Why Speaking in Jargon Doesn’t Make You Look Smarter

What is technical jargon?

Technical jargon refers to terminology and phrases that only those with a technical background typically understand. IT team members often talk to each other using tech jargon as a kind of shorthand to simplify communication.

“Jargon is popular because it offers a shortcut by which communication can occur with speed and precision,” explained Dr. Dana Loewy, a best-selling author and business communication expert. “Jargon can connect and create a sense of community, too. Once mastered, jargon unites.” 

Here’s an example:

• Tech jargon: “We’re conducting penetration testing to evaluate co-worker activities during a red team exercise that is subject to the traffic light protocol.”
• Nontech speak: A designated team of cybersecurity professionals is intentionally trying to break into a client’s computer network as part of a cyber risk assessment. They’re doing this to measure their client’s vulnerability to a cyberattack, and they’ll share the results of the test with an audience designated by one of four colors.

The “tech jargon” phrasing is a quick, effective way for IT experts to communicate their plans.

The problem with technical jargon in nontech settings

Loewy emphasized that problems can arise when tech terms are misused and taken out of context. “[Technical jargon’s] efficiency is valued by the initiated and cursed by those who are not part of the jargon-speaking in-group,” Loewy cautioned.

Occasionally, highly technical terminology breaks out of its original user group and into the wider public. The problem is that it rarely keeps the same meaning once it’s been set free.

Bluetooth is a perfect example of a tech term whose meaning has been eroded with everyday usage:

• Bluetooth in IT terms: When IT professionals discuss Bluetooth, they’re referring to a specific, patented form of technology. It transmits data wirelessly up to 100 meters using ultra-high-frequency radio waves in the 2.402 GHz to 2.48 GHz spectrum.
• Bluetooth in common understanding: However, nontechies frequently use the term Bluetooth incorrectly to describe any technology that works similarly. Such misuse can even include when making NFC mobile payments or using Zigbee wireless technology.

Throwing around the term Bluetooth out of context may seem harmless. But, misusing it in a professional setting isn’t a good look for you or your organization. It may even alienate consumers and colleagues.

Why is office jargon problematic?

Technical words and phrases become jargon because they represent important concepts. “I would distinguish between jargon and buzzwords,” Loewy cautioned. “Jargon is the shorthand language of an in-group, typically in tech, engineering, the military and other such groups. Jargon usually isn’t a fad and tends to be fairly stable as the lingo of a more or less well-defined subgroup of society.”

However, Loewy cautioned that when tech jargon devolves into “office jargon” and its associated “buzzwords,” it loses meaning. Plus, the practice can even make those using these terms appear less professional and knowledgeable. “Once the buzzwords are distributed and repeated ad nauseam, they start losing meaning and become clichés, almost to the point of parody,” Loewy warned.

For decades, office culture has been blighted by jargon and buzzwords that have replaced perfectly usable words and phrases. Consider the following words and phrases that are now part of the increasingly crowded workplace word map:

• Disrupt
• Leverage
• Paradigm shift
• Synergy
• Touch base
• Drill down
• Think outside the box
• Blue-sky thinking
• Best practices

Many of these buzzwords aren’t nearly as descriptive as their intended meanings. For example, “clear thinking” is much more descriptive than “blue-sky thinking,” and “examine very closely” tells you far more about an action than “drill down.”

Unfortunately, buzzwords can hamper communication. This is especially the case in businesses with remote work plans, as team members struggle to derive actual meaning and instructions from murky phrases.

“The words we choose matter, especially these days in our often virtual or hybrid environments,” noted Fern M. Hernberg, managing director of People Strategy at Brighter Strategies, LLC. “We have limited opportunities to forge and build upon our working relationships, and every interaction counts. When people use jargon and buzzwords, they can come off as lazy, elitist, exclusionary, trite or insincere.”

