Arguments for Management Speak Flashcards
Define Management-Speak
A sociolect used by people at a managerial level in a business
What 3 features does Management-speak use?
Jargon, Metaphors, Idioms
What is the Plain English Campaign Definition of management-speak?
It is unnecessary jargon used to make people sound more intelligent than they actually are
What is an idiom used in management speak said to get all of the bad things out of a sentence?
“Throw the baby out of the bathwater”
Name 2 Metaphors in Management-speak, one about being more specific with details and one about giving a broader view on something?
Drilling down, and Helicopter View
What type of language is management-speak? What does the media think about this?
Management-speak is actually Idiomatic language, but the media refuse to acknowledge this
Name the Jargon term for an Information Collection
Espitemic Closure
Who said the term “Epistemic Closure” and in what context?
David Brooks said it about the Republicans in an Interview
What happened with the Jargon term Brooks used showing that very few people know Jargon?
The whole interview ended up being used to talk about the term
How can you use the point with Brooks as an argument for management speak?
If it is a term only used within a specific group of people, then it should likely stay that way as it could take a lot of time to learn it if you are not in that Discourse Community
Name an Idiomatic phrase used in places other than management-speak and what it means
“Spill the beans” means to tell the truth
Explain how casual Idioms existing supports the argument for management-speak
Because if Idioms can be used in casual conversations, then why do different Idioms have to be criticised in businesses?
What is a second argument supporting management-speak?
People to not understand the importance of it in its appropriate workplace
How would you support your second argument? Why?
Certain metaphors must be used as there is no way which is more simple to describe something sometimes
What is the third argument in support of management-speak? Why?
Phrases such as “Helicopter view” evoke a certain meaning in a worker as a high-powered machine is used in the description, meaning a larger need for high energy in the task
How can you support your third argument in support of management-speak?
Messages in a workplace must sometimes be intensified, or once again may not be able to be put in simpler terms
What is the fourth argument point in support of management-speak? Why?
Using phrases which only people understand in the office makes communication much easier because people who work there may not have conflicting meanings with the phrases
How would you support your fourth argument point in support of management-speak? What do articles against management-speak usually say?
Articles against management speak seem to have unjust anger, when occupation-specific idioms can help workers bond
What is the 5th argument for supporting management-speak?
Diversity of language is celebrated in other social areas, so why not an office?
How could you support your 5th argument for supporting management-speak?
By highlighting not only the efficiency of the language used in the work environment, but also acknowledging what is suitable within the Jargon and what could possibly be eliminated
What is a 6th argument for supporting management speak?
Jargon helps to create bonds between people who use it
How could you support your 6th argument for supporting management speak?
Spolsky argues that the language people use only specific to their social group helps to form bonds between the people who use it
What is a 7th argument for supporting management speak in relation to Legalese?
Legalese is essential as the law is a profession of words
How could you support your 7th argument for supporting management-speak?
Mellinkoff said that this was the classification of this occupation
