Why gobbledygook? Why do people speak or write it? In almost all cases that I can think of, it’s because (a) their main aim is not to communicate or (b) they don’t ask: how will I put this so my…
Category: Jargon
Our language lunacy as defined by Orwell
In my last post, I quoted some examples of linguistic lunacy – commingled containers, access controller, disposable mucus recovery unit, etc – and wondered what Orwell would think. In his Politics and the English Language essay, he offered “five specimens of the…
Language lunacy – what would Orwell think?
The English language today – or why George Orwell would need his mucus recovery unit if he had not experienced a suboptimal outcome George Orwell’s essay, ‘Politics and the English Language‘, begins: “Most people who bother with the matter at…
The Queen’s English as spoken by Ryanair’s O’Leary
Ryanair chief Michael O’Leary is a remarkable character (love him, hate him or love/hate him). He’s remarkable both in what he’s achieved (love or hate his methods) and in the way he talks to the world. Here are some examples:…
Posted in Jargon, Language, Words Tagged with: Communication, English, Language, Plain language, Words
World-class, state-of-the-art, best-practice bullshit
If Professor Michael O’Keeffe, Consultant Ophthalmic Surgeon in Temple Street Children’s Hospital, Dublin, is as good a doctor as he is a man, then he’s one of the best. On 9 July, he was interviewed by Pat Kenny on RTE…