Jargon or Industry-Specific Terms? When to Lose, When to Use

Image by Erika Varga from Pixabay

If you’ve ever sat through a meeting and heard someone say “let’s circle back on the low-hanging fruit so we can align on synergies,” you’ve felt the sting of jargon. But not all insider language is bad. Sometimes, the right term is exactly what you need to sound informed and cut straight to the point.

So, where’s the line? When is terminology helpful, and when is it just noise?

Let’s break it down.

What’s the Difference?

Jargon is language that’s vague, overused, or unnecessary. It tends to confuse rather than clarify. It can make you sound like you’re trying too hard. Or worse, like you don’t really understand what you’re talking about.

“Let’s operationalize the ideation strategy and ladder it up to our North Star.” Translation: “Let’s work on the idea and connect it to our main goal.”

Industry-specific terms, on the other hand, are rooted in real knowledge. These terms often describe specialized tools, processes, or concepts that don’t have simpler equivalents. When used with the right audience, they save time and reduce ambiguity.

We need to update the schema.org markup for SEO visibility.” If you’re talking to an SEO expert, that sentence is clear and helpful.

When to Use 

✅Your audience knows what they mean. Using the correct terminology shows respect for their expertise and keeps communication efficient. This can matter with:

• Developers

• Lawyers

• Scientists

✅ They add precision. Industry-specific terms can capture nuances that plain language can’t. For example, “accessibility” in UX doesn’t just mean “easy to use”. It refers to specific standards that make products usable for people with disabilities.

✅ They build trust. Using the right terms at the right time shows you’re fluent in the space. Just make sure you are—misusing a technical term will hurt more than help.

When to Ditch 

🚫 It clouds understanding If you need a decoder ring to make sense of a sentence, it’s probably jargon. Readers and users don’t want to feel confused—or worse, excluded.

🚫 You’re trying to sound smart Complex language doesn’t impress people—it alienates them. Simpler is usually better.

🚫 Plain language works better You’re not dumbing things down by choosing clear words. You’re opening the door to better communication.

How to Tell the Difference

A little self-check can go a long way. Ask yourself:

• Would my audience understand this without Googling it?

• Am I using this term to clarify or to “sound professional”?

• Is there a clearer way to say this?

• Would I say this in a conversation, or only in a slide deck?

The Bottom Line

It’s important to know when to use technical terms. They can make you sharper and more credible. But ditch the jargon. It’s rarely as helpful as it feels in the moment.

Clear beats clever. Always.

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