, and remember that the other 98% of the world are interested in *solutions*, not the technologies or systems that solve their problems.

the term "jargon" originated to describe the use of words and language of the inner circle of thieves and those who commit crimes, so that only they would be able to understand. Your article points correctly to the need to break the walls of scientific jargon, and restore or keep the language of science clear of puzzling concepts and words.

Your post contains at least eight examples of jargon. These are words or phrases that were invented over time in one niche and spread to others. Your use of jargon includes: global economy, converging, breakthrough, biotech, nanotechnology, corporate silos, cloistered in niches, and open-source. (I am surprised you used no acronyms.)

Despite the fact that your post contradicts your own argument, I do not judge you to be cloistered in a niche or at a great disadvantage. You are merely doing what most humans try to do: learn and communicate!

That´s an interesting opinion, and I agree that specialised vocabularies tend to build barriers. On the other hand, I do not perceive a trend toward "de-jargonization." Rather, globalisation seems to me to be creating even tighter rules of specialisation. It is the generalist, the classical liberal education which seems to be at risk. That would leave us with specialists. 100 years ago, if you hurt your foot, you went to the doctor. Now...you go to the podiatrist. Lawyers are more specialised. Technologists are more specialised. People in finance are more specialised. And so on...

I agree that jargon isn't intentionally created to "keep outsiders out", but it does have that very undesirable side effect. Unclear communication is a serious problem that needs to be addressed. While the market may take care of it, I would prefer a more proactive approach. It would be great to learn from those who've discovered the secrets of jargon-free communication.

The challenge is to write without jargon and still be informative and interesting. Esperanto was an attempt at a universal language that never caught on. Few wanted to relinquish the safety of their unique, insider's Ourspeak. The goal of language should be to communicate to the masses, not select out those who are not elevated to a higher, technical level.

Jargon is an economic tool. It is utilized to gain competitive advantage. Doctors and lawyers are primary examples of professions that utilize jargon. (Latin is the doctors "jargon".)

"I think the market will take care of it." By creating more jargon to retain advantage.

"Those who figure out how to communicate clearly across industries will increasingly come out on top." Conversely, those that can keep others from learning their jargon or create new jargons will also come out on top.

Breakthroughs happen because someone looked at something differently and decided to do something about it. An open mind and the will to act go a lot farther than talking to someone you don't know.

Hi Stephen-

I'm afraid that even though it may not be the intent of those employing jargon to exclude, that's often the effect. Usage so depends on the context, though. There are times when shorthand language is essential. It's possible to lose a thought or an inspiration while laboring through standard phrasing. That's a tragedy on some scale. After the moment of expedience, speakers can scan the area and unwind the language as appropriate, though. I think that's just good manners. And the person new to the usage can show a little gratitude, too, when he or she sees a good attitude on the other side.

Often, people move fast because inspiration is elusive. I understand your feelings, though. That moment can present a great deal of frustration. Even inside specialties, jargon can obstruct. Then, productivity can be harmed if everyone isn't more careful to be inclusive. It's a bad habit to get trapped in stilted dialect. Most of us are better than that.

Pete Z.

I strongly disagree with this article. Technical jargon is invented to abstract or abbreviate things. These abstractions and abbreviations can then be discussed more easily by those on the "inside" to get to new levels of technology (often defined by more abstractions and therefore more jargon). Technological progress depends on the (re-)invention of language.

At the same time, the old abstractions don't die and neither do their jargon descriptors. These pieces of jargon -- at least the successful ones -- migrate out into the larger populace (the "outsiders"). You can see many examples. The modern microprocessor -- along with the word itself -- was invented less than 30 years ago, but most people can tell you, at least generally, what one is. ("It's the brains inside of a computer.") Or, what of the steering wheel or accelerator in your car? Etc.

Today's jargon (some might say "today's poetry of a given group") advances technology and becomes tomorrow's comon usage. So what's the big deal?

I find it immensely ironic that alongside to the right of your article's words: "Jargon is like proprietary software in a world moving toward open-source," stood the iconic white-on-black ad for iPod.

After I stopped laughing, I realized a point you might have missed -- sometimes the insiders win.

Stephen you're right. But jargon can be even more disabling than restricting communication. Because language has been shown to shape thought, jargon can limit thinking and certainly innovation.

Check out some recent research that supports the language shapes thought hypothesis and how that may play into a challenge for web and mobility convergence.

Web and Mobile Fragmented as Thought Prisoners of Jargon: http://www.mobilejones.com/archives/804

Very true, those of you who pointed out that my post included jargon. You know what? I didn't even consider the possibility as I was writing it. I should have proof-read it with my pre-1998 eyes. But I don't know if I could have figured out then how to express the idea of open-source software... In any case, thanks for the comments.

please give me examples of jargon words...please... thanks.

The question of Mobile medicine is not so qualitatively developed, many invalids cannot simply reach clinic to receive qualitative health services, what by it to do? The Mobile medicine is very dear. WBR LeoP

This one's a classic. I even fell for it when I was younger and more foolish than I am now - the logic seemed so solid! Obviously, if afflictions were cured, doctors would be out of business -- and so on. From that conspiracy-theory nuttery. WBR LeoP

I think the comments prove that different solutions are effective for different people, in regard to talking cures, they are often most effective for reactive depression when taken alongside anti-depressants. WBR LeoP

You may think that banning jargon in all your communications to people is a worthy goal...until you have to tell someone who is completely new to computers how to install their iTunes "program thingy on that slivery disk thingy". Try not using these terms while guiding this person through this installation process: Cursor, Left Click, Right Click, Software, Window, Windows XP, Windows Vista, Boot, Reboot, USB Port (yes, that is an abbreviation for Universal Serial Port, itself computer jargon), installation, WMA and MP3.

Of course, Jargon, when used excessively, can sound ridiculous, like when Lawyers speak. Why is it that people complain about Tech professionals excessive use of jargon while lawyers get away with making up their own language. While our managers "wish to dialogue with us about leveraging synergies of our CRNs to dominate the emerging VAR markets", the lawyers can describe this dialogue as "This is of said communication from party of the first part to the party of the second part for a declaration of a non pro-bono excise, and not of afore mentioned said denial of the party of the fourth part's prayer of relief, ...." yadayadayada ad-nausea.

Gorddddd! it excludes the many & isolates the few, & it all leads to basically nothing being done. Cue the raft of jargon busters printed between 2002 & 2007/8 by the vcs & COMMUNITY NETWORKS...WHY CAN'T PEOPLE TALK PROPERLY? "We are not trying to re-invent the wheel" well, in a dadaistic (whoops!) way i would like to see the aforementioned wheel & inspect it first.