INTHEBLACK September 2026 - Flipbook - Page 50
WORK SMART
When
jargon jams
communication
Workplace jargon can make
communication more efficient,
but when used to excess,
buzzword-heavy corporate
speak can confuse or mislead
employees and clients alike.
Words Nicola Heath
One of the things Dr Shane Littrell liked least
about working in a corporate setting was the way
senior management communicated with staff.
“One of my bosses loved to use words such
as ‘synergising’, ‘derivation’ and ‘optimal
flow-through’ in ways that did not make
coherent sense. He also loved to say that
we would ‘download on’ a topic rather than
‘discuss’ or ‘talk about’ it.
“The way executives often spoke probably
sounded impressive — at least to them — but
made actual communication much more difficult
for everyone else,” he says.
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50 INTHEBLACK September 2026
Littrell became so disillusioned with the
corporate environment that he switched
careers. Today, he is a cognitive psychologist
who works as a postdoctoral associate in the
Department of Government at Cornell University
in the US. His latest research looks at the effect
this type of “semantically empty” corporate
speak has on the workplace.
JARGON’S PURPOSE
While jargon gets a bad rap, it serves several
purposes — one of which is to inform.
“In technical terms, jargon refers to socially
learned words, expressions or acronyms that
have a specific use in particular industries and
professional groups,” Littrell explains. “Think of
an emergency room, where doctors and nurses
are constantly calling out medical jargon when
taking care of a critical patient. This language
is vital in these situations because it makes
communication more efficient.”
This type of terminology serves as shorthand
for those in the know.
“Jargon may be difficult for outsiders to
understand, but when it is used correctly and
as intended it is helpful because it makes
communication faster and easier for the
intended in-group audience,” Littrell says.
Organisational or industry-specific jargon
can also signal a sense of belonging based
on the idea of a shared language.
“Properly used organisational jargon not only
makes inter-company communication faster and
