Comments on: Government jargon leaves human beings out of the equation http://www.benlocker.co.uk/government-jargon-leaves-human-beings-out-of-the-equation/ Just another WordPress site Tue, 07 Feb 2012 20:55:58 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Helen http://www.benlocker.co.uk/government-jargon-leaves-human-beings-out-of-the-equation/#comment-319 Helen Sat, 27 Mar 2010 14:26:04 +0000 http://benlocker.co.uk/?p=1773#comment-319 Sorry told him he reminded me... Sorry told him he reminded me…

]]> By: Helen http://www.benlocker.co.uk/government-jargon-leaves-human-beings-out-of-the-equation/#comment-318 Helen Sat, 27 Mar 2010 14:25:35 +0000 http://benlocker.co.uk/?p=1773#comment-318 P.S. As an example of something else really, a poor analagy, he told me that my local authority is like a crunchie bar because it has a golden centre but a bit of an old fashioned wrapper. That's one of many, so told me he reminded me of David Brent, just wish he would do the dance. Where do these people come from? P.S. As an example of something else really, a poor analagy, he told me that my local authority is like a crunchie bar because it has a golden centre but a bit of an old fashioned wrapper. That’s one of many, so told me he reminded me of David Brent, just wish he would do the dance. Where do these people come from?

]]> By: Helen http://www.benlocker.co.uk/government-jargon-leaves-human-beings-out-of-the-equation/#comment-317 Helen Sat, 27 Mar 2010 14:23:33 +0000 http://benlocker.co.uk/?p=1773#comment-317 I work for a local authority, my job role is all about people, my new AD treats them like tins of baked beans (or something) whilst telling us we are putting people first. The jargon isn't only distancing, it is a deceit, a strategy to avoid engaging because actually you are not putting people anywhere near first. I work for a local authority, my job role is all about people, my new AD treats them like tins of baked beans (or something) whilst telling us we are putting people first. The jargon isn’t only distancing, it is a deceit, a strategy to avoid engaging because actually you are not putting people anywhere near first.

]]> By: Fridge magnet jargon | Writers and Artists http://www.benlocker.co.uk/government-jargon-leaves-human-beings-out-of-the-equation/#comment-316 Fridge magnet jargon | Writers and Artists Fri, 19 Mar 2010 15:25:54 +0000 http://benlocker.co.uk/?p=1773#comment-316 [...] an intelligent post on jargon, courtesy of a copywriting friend of mine who recalls painful memories of working for charities [...] [...] an intelligent post on jargon, courtesy of a copywriting friend of mine who recalls painful memories of working for charities [...]

]]> By: uberVU - social comments http://www.benlocker.co.uk/government-jargon-leaves-human-beings-out-of-the-equation/#comment-315 uberVU - social comments Sat, 13 Mar 2010 16:51:49 +0000 http://benlocker.co.uk/?p=1773#comment-315 <strong>Social comments and analytics for this post...</strong> This post was mentioned on Twitter by benlocker: *New blog* Government jargon leaves human beings out of the equation.... http://bit.ly/9wJY6n... Social comments and analytics for this post…

This post was mentioned on Twitter by benlocker: *New blog* Government jargon leaves human beings out of the equation…. http://bit.ly/9wJY6n...

]]> By: Rowena http://www.benlocker.co.uk/government-jargon-leaves-human-beings-out-of-the-equation/#comment-314 Rowena Sat, 13 Mar 2010 13:36:12 +0000 http://benlocker.co.uk/?p=1773#comment-314 Spot on. I remember doing advertorials for local council projects - never again. They really did seem to use jargon to distance themselves from the people-centred projects they were working on. And wtf is a predictor of beaconicity? Spot on. I remember doing advertorials for local council projects – never again. They really did seem to use jargon to distance themselves from the people-centred projects they were working on.

And wtf is a predictor of beaconicity?

]]> By: Kimmo Linkama http://www.benlocker.co.uk/government-jargon-leaves-human-beings-out-of-the-equation/#comment-313 Kimmo Linkama Fri, 12 Mar 2010 15:26:05 +0000 http://benlocker.co.uk/?p=1773#comment-313 Ben, I especially liked it that you took search engines into account and posted the non-words as an image :) But seriously, I think you're quite right in suspecting that officialese will shape the minds of people running the system. It happens in my country as well. I think part of the jargon, as in any industry, comes from the industry's need to internally describe certain concepts. The flip side, of course, is that once these internal terms are in place, the users forget that they are internal jargon. That is where the ordinary citizen gets shut out of the thinking. Ben, I especially liked it that you took search engines into account and posted the non-words as an image :) But seriously, I think you’re quite right in suspecting that officialese will shape the minds of people running the system. It happens in my country as well.

I think part of the jargon, as in any industry, comes from the industry’s need to internally describe certain concepts. The flip side, of course, is that once these internal terms are in place, the users forget that they are internal jargon. That is where the ordinary citizen gets shut out of the thinking.

]]> By: Andy Maslen http://www.benlocker.co.uk/government-jargon-leaves-human-beings-out-of-the-equation/#comment-312 Andy Maslen Fri, 12 Mar 2010 15:00:52 +0000 http://benlocker.co.uk/?p=1773#comment-312 Excellent post, Ben. We once did a lot of work for a government department. Essentially as translators for reports written by management consultants. One admitted to me he had deliberately used jargon as a way of obscuring what a bad job he had done. *sigh* Excellent post, Ben. We once did a lot of work for a government department. Essentially as translators for reports written by management consultants. One admitted to me he had deliberately used jargon as a way of obscuring what a bad job he had done. *sigh*

]]> By: CopyChameleon http://www.benlocker.co.uk/government-jargon-leaves-human-beings-out-of-the-equation/#comment-311 CopyChameleon Fri, 12 Mar 2010 14:49:21 +0000 http://benlocker.co.uk/?p=1773#comment-311 oooh 'stakeholder' hate that! oooh ‘stakeholder’ hate that!

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