How to Use Jargon
In order to use jargon, you must have thorough knowledge about the profession that will be used. Jargon is a language that you learn over time, as you learn about the profession.
- Adopt a profession.
- Learn that profession’s language.
For example, consider medical jargon.
Example 1: Phrase in Plain English:
She has a sore throat.
Phrase in Medical Jargon:
The female patient is experiencing pharyngitis.
A sore throat is the primary symptom of pharyngitis, or the inflammation of the throat. To a medical professional, the term “pharyngitis” is considered more professional than the lay term “sore throat.”
For a second example, consider customer service jargon.
Example 2: Phrase in Plain English
She was unhappy with the service.
Phrase in Service Jargon:
The client reported a negative end-user perspective.
The “end-user perspective” is an example of jargon in customer service: it simply means what the customer thought of the product or service.
When to Use Jargon
Jargon can be used in a wide variety of situations and varies from profession to profession. Jargon for a doctor would be radically different than jargon for a mechanic, hairstylist, lawyer, or teacher. All of these professions, though, make use of their own specialized language or jargon. In this sense, though, jargon should not be used when speaking to someone outside of your profession as this can be considered pompous or unnecessarily complicating. For example, a cosmologist would not speak to you of the GUT but rather the Grand Unifying Theory, or a theory which unifies all theories of the universe. Kind and understanding professionals are willing to translate jargon into plain English for those unacquainted with their specialized way of speaking.