Re: When users want jargon

Subject: Re: When users want jargon
From: SteveFJong -at- aol -dot- com
To: "TECHWR-L" <techwr-l -at- lists -dot- raycomm -dot- com>
Date: Wed, 5 Jun 2002 10:44:17 EDT


Shauna <SIANNON -at- VISUS -dot- JNJ -dot- com> disagrees with my example of "migrate" as a
bad jargon word, and asks for criteria. To me, bad jargon is either a made-up
word whose meaning is synonymous with a standard word, or a standard word
used contrary to its standard meaning. Bad jargon creates confusion in the
minds of literate readers. (One cannot help but suspect ignorance on the part
of those who coin the terms in the first place.)

The wireless term "provision" is a standard word used in a standard way--no
objection here. For "migration," the link Shauna provides gives a more
correct usage than the engineering manager I cited yesterday, who used
"migration" as a transitive verb; that is, he intended to forcibly migrate
users, which is nonsensical. (As I said, he was really talking about
herding.) Similarly, people today speak of "incenting" behavior when what
they really mean "encouraging."

Living languages evolve, and making up new words and meanings is how they
evolve. Just don't expect to start misusing words as an aid to understanding.
(And if you don't like it, then flaws to you 8^)

-- Steve

Steven Jong--"Typo? What tpyo?"
mailto:SteveFJong -at- AOL -dot- com -dot- nospam
Home sweet home page: http://hometown.aol.com/SteveFJong

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