Day 248: Use jargon carefully.

Jargon is language and words specific to a particular group of people (e.g., librarians, plumbers, editors). For example, when journalists speak about a morgue, they may be referring to the files of old stories. Network managers (and other technology-savvy people) may speak about plug-ins and SAAS.

Jargon is great. These specialized terms help people communicate complex ideas with only one or two words. They contribute to concise writing. When you’re writing, however, they can cause problems with clarity.

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Think about what words the reader knows. If you are writing to colleagues in your field, you probably should use jargon. Explaining all the concepts will make you seem either foolish or condescending, as if your reader isn’t “in the know.” And the document will be unnecessarily wordy. On the other hand, if you are writing to people who may not know the jargon, then you shouldn’t use it (or you should provide an explanation of the terms). Otherwise, your reader may have difficulty understanding you.

Here’s the basic point: Think about the terms you use and select the ones that lead to understanding. Use jargon carefully.