Jargon seems to be everywhere among people in business. And nowhere does it thrive more than in America. Some of these expressions are easy to understand, others not. And some appear to be easy to understand but in fact mean something different than one might think. In multicultural business conversation I therefore recommend that the best approach is to leave the jargon out as much as possible.
Why is jargon so appealing? It serves like a secret code that only insiders can grasp, leaving those who are not in the club uninformed. Much American business jargon finds its origin in the expression used in sports. Some of these figures of speech are quite colorful while others are rather trite. Their overuse can be distracting and annoying, which caused one web site on the subject to list the ten most-hated jargon phrases (in their opinion):
Touch base offline (let’s meet and talk)Blue sky thinking (creative ideas free from practical constraints)
Blue sky thinking (creative ideas free from practical constraints)
Punch a puppy (do something detestable but good for the business)
Thought shower (to come up with several ideas)
Thinking outside the box (thinking creatively and innovatively)
It’s on my radar (I’m aware of it)
Close of play (the end of the day)
Singing from the same hymn sheet (all in agreement)
Peel the onion (to examine a problem in detail)
To wash its own face (to justify or pay for itself)
If that isn’t enough for you, here are some other web sites where you can dive into jargon without end:
Included in this “101 Annoying Business Slang Terms, Acronyms and Jargon You Absolutely Hate But Probably Need to Know)” are a number of abbreviations and acronyms you might encounter:
There is even a book which provides materials and directions for playing "Bullshit Bingo". I cannot say whether the boook is worthwhile or just BULLSHIT. But it isn't expensive.
Keep in mind that new slang and jargon phrases are being introduced into the language every day. So you always need to keep alert.
Hasta la vista, baby, (1)
(1) From the Arnold Schwarzeneggar movie series "Terminator", it has become a jargon expression.