Theme: jargons

Theme: JARGONS .

Prepared: Normurodova Kibriyo

Checked: QURBONOVA F

Definition ofJargon

• Jargon is a specialized set of terms and language that is used in a particular context and setting. It is especially common to find jargon in an industry, such as in law, medicine, academia, or an art or sport. People who are not a part of this industry or group may not be able to understand the jargon used, as the words are either obscure terms or have different definitions than the regular usage of the word. Jargon is used to provide more efficient communication between members of a certain group, though at times it can also be used to exclude others who are not part of the group or to show one’s own belonging to the group. Some jargon that is used enough in a group can become more widely understood and adopted into common usage, such as technological terms like “byte” and “RAM,” or nautical phrases like “anchor’s aweigh” and “all hands on deck.”

• The word jargon originally comes from the Latin term gaggire, which means “to chatter.” Chatter was language which the listener didn’t understand, like the chatter of birds. This term was adopted into French and then Middle English, in which there was a verb, jargounen, with the same meaning as the Latin. Thus, the definition of jargon comes from a sense of the listener being unable to understand the meaning behind the noise.

Difference Between Jargon, Slang, and Colloquialism

• There are similarities between the definitions of jargon, slang, and colloquialism, as they are all terms referring to specified language only used by certain groups. Colloquialisms are specific terms and phrases that are informal and often idiomatic. Colloquialisms are often bounded by a geographical region, like the variation in the United States of where the words “soda,” “pop,” “soft drink,” and “Coke” are used. Colloquialisms are not bounded by age or class. Slang, while also being informal language, is generally used in social groups such as by teenagers. Thus, slang is bounded by geography, age, and class as well.
• Jargon, on the other hand, can be understood by anyone who is part of an industry, and thus the individual often makes a choice of whether or not he or she is a part of that group. Jargon is limited not by region, class, or age, but instead by the choices that a person makes to join a sport, participate in a certain art form, or take on a certain career.

Common Examples of Jargon

• There are many different industries and groups which have their own jargon. Here are just a few examples of jargon from different groups:

Architecture jargon

• Chimera: A fantastical or grotesque figure used for decorative purposes in a building.
• Molding: Decorative finishing strip at transitions between surfaces.
• Narthex: A passage between the main entrance and main body of a church.

Mathematical jargon

• Q.E.D: Quod erat demonstrandum in Latin, meaning “which was to be demonstrated,” and placed at the end of mathematical proofs.
• Vanish: To take on the value of 0.
• Deep vs. elementary: A proof is deep if it requires concepts more advanced than the original concept to explain that original concept, while it is elementary if the proof only needs fundamental concepts to explain something.

Musical jargon

• Allegro: Cheerful or brisk tempo.
• Coda: Ending section of music.
• Piano vs. forte: Quiet vs. loud.

Football jargon

• Safety: A slightly rarer form of scoring points, in which an offensive player is tackled in his own end zone while holding the football; worth 2 points.
• Facemask: A penalty of gripping an opponent’s protective mask over his mouth; worth 15 yards.
• Wide receiver: A player on the offense who generally runs downfield to catch the football.

Significance of Jargon in Literature

• An author might choose to use jargon in a work of literature to show that a character is truly a part of the profession that he or she is supposed to have. Jargon can lend an air of credibility, and help readers suspend their disbelief.