Which begs the question: If jargon is that costly and that annoying (a related Kickresume survey of X postings suggested that as much as 85% of executives actually don’t like it), then why do so many professionals still use it?
ADWEEK posed that question to Tony Maher, general manager of the U.K-based Plain English Campaign. In Maher’s view, jargon practitioners are often focusing more on grandstanding than doing actual jobs.
“Some people write to impress rather than perform,” he said. “[Jargon] might make them feel better to begin with but it will rapidly have the opposite effect. People will simply stop reading their memos.”
“One of the biggest attractions [to using jargon] is that you can hide behind it,” Poduska added. “If you don’t have much to say in the first place, you can easily keep using jargon. [Or] if you have an unpleasant message, like when you have to fire someone, words like ‘streamlining’ sound not as bad.”
Unfortunately, thanks to AI, corporate babble is only likely to increase. ChatGPT was happy to turn our nine-word directive “it’s important for the marketing department to work hard” into 64-word tract laced with bromides like: “By aligning our efforts and fostering a collaborative environment, we can optimize our campaigns and enhance brand visibility.”
As jargon proliferates, the paradox is that simple, straightforward writing may capture more attention for its rarity alone.
“I’m always impressed when I read a difficult message that I understand the first time I read it,” Maher said. “Either that person really understands the subject matter or they have taken a long time to make sure I can. If I have to read it three times, it goes in the bin.”
