# Use of jargon when posting questions **URL:** \ **Category:** About This Message Board\ **Created:** [March 17, 2014, 11:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/use-of-jargon-when-posting-questions/683962 "2014-03-17T23:01:14Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![monstro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ba9def/32.png) [@monstro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/monstro)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2014, 2:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/use-of-jargon-when-posting-questions/683962/61 "2014-03-18T02:34:23Z")
> [@JohnT](#): > > Jargon is fine in a thread and if you don’t know it, go look it up. Or, here’s a thought, decide “well, this thread is not for me” and leave it alone. > > What Melchior has done to that other thread is akin to one jumping in a MPSIMS/IMHO thread “populated” by ex-military and demanding that they use words instead of acronyms like “non-com”, “CPACSUB\*”, “Delta of the 89th\*” and etc. There have been posts that have been completely opaque to me… but I never had the gall to demand that they translate the terms and say that they should never, ever use their jargon. Even if the thread is in IMHO. :rolleyes: > > S/he is being rude and has somehow decided to become the arbitrator of not only how things are said, but of what topics are appropriate for the SDMB. > > And there’s something else: Sometimes you use words, jargon, so that you can weed out people who don’t have much of worth to say. Here’s a hypothetical: if one doesn’t understand what a “C-Level” executive and a “direct report” is, then, perhaps, one isn’t qualified to answer. Maybe? > > \*Made up as far as I know. Not all of us work in the corporate/private sector. Quite a few of us work in government, where the “C-level” doesn’t exist. And yet a person who works in government can still have an experience very similar to the OP’s. Is that person unqualified to answer the question? The OP’s situation wasn’t technical at all. Many people have had experience with coworkers/underlings having inappropriate relationships with higher-ups. I’m sure the same scenario is playing out at the McDonald’s right down the street from me. Big whoop. So using corporate-speak to describe such a mundane situation seems a bit strange to me. ---
**Author:** ![Melchior](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e5b9ba/32.png) [@Melchior](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Melchior)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2014, 2:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/use-of-jargon-when-posting-questions/683962/62 "2014-03-18T02:35:08Z")
> [@Patty\_O\_Furniture](#): > > This is exactly right. The OP wants opinions from people who know what a C-Level and a direct report are. That’s why they figured so prominently in the thread title. > > We’ve got threads that are thick with legalese, in which some people are tossing Latin terms around, for chrissakes. Shall we castigate them for making the thread inaccessible to those of us with more pedestrian vocabularies? But \*this \*is not an appropriate forum for such a discussion if expressed in that fashion. ---
**Author:** ![turtlescanfly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/65b543/32.png) [@turtlescanfly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/turtlescanfly)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2014, 2:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/use-of-jargon-when-posting-questions/683962/63 "2014-03-18T02:37:13Z")
> [@BigT](#): > > The OP made a mistake, someone told him about the mistake. The next step would be “Sorry, I didn’t mean to not be clear.” Then, the end. Instead, the next step was “how dare you accuse this guy of making a mistake!” That tends to start fights. I guess this is where we disagree. I don’t happen to believe the OP made a mistake in his choice of language. He used terms that (I believe) he had every expectation would be understood by his audience. Yet he was accused of using “ridiculous” terms and being purposefully obscure. I just don’t see it. ---
**Author:** ![Hedda\_Rosa](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hedda_rosa/32/1204_2.png) [@Hedda\_Rosa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hedda_Rosa)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2014, 2:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/use-of-jargon-when-posting-questions/683962/64 "2014-03-18T02:38:46Z")
I think its a particular hatred for so called “buzzwords” as opposed to other jargon or career-specific phrasing. For some reason the language used by large corporations is seen as particularly worthy of derision, in a way that other jargon is not. Had the OP in that other thread posted in IMHO “An adjunct professor in my department is bonking the chair” we wouldn’t be having this conversation. ---
**Author:** ![Melchior](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e5b9ba/32.png) [@Melchior](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Melchior)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2014, 2:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/use-of-jargon-when-posting-questions/683962/65 "2014-03-18T02:41:43Z")
> [@turtlescanfly](#): > > I guess this is where we disagree. I don’t happen to believe the OP made a mistake in his choice of language. He used terms that (I believe) he had every expectation would be understood by his audience. Yet he was accused of using “ridiculous” terms and being purposefully obscure. I just don’t see it. It was very poorly expressed. I am not alone in that. The reaction was nearly synonymous! ---
**Author:** ![Melchior](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e5b9ba/32.png) [@Melchior](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Melchior)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2014, 2:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/use-of-jargon-when-posting-questions/683962/66 "2014-03-18T02:43:17Z")
> [@monstro](#): > > Not all of us work in the corporate/private sector. Quite a few of us work in government, where the “C-level” doesn’t exist. And yet a person who works in government can still have an experience very similar to the OP’s. Is that person unqualified to answer the question? > > The OP’s situation wasn’t technical at all. Many people have had experience with coworkers/underlings having inappropriate relationships with higher-ups. I’m sure the same scenario is playing out at the McDonald’s right down the street from me. Big whoop. So using corporate-speak to describe such a mundane situation seems a bit strange to me. Some of us work in engineering, education, utilities, all kinds of fields where this language would not be used. ---
