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Charles G. Roland, MD

JAMA. 1968;204(4):317-318.

	Since this article does not have an abstract, we have provided the first 150 words of the full text PDF and any section headings.

In scientific writing, jargon comprises two major subdivisions. Although these may overlap and cause confusion, at their extremes they are easily distinguished. One subdivision is that of technical language; the other includes the pejorative or contemptuous connotations of jargon. That part of so-called jargon which we recognize as technical language is an acceptable and necessary part of scientific communication. Because of this I would suggest to the lexicographers that we stop using the word jargon to mean technical language, and limit "jargon" to its pejorative uses, many of which result from the abuse of technical language.

Every profession and trade has its technical language, a private tongue intelligible only to initiates. Technical language serves a function which ordinary language cannot serve, or at least cannot serve without excessive wordiness. But a private language is jargon if it replaces ordinary language only to exclude persons not belonging to the clique who . . . [Full Text PDF of this Article]

Author Affiliations
From the Scientific Publications Division, American Medical Association, Chicago.

Footnotes
Reprints are not available, since the substance of these contributions will be presented later in a paperback edition.

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