Jargon to the left and jargon to the right

When I worked at the yet-to-be-named large tax preparation firm, I was overwhelmed by corporate jargon. As a writer -- and lover of good literature -- corporate jargon is the antichrist. In fact, I hated it so badly, you might say I became one of the winged furies who dealt punishment on any article containing it.

But the problem was that the management team loved it. I mean LOVED to use corporate jargon. As if their message suddenly gained startling clarity if the words drill down, circle back and end-to-end service were used. And it was I, the stupid writer, who was in the wrong everytime I suggested that it could be written simpler, clearer. Silly me.

Then today .... (insert music from the heavens) ... a book fell on my desk that supports my theories that corporate jargon is actually THE antichrist. Author Gretchn Hirsch writes, "To avoid descent into a hell of gobbledygook, it would be wise to expunge trendy, inflated expressions from your vocabulary."

Then she goes on to list pages of buzzwords that are considered crap. Bandwidth, action items, best practices, deliverables, escalate, facilitate, messaging, mission critical ... all my old friends lined up like the usual suspects.

I felt great relief while I read this little slip of a book. I was not the rebel trying to control language and do things my way as I had been portrayed in the past. But rather a knight of the noble word table, dedicated to the protection and use of a beautiful yet intricate language. My quest was bold and honorable.

Alright, that might be stretching it a bit, but it did bring a small self-satisfied smile to my face. In fact I made copies, included some appropriate messaging and circled back with my former co-workers so they could also enjoy the pithy fruits of my spoils.

I love being a writer!