**Author:** ![wonky](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wonky/32/393_2.png) [@wonky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wonky)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2014, 2:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/use-of-jargon-when-posting-questions/683962/67 "2014-03-18T02:43:43Z")
> [@turtlescanfly](#): > > **jsgoddess** could you elaborate on what you meant by clarifying vs distancing, maybe with some examples? Honestly, I don’t see how the terms used by this OP were distancing. I didn’t think that OP was particularly hard. In fact, I thought they were pretty intuitive, so there’s that. In general, if you want general responses, you should use general language. If you want specific responses, you should use specific language. If you use specific language for a general question, you’re putting up a layer of confusion between yourself and the audience you want to reach. So, if the OP wanted only very specific responses, the post was phrased perfectly. If the OP wanted general responses, it wasn’t. But even if it wasn’t phrased perfectly, it was perfectly fine. ---
**Author:** ![IvoryTowerDenizen](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ivorytowerdenizen/32/17937_2.png) [@IvoryTowerDenizen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/IvoryTowerDenizen)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2014, 2:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/use-of-jargon-when-posting-questions/683962/68 "2014-03-18T02:44:07Z")
> [@Melchior](#): > > But \*this \*is not an appropriate forum for such a discussion if expressed in that fashion. In all seriousness why are these threads, from the same forum, ok? Or do you think they’re not? > **[Fuel for the carb-protein wars!](https://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=718335)** > > Be warned: these studies will start getting cited in the nutrition wars. Okay that’s the this side of the wall summary of the summary of the studies in last week’s Science. From their other side of the wall synopsis: The actual mouse study. Th... > **[Rule of thumb for GSA pricing?](https://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=718410)** > > I know this risks contributing a real life example of “Thread titles that will have 0 replies and 0 views,” but I figured I’d kick it out Dopers for insight nevertheless… I’m trying to figure out how prices listed in General Services Administration... > **[Water Softening/Conditioning Systems](https://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=717436)** > > I recently moved to New Mexico, where it appears that the water is even harder than in Arizona. Shit. I was wondering if any of you folks could recommend a whole-home water conditioning system to me based on the following bullet points. I swear, the... ---
**Author:** ![turtlescanfly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/65b543/32.png) [@turtlescanfly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/turtlescanfly)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2014, 2:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/use-of-jargon-when-posting-questions/683962/69 "2014-03-18T02:44:32Z")
> [@Melchior](#): > > It was very poorly expressed. I am not alone in that. The reaction was nearly synonymous! I assume you mean “unanimous”. And even if that is what you meant, it wasn’t. ---
**Author:** ![Melchior](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e5b9ba/32.png) [@Melchior](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Melchior)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2014, 2:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/use-of-jargon-when-posting-questions/683962/70 "2014-03-18T02:44:44Z")
Can anyone guess what this means and who wrote it? No googling! we initiate, without any immediate consciousness of the action, the most purposive counter-movements and in the process plainly make use of our entire faculty of understanding. ---
**Author:** ![Melchior](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e5b9ba/32.png) [@Melchior](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Melchior)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2014, 2:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/use-of-jargon-when-posting-questions/683962/71 "2014-03-18T02:48:30Z")
> [@IvoryTowerDenizen](#): > > In all seriousness why are these threads, from the same forum, ok? Or do you think they’re not? > > [Fuel for the carb-protein wars! - In My Humble Opinion - Straight Dope Message Board](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=718335) > > [Rule of thumb for GSA pricing? - In My Humble Opinion - Straight Dope Message Board](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=718410) > > [Water Softening/Conditioning Systems - In My Humble Opinion - Straight Dope Message Board](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=717436) They could be in general questions, in my opinion. ---
**Author:** ![Melchior](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e5b9ba/32.png) [@Melchior](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Melchior)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2014, 2:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/use-of-jargon-when-posting-questions/683962/72 "2014-03-18T02:49:32Z")
> [@turtlescanfly](#): > > I assume you mean “unanimous”. And even if that is what you meant, it wasn’t. It was inchoate and sylvan! ---
**Author:** ![Dangerosa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/22d042/32.png) [@Dangerosa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dangerosa)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2014, 2:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/use-of-jargon-when-posting-questions/683962/73 "2014-03-18T02:49:50Z")
> [@Colibri](#): > > I’m not giving official board policy here, but just my personal opinion. In general, I think it’s better to use clear, simple language as much as possible if you want a good response and avoid hijacking. > > However, in GQ people sometimes want responses to highly technical questions where use of technical terms is appropriate. In such circumstances the use of jargon is not a problem. > > The other thread was in IMHO, and the poster was soliciting non-technical opinions on the situation. The question could easily have been asked without the use of jargon, with perhaps some clarification as to what the relationships might have been between the parties. This would have avoided the problem. > > The answer I think is fairly simple: If you want an expert opinion on a technical