Minimize Jargon In Your Writing

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Writing Tip

Don't use jargon unless it's necessary

First mentioned/ideated by: Anon

A business analyst friend and her boss were discussing a project and the boss started talking about it using jargon my friend didn't understand. "We need to loop back on the feasibility assessment and see if we can get more granularity on the deliverables," her boss said.

And my friend thought: what in the red-billed yellow horntail's world does that mean?

Jargon is language specific to a certain profession or group of people and it can be difficult to understand if you're not familiar with it. In the business world, for example, there are all sorts of jargon terms that are used daily but may be unfamiliar to someone who doesn't work in that field.

Some common examples of business jargon include 'loop back', 'granularity' and 'deliverables'.

We are all guilty of overusing jargon from time to time. However, it's important to use language your audience will understand. If you need to use a term that might be unfamiliar to your readers, explain what it means. You can also break down complex concepts into simpler terms whenever possible.

Jargon is especially problematic when you're trying to communicate with people who aren't experts in your field. It can make your writing sound like it's addressed only to other professionals, and make regular readers feel excluded.

So if you're looking to communicate effectively with your audience, avoid using too much jargon. Use clear, concise language instead, and make sure your ideas are easy for everyone to understand.

In some cases, using jargon can even lead to misunderstandings. In one well-known example, a company executive described their new product as "a game changer," but the marketing team used the term to mean "a product that makes people play games better", while not asking what game in Mike Tyson's name was their boss talking about. And of course customers were totally confused about what the product actually did.

If you're not sure whether or not your audience will understand your jargon, better to play it safe and avoid using it altogether.

Topics
Business Writing, Content Writing, Copywriting, Persuasive Writing