Social web & social media, consultancy, training and advice from a flâneur of the internets. Blogger, writer, broadcaster and runner of Birmingham: It's Not Shit. I also do the odd bit of art.
September 21st, 2010

Mind Your Language

We’re all aware, or should be, of the power of language. It’s one of the central ideas of 1984, that you can direct or restrict thought by what words you use for real concepts.

If that doesn’t convince you—it’s fiction, right—here’s a real-life example of how language alters perceptions. This is a list of language changes compiled by the Institute for Government after consultation with members of the Conservative Shadow Cabinet and advisers. It shows changes in words and you can perceive shifts in policy. Some mean exactly the same thing, and within the organisations where this sort of language is in use everyone knows what they mean—but they’re designed to feel different and direct thought.

IN

OUT

Delivery/roll-out

Implementation

Investment

Spending

Demand side

Supply side

Top-down

Bottom-up

Target

Payment-by-results

Regional

Local

State

Society

Strategy

Business Plan

Evidence based

Principles based

Partnership agreements

Post-bureaucratic state

Stakeholder

Social Responsibility

Active centre

Departments

I’m not about to rant against jargon (I’m not a fan, but industry shorthand is almost inevitable) nor am I about to suggest that most people do this sort of thing consciously. This is just to illustrate the power of word choice in communications.

Now read this:

#localgov types really should follow @johnbarradell, B&H CEX and all-round good guy. #followThursday #Brighton

B&H CEX? I worked it out, but it took a while. A while I could have spent following the guy.

It's the private view for our Visual Communications MA students, and others, tomorrow. 6PM at BIAD Gosta Green campus, nr. Aston Uni.

So it reads like an invitation, but it’s to something ‘private’? Huh? Can I go?

I’ve worked out over a few years that “private view” means two things: if a show is big and important it means “no entry unless you’re invited”, if a show is small or not that well known it means “please come, there’ll be free wine and nibbles”. It’s developed as art-jargon for some reason, and people who know know and those that don’t don’t. But it does put off people who might otherwise have liked to have attended—and the smaller shows could do with that, in fact they want it.

So, just a reminder to think about the words you use if you’re trying to communicate—strip jargon and abbreviations where you can.

by Jon Bounds | Posted in good practice, twitter | Tags:
February 9th, 2009

Why “geeks” aren’t helping

Of course people who know about computers or other technology are helping others, and trying to help others to understand what they know — you’ve only got to pop along to a social media surgery in Birmingham to find that out. And now Manchester people are doing a similar sort of thing too (great!) — but (as I hear from Nick Booth) they’re calling it “Speak to a Geek“.

The sessions will no doubt be really worthwhile, and there’s no end of talent available — but the word “geek” isn’t helping. I see it as creating more barriers, making the helping process more difficult. I’m not having a knock at this particular event, it’s just reminded me to write about what I’ve considered a problem for some time.

It sets up a division between people who do/can and those who don’t – even if one doesn’t already exist. It implies that this is difficult stuff that you need a mathematical or obsessive bent to “get”. That you need to form alliances with people who are different from you —  to do that Cyrano de Bergerac thing where people can only be attractive or witty. Or in Hollywood all those films (10 Things I Hate About You, Clueless, etc etc) where a “geek” helps a “jock”  to pass an exam in return for cool help “and they all learn a little about life in the process”.

I’ve been to too many talks/conferences/places where people were trying to help explain something really exciting useful or even game-changing and they started by saying “this is a bit geeky, but”.

In truth the thing to be emphasising is that it’s really exciting/useful/important — if you take a few minutes to enthuse about how it can meet a need or solve a problem then it suddenly becomes a worthwhile tool to use. Something that people are happy to try and test (and learn to use).

There will be people who will talk about “reclaiming the language” and “geek chic” — maybe, but not at the same time as trying to help others understand the technology you’re using (if it’s “geeky” they’re not going to want to know).

There are enough barriers to people making the most of of technology and its associated concepts, without people causing confusion at the same time.

by Jon Bounds | Posted in Conferences & Talks, good practice | Tags: , ,













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