tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5704943052235281766.post511009964686049253..comments2024-03-29T05:45:39.184-06:00Comments on Blood-Red Pencil: Grammar ABCs: J is for JargonDanihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14471919576687777886noreply@blogger.comBlogger12125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5704943052235281766.post-42286223620795561872012-04-02T13:21:18.968-06:002012-04-02T13:21:18.968-06:00Great comments, everyone! LOL, Christopher, someti...Great comments, everyone! LOL, Christopher, sometimes jargon does come in handy! And, using a little "sparingly" in dialogue is a good way to identify a character.<br /><br />Yes, kill your darlings!Heidiwriterhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02593338979995203659noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5704943052235281766.post-34965788114543087242012-04-02T13:03:57.431-06:002012-04-02T13:03:57.431-06:00Well, and it depends on the goal of the book. It m...Well, and it depends on the goal of the book. It might have a very narrow audience. But the same rules apply to your writing as what Bob mentioned in his comment about professions. If you want to reach a wider audience, you better write to reach them, in words anyone can understand. No silos... if you know what I mean. ;)Danihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14471919576687777886noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5704943052235281766.post-66985176003823704342012-04-02T12:12:17.813-06:002012-04-02T12:12:17.813-06:00Good points, Heidi. Having the example like that i...Good points, Heidi. Having the example like that is so helpful. Shows exactly what you are talking about. <br /><br />I agree with Kathryn about how overwriting a certain character's dialogue and loading it with jargon could be a good way to show characterization. I have done that once or twice with some minor characters in my books, especially scientific type characters. But I do think doing that sparingly would be best.Maryannwriteshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09479027709233807149noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5704943052235281766.post-53833815221158471122012-04-02T11:39:49.129-06:002012-04-02T11:39:49.129-06:00Jargon is fine as long as it's restricted to t...Jargon is fine as long as it's restricted to the right audience. All professions have their jargon, which I expect is their shorthand. But when those professionals want to reach a wider audience they'd better write and speak differently.Bob Sanchezhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08350825385315155962noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5704943052235281766.post-63552419435930305842012-04-02T11:29:55.901-06:002012-04-02T11:29:55.901-06:00Sometimes we assume that everyone knows and unders...Sometimes we assume that everyone knows and understands the words and phrases we use. Thanks for reminding us all that what we believe is not always correct.Helen Gingerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09794759602654727110noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5704943052235281766.post-63814190850846888812012-04-02T11:01:59.354-06:002012-04-02T11:01:59.354-06:00I've always been very aware of jargon - coming...I've always been very aware of jargon - coming from a theatrical background I learned I had to 'speak civilian' (which is itself a theatrical jargon phrase) when talking about the theatre to my non-theatre friends and family. Then there's the essential jargon which must be used in grant applications, etc.<br /><br />It was a hard lesson to learn to 'speak civilian' when I was writing playing instructions for my two mystery games which are play scripts. I rewrote those instructions many, many times.Elspeth Futcherhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10330102545384369360noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5704943052235281766.post-42857695712631154342012-04-02T10:31:18.999-06:002012-04-02T10:31:18.999-06:00Good writers use universal language that anyone ca...Good writers use universal language that anyone can understand. Kill those darlings! Even if you think they make you sound impressive. So often, I think this coded language people use is just to make themselves feel like part of an "in" crowd. Very sophomoric, isn't it? On the other hand, a YA writer would probably want to add some of that to lend authenticity to a teen voice. On the other hand, too much of it, and you can date the story. But then you might WANT to date the story! For example, you might say "mea culpa" in a historical novel, but you wouldn't say "my bad". An extreme example, but you get my point.Danihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14471919576687777886noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5704943052235281766.post-20799717217368853252012-04-02T09:50:51.733-06:002012-04-02T09:50:51.733-06:00It was writing like that that got me through many ...It was writing like that that got me through many an essay test.Christopher Hudsonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03667548312923348614noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5704943052235281766.post-88195564281712419652012-04-02T09:41:27.674-06:002012-04-02T09:41:27.674-06:00I've enjoyed reading this blog and gave it a B...I've enjoyed reading this blog and gave it a Bean' Pat on my blog for today. Thanks for sharing the writing advice.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5704943052235281766.post-33444196737446972672012-04-02T07:59:43.920-06:002012-04-02T07:59:43.920-06:00Excellent points, Heidi! And great example!
Coinc...Excellent points, Heidi! And great example!<br /><br />Coincidentally, I just posted an article called "Clear, Concise, Powerful Nonfiction Writing" on my blog two days ago, at http://jodierennerediting.blogspot.ca/Jodie Rennerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17180607353893233389noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5704943052235281766.post-117185877682030872012-04-02T07:26:33.703-06:002012-04-02T07:26:33.703-06:00Heidi this is great! I am a huge fan of concision ...Heidi this is great! I am a huge fan of concision in general.<br /><br />I loved your wordy example. My father wrote like this at times. He once proudly showed me a published letter to the editor he wrote and I had no clue what it was about. I just said, "Nice, Dad."<br /><br />It's especially hard for someone with a lifelong career in a field like engineering or certain technical fields to shake free from this, don't you think? It can come in handy for a character's dialogue, though.Kathryn Crafthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08371458857187160425noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5704943052235281766.post-13298063094991584652012-04-02T05:59:04.553-06:002012-04-02T05:59:04.553-06:00Interesting post. I suppose jargon does get comple...Interesting post. I suppose jargon does get completed between different peoples to the point of miscommunication. I will have to watch for instances of this in my own writing.Traci Kenworthhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07336373871521363649noreply@blogger.com