Arguments against Management Speak Flashcards
Define management-speak
A sociolect used by people in managerial positions at a business
What 3 language features will management-speak usually include?
Metaphors, Idioms, Jargon
What is the first argument against management speak?
It can cause miscommunication in a business?
How could you support your first argument against management-speak? What study could you use? What did the pilots specifically do wrong?
Kim and Elder found that Korean Pilots struggled to communicate with American air-traffic, using Abbreviations at the wrong time and incorrect Idioms
What is the second argument against management-speak? What does this mean for workers?
It masks the meaning of something, which could sometimes not be beneficial for workers
What could you say to support your second argument against management speak? With a specific term
The term “Downsizing” is a more passive way of saying that you will be firing people
What is the third argument against management speak?
Management-speak makes people seem more intelligent than they actually are
What could you say to support your third argument against management-speak in terms of who defines Management-speak in this way?
The Plain English Campaign’s definition of management-speak aligns with this statement
What is the fourth argument against management speak in terms of foreign people trying to understand it?
Many English speakers do not understand Jargon, so it would be even more difficult for foreign people who do not fully understand english to comprehend Idioms in English
How could you support your fourth argument against management speak?
Mention how the Korean Pilots, who were obviously skilled enough to get to this job position, were not using Idioms in the appropriate contexts
What is the fifth argument against management-speak in relation to gender? What does this further enforce?
Lots of Jargon can seem sexually violent against women, further enforcing the supposed belief that business is only a mans world
How could you support your fifth argument against management-speak in relation to gender?
There may be certain terms used to objectify women or make them be perceived in a more negative way than they would like to, even if they work within the business themselves