The risks of using office jargon

True industry jargon certainly has its place in professional communications. However, overusing office jargon and buzzwords can negatively affect professional reputations and office morale. Consider the following:

• Miscommunications: Even though jargon is often intended as shorthand, it can be a more time-consuming method of communication. This backfiring is due to the unclear meanings behind many of these terms. “Buzzwords, if overused, sometimes hinder communication,” Loewy cautioned. “Speakers or writers should not overuse them. Instead, communicating in a straightforward, unpretentious, clear manner serves comprehension much better.”
• Poor perceptions: The more corporate buzzwords are used, the more they tend to turn employees off. “Buzzwords, in my view, should be avoided because, in most cases, they serve only one function: to make the speaker or writer appear connected and ‘hip,'” Loewy warned.
• Credibility issues: Hernberg emphasized that buzzword speakers may not be coming off as polished or intelligent as they had hoped. “Think of a company meeting where the leader stands at the front of the room and speaks of ‘shifting paradigms’ and ‘moving parts’ and the perils of trying to ‘boil the ocean,'” Hernberg explained. “Audience members may roll their eyes at these grossly overused buzzwords, but besides the risk of coming off as a bit pretentious or uncreative, there’s probably not a lot of harm done.”
• Devaluing employee experiences: Hernberg further noted that while eye-rolling is bad enough, using buzzwords and office jargon can be incredibly insensitive and dehumanizing. “Perhaps that same leader needs to notify an employee that their position is being eliminated due to poor company performance,” Hernberg said. “Who among us would want to sit in a conference room, in that situation, hearing how the company ‘couldn’t gain traction’ and missed the ‘low-hanging fruit,’ and therefore had to ‘trim the fat?'”

Studies show office workers overwhelmingly agree with Hernberg. As it turns out, employees don’t appreciate the use of jargon:

• A survey by LinkedIn and Duolingo found that jargon promotes unhappiness and inequality in the workplace: 60 percent of Gen Z and 65 percent of millennials want to reduce or eliminate the use of jargon in the workplace; 71 percent of remote workers feel left out or excluded due to the overuse of business jargon. Unfortunately, 61 percent of professionals believe successfully using jargon is key to getting ahead.
• Career development experts at Careerminds found that business jargon often comes across as vague or condescending to employees, hurting motivation and morale. Similarly, jargon can reflect a cultural disconnect between managers and employees.
• E-learning platform Preply Business found over 20 percent of survey respondents dislike corporate buzzwords. However, in a sign of how common they are, 70 percent of respondents report using at least one buzzword daily.

What are the do’s and don’ts of using jargon?

Knowing your audience is a critical aspect of determining when and when not to use jargon.

“While I can see a good use for jargon, I struggle to find a good use for buzzwords,” Loewy explained. “Buzzwords primarily serve as a means to show off how ‘plugged in’ someone is, ostensibly. Whereas jargon can be a legitimate form of communication in a specific environment where the audience shares it as a common language.”

Follow these do’s and don’ts to use jargon responsibly and improve workplace communication:

• Use everyday language: Be plain and clear about how a project or task is progressing instead of relying on cliché phrases, like “getting your ducks in a row.” This advice is also crucial when setting employee performance goals and giving evaluations. For example, instead of saying an employee’s project “moved the needle,” detail specifically and plainly what they accomplished.
• Keep it short: Short sentences are easier to understand than long, convoluted ones. Similarly, short speeches are more memorable than lengthy, meandering ones. For example, the Gettysburg Address is only about 270 words long.
• Use simple words: This doesn’t mean talking down to workers as if they’re children. It means using plain, direct language. For example, instead of telling your direct reports how to “execute a strategy,” explain “how to carry out a plan” or “how to complete a task.”
• Use concise language: Loewy notes that effective business communication is purpose-driven and focused on clear, concise language. This language should be crisp, clear, and more focused on meaning than on showing off or calling attention to itself.
• Avoid buzzwords with larger groups: The more people in a meeting, the more likely it is that not everyone present will understand what you’re saying if you rely on team-specific jargon. This is especially the case for meetings involving multiple departments. To keep everyone on the same page (jargon alert!), use language everyone in attendance will grasp.
• Edit yourself: When writing emails or messages to colleagues, review the text before sending it. You should replace ambiguous words and ensure the meaning of any specific terminology is clear to the recipient.
• Be mindful with emojis: Just as words can be subject to misinterpretation, so can emojis. When using emojis in business communication, keep in mind they can have the same drawbacks as verbal jargon; emojis aren’t universal and may make you seem less competent. Knowing your audience is essential.

Hernberg emphasized the importance of authenticity in professional communication and how jargon and buzzwords can come across as insincere.

“Speak plainly and say what you mean,” Hernberg advised. “Just about any message — regardless of how difficult — can be delivered respectfully and professionally. Don’t hide behind words that sound impressive if they don’t clearly convey what needs to be said. Speak in a way that brings people in and helps connect them with you and your message.”