Occupation is damaging english language- we need to act fast

Case closed. 

Occupation. Or in more simplest terms: a job. That debriefing was specially for those who do not have one. Because if that were the case and I didn’t ‘debrief’ then I would be a hypocrite. Why is that you might ask? Well, welcome to todays case in our court room. Does occupation affect the way people speak? Does it determine our networks whether they be opened or closed? Is jargon a way of restricting who listens in to conversations? Oh, sorry! I’m doing it again. Jargon. Have you heard of it? If you aren’t an English student or teacher then most likely your answer is a blunt no. The term jargon is occupation specific language used by people in a given profession. But if I hadn’t of told you what that meant what would you have done I wonder. Search it up on google maybe? Or simply just stop reading because you didn’t understand. See this is the problem with occupation and jargon. It causes people to divide into groups depending on what job they have. 

Defence side. So occupation to some could be argued useful, if you intend in only speaking to those also in your workplace. With this, it is most commonly used to communicate ‘short hand’ therefore can be efficient when in stressful situations or times where you only want certain people to understand you. For example, as a doctor talking to their nurse, they may say something like ‘malignant’ which as the patient you most likely wouldn’t understand what this means.No wonder- it means cancerous. Now realistically they wouldn’t want to panic or concern you so instead they would use this lexis. Smart right? As well, police officers tend to use jargon a lot by referring to things as numbers on the radio one to another. For all you know, you, as a person under arrest could be witnessing them 

using jargon, unaware of what on earth they are talking about. “We have a 96789” translates into we have arrested this really annoying and strange looking person”.Harsh truth, I know. Well, serves you right if you put yourself in that situation … Finally, my favourite example is in the one and only Wagamamas. Now I really hope the word ‘wagamamas’ isn’t jargon to anyone reading this. If it is, you are uncultured and need to visit immediately! It’s an asian food chain. Anyway, if you have, then you should know why this is my next piece of evidence within this court case. Not because of the menu, cutlery, or any other hospitality jargon that may be thrown around the kitchen. No. I am talking about when you order. They refer to every item as a number-it’s like code words and they automatically know what you are talking about. “Can I have the number 20 please” you would say. And immediately, without even thinking they say “grilled chicken ramen”. Good memory you might argue. No, it’s just their jargon. 

Now it’s the lawyer of those who don’t like occupation to take the stand. Let me ask you this: if I hadn’t of explained what occupation was or jargon, would you still be even reading this right now? Well that is if anyone even is still reading. Or in general, have you ever read something and there were too many words you just didn’t understand so you gave up reading or listening to. I know I have. That is the problem. Another issue is sometimes in a workforce, when a new person is hired they may either be new to the occupation or just unfamiliar with how the new team functions and communicates. This means they won’t be familiar with all of the occupational language that goes with it, which can cause someone to feel excluded and unmotivated to work. Some people decide to dissociate themselves from situations and therefore people because of their lack of shared knowledge. Because of this, this is affecting English Language significantly: people in different jobs leads to not mixing with others; not mixing with others leads to contrasting accents and dialects; contrasting accents and dialects, well, you may as-well just make a whole new country at this point too! To back this argument up further Esther Hesse, a retired shop worker said that’ when I first started work, I had no clue most of the time what others were talking about, so I didn’t get involved’.

 Maybe that was a bit dramatic but still. My point remains the same. Occupation. You have been found guilty of changing the english language, for the worse. Sentenced life. As for all you witnesses, community service: get to know one another and cut out the ridiculous jargon! Or at-least keep it in the work place. Or behind closed doors. A sound proof one preferably. On a serious note, occupational lexis can and should be still used within the workforce, so long as everyone hearing it understands; if not, fill them in on this jargon. Or don’t use it at all. Case closed.