Limit Jargon

Limit Jargon

The excessive use of jargon makes it difficult for the public to receive the Department's messages. Planning touches many disciplines, including architecture, engineering, environmental science, data analysis, and geography. If you were to combine the specialized terms each field uses, a tremendous amount of jargon (in addition to planning-specific jargon) may be unknown or confusing to the public.

Not All Jargon is Bad.

However, not all jargon should be eliminated for public documents. Sometimes it is necessary to describe a complex concept, process, tool, or device efficiently. As language evolves, jargon can become common because it conveys a specific meaning better than others (such as "gentrification").

But we hinder public access to our information, services, and programs when unnecessary jargon is combined with an academic or bureaucratic writing style. While bureaucratic or academic writing certainly has its place, a well-written plain language document (with references to regulations, ordinances, and other authority where necessary), is understandable to planning professionals, lawyers, civic organizations, and County residents alike.

Tips:

• Use the Plain Language Thesaurus for alternatives to words or phrases, including planning-specific phrases.
• Should you use certain jargon in your project? Use the technical jargon decision tree to help you decide.

Eliminate Garbage Language

Overly Complex Words

We are all guilty of using garbage language. Professionals are taught to use words and phrases that sound effective and authoritative. But most garbage language is filled with words and phrases that are overly complicated, such as:

• iterative
• catalyze
• engender
• incubate
• transformative
• focal point
• synthesize
• synergy

Vague Terms

Garbage language also includes words or phrases that are so overused as to render them meaningless, which can lead to miscommunication. Consider the sentiment of planner Daniel Herriges, who notes that garbage language can hide areas of disagreement on an issue:

The ubiquitous word livable ... is a good candidate for the garbage heap. People like it because it's vague and meaningless, and it allows you to pretend to agree with all sorts of people you don't actually agree with.

A search for "livable city" very quickly turns up references to Copenhagen and its world-famous compact neighborhoods and bicycle-friendly streets, which would surely prompt eyerolls among the members of Livable California, a group formed to oppose measures that would allow increased residential density in that state.

One suspects the Livable California crowd would also fail to see eye-to-eye with folks at AARP's Livable Communities initiative, who have championed such senior-friendly housing innovations as backyard accessory dwellings. The point of using livable is to stake a claim to moral authority, not to convince anyone or communicate anything.

Source: Daniel Herriges, "Does 'Garbage Language' Infect How We Talk About Cities?" Creative Commons License CC BY SA 3.0 DEED

See plain language alternatives in the plain language thesaurus.

Remove Unnecessary Words

Every word you write should earn its place. If you can cut a word, do it. This list of unnecessary words an excellent place to start eliminating wordiness.

To test whether a word or phrase is needed, strike it and see whether the sentence maintains its meaning and is still clear. The unnecessary words list points to words that are often extraneous; however, whether a word is necessary depends on context. If a word serves a purpose, keep it.

Additional tips:

• Don't use a phrase if a single word works.
• Avoid redundant words.

✗	✓
advance warning	warning
a period of three weeks	three weeks
specific example	example
in the vicinity of	near
the month of March	March

Avoid Redundant Words and Phrases

You should also avoid using redundant words/phrases as well as "double terms"—words connect with "and" but each term means the same thing or one term is subsumed by the other:

✗	✓
The species is endangered by fluctuating temperature conditions.	The species is endangered by fluctuating temperatures.
The data must be assessed and evaluated.	The data must be assessed or The data must be evaluated.
The organization detailed its future plans for preserving the historic buildings.	The organization detailed its plans for preserving the historic buildings.