The UK's Local Government Association has today published a list of 200 words and phrases that it wants banned from council communication. Their assertion is that this jargon makes what councils are trying to say difficult to understand. Judging from the list, they have a point.
Predictably there's a lot of coverage of this list: the media love a jargon laugh-in (and I particularly like the phrase that features as the title of this post). What's more interesting is why organisations use this language.
I don't believe councils are trying to confuse people; what would be the point? The following are more likely:
- they believe that it makes them sound sophisticated. Business schools have a lot to answer for here. Trying to impress with language is like using scent without washing. Getting the basics right is much more important.
- to cover up inactivity. This is an old corporate trick: filling up space in a progress report when nothing's actually happened demands real creativity in finding new, involved ways of saying very little.
- because it's what is expected. Well, this is for sheep only. It's very prevalent in big organisations and also in academic circles but that's no excuse. Business writing is for the reader and not the peer group or the ego.
We'll see what effect this jargon banning order has. In truth, only a change in attitude will really make a difference.
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