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Sometimes Slang Rocks! - The Limits Of Jargon
Jason Crawford
"This sucks!"
Is this how you feel about the current essay you have due? Do you know what you want to say but are worried about losing marks for being "too slangy" or for using jargon? Try not to fret. Many of us share the same problem. Slang and jargon can be a help or hindrance - depending on the angle you wish to take. Hopefully, by the end of this chapter you will come to a decision that will aid you.
First things first. We have to figure out exactly what these informal alternatives of language are. According to Webster's On-line Dictionary, slang is defined as:"1: language peculiar to a particular group. 2: an informal nonstandard vocabulary composed typically of coinages, arbitrarily changed words, and extravagant, forced, or facetious figures of speech."
Jargon is described as: "1: confused unintelligible language. 2: the technical terminology or characteristic idiom of a special activity or group. 3: obscure and often pretentious language marked by circumlocutions and long words."
Adding slang or jargon can be a lot like adding salt and pepper to a meal. It isn't necessary but it can give that much needed flavour you feel is missing. Some chefs will take offence to the added sodium and spice; others may have no problem with the occasionally added grain of seasoning. You, as writer, have a duty to find out how your prof likes to cook up a course. Some enjoy a fresh blast of flavour and some prefer their dish to be more bland. And be careful! When the food is over-seasoned, no one wants to eat it. The best way to go about using slang or jargon is simply to ask. When, or if, you get the permission to write in the style that fits into your comfort zone, the secret is to use these linguistic tools to your advantage. "The use of slang is often a ritualistic method of expressing a person's eagerness to become part of a group or opposition to it. It can be derogatory. It can reveal as well as conceal secrets" (Johnson 20). As you can see, it is just as easy to alienate, as it is to inform. This is where knowing your target audience comes into play.
To my peers, I could emphasize how good something is by calling it wicked. My grandmother, on the other hand, would confuse such a description as being evil or satanic. I could easily worry her if I said I had a wicked time at the club, when all my friends would want to know how much fun I had. Although this example illustrates informal speech, it can also relate to that essay due next week.
Sometimes jargon is integral to conveying a message, although too much technical jargon will confuse the layman. This is seen all too often when you get those notices in the mail demanding payment. Cross relates an elegant example about her friend who received a notice in the mail: "It is hereby stipulated and agreed by the undersigned, jointly and severally, that all payments due and owing to the party of the first part may be remitted to the party of the second part on or before and not later than 14 days subsequent to the notice hereinto included" (39). It would be much easier for the reader if it simply said, "Please make your payment within 14 days from the date on this notice." Jargon can mess with your head.
On the other hand, there are times in academic writing when slang and jargon can help you express your message. Here is something that speaks of the use of the internet and writing: "The encyclopedic nature of the web allows us to network our own writing and the writing of our students (if such is the case) into a new pattern of intertextuality" (Soules). There is no need to rage over the meaning of the web, as it's obvious the writer hasn't mentioned spiders. While I can't find intertextuality in my word processor's dictionary, I get the gist of it.
Without the use of common informal language, sometimes readers are left more confused. In The Book Of Jargon, Miller shows how everyday words like muffler and clutch are actually a form of jargon. We all know what a muffler is. If you've ever driven a standard, you must know what a clutch is. Because they are mechanics' terms, they are automotive jargon. If for any reason you have to write about a vehicle's muffler and aren't allowed to use any garage terminology, it would be a severe pain in the you-know-what to have to write: "the metal contraption below the rear bumper where emissions are emitted and the noise levels of the vehicle are reduced." MUFFLER!
The English language is constantly evolving. During this evolution, a tolerance for what was once forbidden emerges and eventually it rises into acceptance. A recent study of the use of slang shows interesting results, including the claim that "There is even a demand for a vigorous informal vocabulary in contemporary literature and journalism" (Cooper). In the same study, the author suggests guidelines for the do's and don'ts of slang. Acceptable uses include common everyday conversation, something that can give an accepted summary of a feeling or situation, and old-fashioned sayings from childhood. It is often frowned upon when slang or jargon is correlated with lack of education or good upbringing. It is best to avoid use of profanity; furthermore, use of sexual connotation or to express sexist views is a no-no (Cooper). These basic guidelines help create a distinctive voice while maintaining a relaxed atmosphere. If used properly, informality can deliver a strong blow, yet ease into meaning with less of a sting.
As fun as it can be to write with slang and jargon, the downfalls must be recognized. The main problem is the alienation factor. This is especially common between different age groups. Linguist Connie Eble of the University of North Carolina warns: "Slang is always going to be out-of-date. By the time you and I (middle-aged adults) know about it, it's passé. When we know about it, that means that it has left its control group and is into the mainstream" (Johnson 19). She let's us know that it is almost impossible to bridge a generation gap with slang. If anything, the gap is widened. You might also alienate your readers of the same age.
So, if you want to serve up a savoury paper, consider who will digest your elegant repast. Find out the preferred spiceness from your professor. If the ingredients call for a pinch of slang with a dash of jargon, feel free to dish it out. Make sure you don't leave your comfort zone and remember that moderation is a key. Hopefully, that paper has turned from one that sucks into one that rocks!
Bibliography:
Cooper, Thomas C. "'Does it suck?' or 'Is it for the birds?' Native Speaker Judgment of Slang Expressions." American Speech 76 (2001): 62-78.
Cross, Donna Woolfolk. Word Abuse: How The Words We Use Use Us. New York: Coward, McCann, & Geoghegan, 1979.
Homer, Joel. Jargon: How To Talk To Anyone About Anything. New York: Times Books, 1979.
Johnson, Terry. "Slang: Language That's Out Of Date". Reading Writing: Essay Strategies For Canadian Students. Ed. Geri Dasguupta and Jon Redfern. Toronto: Nelson Canada, 1995.
Miller, Don Ethan. The Book Of Jargon: An Essential Guide To The Inside Languages of Today. New York: MacMillan Publishing, 1981.
Soules, Marshall. "Animating the Language Machine: Computers and Performance." 1999. (http://www.mala.bc.ca/~soules/animate.htm)