The rise of the buzzword.

 

I am of the 1960's, a time when most parents remembered the war, when kids were seen but not heard and the English language and it's proper usage was taught in a rigid format.

I am not trying to belittle teachers or bemoan the state of learning in modern schools but the English language has been more than adequate to describe things and concepts for many years. There was no problem with describing emotions and many classic books have been written (Prose and Poetry.) using it. Shakespeare wrote some fairly good plays with it, so did Tom Stoppard and Oscar Wilde. Charles Dickens wrote almost exclusively in this language so I am told.

So why is it now necessary to use jargon, or as I call it the Buzzword.

There are generic buzzwords, such as the all purpose. 'Ticks all the boxes.' In my day 'Just what we needed.' meant the same thing. In business every industry and many companies have specific buzzwords which would be meaningless elsewhere.

C.V.'s are full of them, or should be. There are software programs which will scan a C.V. for certain words and savvy (Is that a buzzword?) jobseekers will put all the words in the C.V. then set the font colour so it disappears.The scanner, however, will read it and pass the C.V. on to a real person increasing the chances of a job.

My wife and I enjoy property T.V. shows and it is this kind of buzzword that annoys me most. They sound pretentious and there are perfectly good English versions.

"Double aspect" Windows or natural light sources on two sides. This room is well lit with windows on two sides.

"Light and airy" Naturally well lit. Plenty of space. A large, bright spacious room."

"Faux Brickwork, Faux beams." Decorated to look like something it is not.

"Original features." Features only a historian would like.

I know that these bland phrases save a few words but no-one told me the English language is now rationed. In fact it is more descriptive.

Maybe it is to do with getting words out in order to have more profit making time.

The buzzword is often accompanied by the gesture for inverted commas so you know someone is being clever (Or a pretentious idiot as I call it.).

You should watch an older person in business or on T.V. attempting a buzzword. You can almost feel the embarrassment at mangling the English language radiating from them.

I don't like buzzwords, you guessed right?