Which of the following statements best describes the possible advantages of using jargon?

Jargon is unnecessarily complicated language used to impress, rather than to inform, your audience.

Technical language

When we say not to use jargon, we’re not advocating leaving out necessary technical terms, but we are saying to make sure your language is as clear as possible. For example, there may not be another correct way to refer to a “brinulator valve control ring.” But that doesn’t prevent you from saying “tighten the brinulator valve control ring securely” instead of “Apply sufficient torque to the brinulator valve control ring to ensure that the control ring assembly is securely attached to the terminal such that loosening cannot occur under normal conditions.” The first is a necessary use of a technical term. The second is jargon.

Special terms can be useful shorthand within a particular audience and may be the clearest way to communicate with that group. However, going beyond necessary technical terms to write in jargon can cause misunderstanding or alienation, even if your only readers are specialists.

Readers complain about jargon more than any other writing fault, because writers often fail to realize that terms they know well may be difficult or meaningless to their audience. Try to substitute everyday language for jargon as often as possible. Consider the following pairs. The plainer version conveys technical information just as accurately as and more clearly than the jargon-laden version.

Don’t saySay
riverine avifauna river birds
involuntarily undomiciled homeless
The patient is being given positive-pressure ventilatory support. The patient is on a respirator.
Most refractory coatings to date exhibit a lack of reliability when subject to the impingement of entrained particulate matter in the propellant stream under extended firing durations. The exhaust gas eventually damages the coating of most existing ceramics.

When you have no way to express an idea except to use technical language, make sure to define your terms. However, it’s best to keep definitions to a minimum. Remember to write to communicate, not to impress. If you do that, you should naturally use less jargon. For more on definitions, see Dealing with definitions.

Legal language is a major source of annoying jargon. Readers can do without archaic jargon such as “hereafter,” “heretofore,” and “therewith.”

Professor Joseph Kimble (2006), a noted scholar on legal writing, warns that we should avoid words and formalisms that give legal writing its musty smell. He includes the following words in his list of examples:

  • above-mentioned
  • aforementioned
  • foregoing
  • henceforth
  • hereafter
  • hereby
  • heretofore
  • herewith
  • thereafter
  • thereof
  • therewith
  • whatsoever
  • whereat
  • wherein
  • whereof

“Shall” is also losing its popularity in legal circles. Obviously, it’s especially important in regulations to use words of authority clearly, and many legal writing experts recommend avoiding the archaic and ambiguous “shall” in favor of another word, depending on your meaning. Read more about “shall” in Use “must” to convey requirements.

Business jargon

Here is a brief list of meaningless filler phrases:

  • Thinking outside the box
  • Value added
  • Best practice
  • For all intents and purposes
  • Touch base
  • Integrating quality solutions
  • Promoting an informed and synergistic teams
  • Strategically engaging departments, and so on…

Sources

  • Charrow, Veda R., Erhardt, Myra K. and Charrow, Robert P., Clear & Effective Legal Writing_, 4th edition, 2007, Aspen Publishers, New York, NY, pp. 188-191.
  • Garner, Bryan A., Garner's Modern American Usage, 2003, Oxford University Press, Oxford and New York, pp. 472-473.
  • Kimble, Joseph, Lifting the Fog of Legalese, 2006, Carolina Academic Press, Durham, NC, pp.173-174.
  • Redish, Janice C., Writing Web Content that Works, 2007, Morgan Kaufmann Publishers, San Francisco.

Objective


Explain the different claims about McMurphy among the staff. 

Readings and Materials


  • Book: One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest by Ken Kesey  pp. 149 – 158

Fishtank Plus

Unlock features to optimize your prep time, plan engaging lessons, and monitor student progress.

Target Task


Question 1

Which of the following best describes the first boy’s (Alvin’s) main claim about McMurphy?

Question 2

Which choice provides the best evidence for the answer to the previous question?

Question 3

Which of the following best describes the first resident’s claim about McMurphy on p. 155?

Question 4

Which of the following best describes Nurse Ratched’s claim about McMurphy on p. 157-158?

Question 5

Based on the chapter, one commonality in the stances that all staff take toward McMurphy is that:

Key Questions


  • How have the power dynamics shifted based on the first paragraph?
  • What is the status of the fog on p. 149? Why?
  • Describe Bromden’s internal conflict on p.149-150.
  • What is the impact of the words “danger” and “lure” on p. 150?
  • How does Bromden describe the light coming from the steel door on p. 151?  What is the intended effect?  
  • What is Bromden referring to in the paragraph beginning with “cleaning…” on p. 151?
  • Track the verbs Bromden uses in the paragraph on p. 151 beginning with “I been in…” what does this indicate?
  • What is Bromden literally cleaning up?  What is he figuratively cleaning up?
  • How does the staring make Bromden feel on p. 152?
  • How does Bromden show empathy for Nurse Ratched on p. 152?
  • Track the opinions of the staff on McMurphy from p. 154-157.

Notes


There is quite a bit of mental health jargon in today’s reading. The teacher should consider how to make clear the meaning of these terms to students.

Which of the following statements describes how substitution occurs in communication?

Which of the following statements describes how substitution occurs in communication? Nonverbal messages replace verbal statements.

Which best describes nonverbal communication quizlet?

What statements best describes nonverbal communication? -Nonverbal communication affects our judgments of people subconsciously.

Which best describes communication competence?

Communicative competence is the ability to achieve communicative goals in a socially appropriate manner. It is organized and goal-oriented, i.e. it includes the ability to select and apply skills that are appropriate and effective in the respective context.

What is the best general strategy for eye contact in conversation in US culture?

Use the 50/70 rule. To maintain appropriate eye contact without staring, you should maintain eye contact for 50 percent of the time while speaking and 70% of the time while listening. This helps to display interest and confidence.