question, especially in GQ, the use of jargon is OK (although if you can avoid it it’s better). If you want to throw your question out to the general public, and not just experts in the field, then it behooves you to ask it in the simplest and most straightforward way possible. Don’t assume that just because it’s second nature to you anyone outside your field knows its jargon. > > I feel that people should take care in how they phrase their questions. If you ask your question in an unclear manner, you shouldn’t be surprised if it goes in an unexpected direction. I’m not sure I agree that this was “non technical” - management is a field of study. People get PhDs in it. The question being asked had legal and human resources implications as well as the potential for a CLM (career limiting move for those into jargon). This isn’t a question on “how to make a grilled cheese sandwich.” There are technical issues at play when a employee of a company has a sexual relationship with a officer of the company. People who didn’t realize that weren’t terribly qualified to comment. Granted, not technical as in how to overclock a motherboard, or what the equation is to get a Z-score, or “explain string theory.” ---
**Author:** ![IvoryTowerDenizen](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ivorytowerdenizen/32/17937_2.png) [@IvoryTowerDenizen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/IvoryTowerDenizen)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2014, 2:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/use-of-jargon-when-posting-questions/683962/74 "2014-03-18T02:51:21Z")
> [@Melchior](#): > > They could be in general questions, in my opinion. I don’t think they have factual answers, but answers based on people’s experiences. And yet each one has technical terms that could have been explained initially, weren’t, and yet were successful. ---
**Author:** ![Melchior](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e5b9ba/32.png) [@Melchior](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Melchior)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2014, 2:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/use-of-jargon-when-posting-questions/683962/75 "2014-03-18T02:55:04Z")
> [@Dangerosa](#): > > I’m not sure I agree that this was “non technical” - management is a field of study. People get PhDs in it. The question being asked had legal and human resources implications as well as the potential for a CLM (career limiting move for those into jargon). This isn’t a question on “how to make a grilled cheese sandwich.” There are technical issues at play when a employee of a company has a sexual relationship with a officer of the company. People who didn’t realize that weren’t terribly qualified to comment. Granted, not technical as in how to overclock a motherboard, or what the equation is to get a Z-score, or “explain string theory.” If what you say is true, it was in the wrong forum. It should be on some business law forum. ---
**Author:** ![joyfool](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/df788c/32.png) [@joyfool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/joyfool)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2014, 2:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/use-of-jargon-when-posting-questions/683962/76 "2014-03-18T02:58:24Z")
> [@Ellen\_Cherry](#): > > Moved from IMHO to ATMB. I’m unclear on the meaning here and don’t wish to find out for myself. Could you explain it to me in clear, concise language? Please, no more technical jargon. ---
**Author:** ![shijinn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/cc9497/32.png) [@shijinn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/shijinn)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2014, 2:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/use-of-jargon-when-posting-questions/683962/77 "2014-03-18T02:59:53Z")
the first problem is with the title itself. the 6 examples (including the 3 from **IvoryTowerDenizen** ) are clearly-titled threads requiring specialised knowledge, if you don’t know anything about Linux you wouldn’t click on the GQ thread. the direct report thread however, is asking Aunt Agony for relationship advice in IMHO. using jargons. it is entirely unclear from the title, and the OP itself actually, what kind of relationship advice is being sought. clicking on the thread, you’re slapped with the same jargon (among others) 6 times repeatedly in place of pronouns, leaving you with a sting on your face and an urge to send him back to school to learn how to communicate properly. ---
**Author:** ![Inner\_Stickler](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/inner_stickler/32/318_2.png) [@Inner\_Stickler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Inner_Stickler)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2014, 3:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/use-of-jargon-when-posting-questions/683962/78 "2014-03-18T03:03:47Z")
> [@JohnT](#): > > it is entirely unclear from the title, and the OP itself actually, what kind of relationship advice is being sought. It’s really not. ---
**Author:** ![Fenris](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fenris/32/498_2.png) [@Fenris](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fenris)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2014, 3:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/use-of-jargon-when-posting-questions/683962/79 "2014-03-18T03:07:29Z")
> [@Melchior](#): > > Yes. It was the assumption that his bizarre jargon was intelligible to the public at large. I suppose undertakers have their own jargon, but they sure as hell keep it to themselves. Oh please. C-Levels and “direct reports” are about as “intelligible” as “motherboards” and “Hard drives” are. Anyone who’s worked for a decent sized company knows them and the general public does too. It’s hardly arcane jargon. ---
**Author:** ![IvoryTowerDenizen](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ivorytowerdenizen/32/17937_2.png) [@IvoryTowerDenizen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/IvoryTowerDenizen)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2014, 3:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/use-of-jargon-when-posting-questions/683962/80 "2014-03-18T03:08:37Z")
> [@Inner\_Stickler](#): > > It’s really not. Somehow I think your quote got messed up and is referring back to the wrong post. I think you quoted the one above yours by shijinn, not JohnT. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/use-of-jargon-when-posting-questions/683962.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/use-of-jargon-when-posting-questions/683962.md?page=5)