Jargon

Jargon is a use of language which is frowned upon because it is difficult to understand, coming from just a section of society, a class, a profession, a trade, or sect. It can include scientific, or technical vocabulary, or in-words amongst a clique.

Generally speaking the use of jargon is bad style, one should always use a common word where one exists. It is not good manners to exclude others from conversation. Jargon is often used to show off, to sound impressive. On occassion it cannot be avoided.

Here are some examples. Underline the words you consider jargon, and say what you think they mean.

Worksheet One - From the Theatre I was treading the boards in a production of the play. The house was very small, just one old lady up in the gods, and a sprinkling of groundlings in the stalls to be precise, and I was dying. We come to the scene where Banquo appears as a ghost, and suddenly a sand-bag drops down from the flies - brought the house down, it did. Well, blow me down if one of the ASM's, slip of a girl, comes running on, takes a bow to the king - the old queen, picks up the sand-bag and says, "Me Lord, I hasten to depart" and rushes off. Then the king shouts into the wings, "I've been upstaged by bigger talents than you!" Well, of course I started corpsing. Couldn't contain myself!
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Worksheet Two - From the Teaching Profession A learner from grade 12 approached me the other day about his grades. He had written a cloze test and scored very badly. He thought he was worth a B, but the mark-book showed his average to be little above a D minus! When I had a look at the register I saw that his attendance was very poor. He'd been on report the week before, so I gave him detention and lines. Just then a prefect came up and asked what was going on because the boy was crying, so I called in the HOD, and she gave the prefect a de-merit for interfering. When the head heard what had happened, he gave the prefect a suspension and warned him that if he failed his mid-years he'd have to invigilate prep for the whole term!
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Worksheet Three - From the Law

Lawyer:	Objection!
Judge:	Sustained! Counsellors, approach the bench!
Defence Lawyer:	Your honour, this is a pro bono case!
Judge:	All the more reason for a plea bargain I would have thought!
Prosecutor:	Your honour, the accused was found in flagrante delicto! There is a prima facie case to answer!
Defence lawyer:	Your honour, all the evidence is circumstantial, there is no proof of pre-meditated intent. There is adequate precedence, The people vs Jones, and mutatis mutandis I ask for a postponement sine die!

Word

Meaning

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Writing Exercise

In your group
choose one type of jargon (from a profession, trade or sub-culture) and make a list of as many words as you can.

On your own
Write a paragraph or dialogue using the jargon you listed in your group.

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Jargon

Worksheet One - From the Theatre

Worksheet Two - From the Teaching Profession

Worksheet Three - From the Law

Writing Exercise