3 Reasons Why Business Jargon Might Be Necessary

January 17, 2012 by Rita Marshall 

When writing about Careerbuilder’s 17 Most Odious Buzzwords, I realized that there were a few that I didn’t mind at all. I thought “next steps” was pretty simple, “elevator pitch” rather poetic and “proactive” is one of those words which is too commonly used to be banished.

In fact, there are several reasons why jargon might stick around:

1. Sometimes jargon saves time

Dan Roddy of Learning Rocks describes a school AGM he attended where an official apologized for all the educational jargon, which Roddy thought completely justified. “Had the Head to speak all the acronyms out in full and explain every last word to us newbies we would not have covered as much ground,” he explains in his post “In Defence of Jargon”.

Having covered school board meetings, I understand completely. The many programs which fund schools, guide curriculum and measure students’ progress are complicated enough. Having a shorthand for them speeds up time if everyone knows what it means.

2. Jargon can be code words to enter a certain club

Jargon can foster a team environment, whether in one company or in an entire industry. You see it in the military, among police officers, among techies, among restaurant workers. Why should business professionals be any different?

When jargon functions as a “code word”, it lets someone know that you have (some) knowledge of their field. When I interview someone in a field I am comfortable with (like health care) I will introduce an acronym as soon as it is practical to do so. This lets my source know that they don’t need to explain basic terms and concepts to me. It builds rapport and speeds things up.

3. Jargon sometimes becomes accepted usage

In the 1982 tween novel Macdonald Hall: The War with Mr. Wizzle, a killjoy new teacher tries to ruin the vibrant life at a boys’ school by bringing in a big computer. The students are especially indignant over his use of the term “input”, which none of them have ever heard.

Twenty years later the popular Canadian novel underwent a major rewrite, given that the idea of computers being unknown and boring hadn’t aged well. I’m guessing they also took out the section where kids needed the term “input” explained to them.

To our eternal delight and distress, the English language welcomes almost any word which wins a popularity contest among its speakers. Sometimes, jargon makes that leap.

In the 1949 AP article “Business Jargon of Today Can Get to Be Confusing”, a business reporter assures readers that a new economic dictionary will precisely explain the terms inflation, deflation, hidden inflation and scab. It also outlines a concept called “psychic income”. In the 21st century we call that “job satistfaction”. So take hope that sometimes new jargon is easier to understand than the old, and occasionally things become clearer with time.