"Like it or not, business language is a reality. And today we're going to talk about where these buzzwords come from, what purpose they serve, and their unintended consequences. Here to talk about this and also about how English is evolving as the global business language is Anne Curzan. She's a professor of English at the University of Michigan and the author of several books on language. Her latest is Fixing English."
"Do you architect end-to-end synergies by operationalizing outside-the-box iterations? Are your emails filled with drilling down, touching base, and moving needles? Is it your MO to sling ROI and B2B at the water cooler? Or are you the sort of person who finds business jargon annoying? Either way, this episode is for you."
Jargon and buzzwords spread through workplaces and influence how teams understand goals and coordinate. Specialized phrases can sharpen understanding, speed communication, and build in-group cohesion, while also risking exclusion, confusion, and diluted meaning for some colleagues. Business language evolves as English becomes a global lingua franca, incorporating new terms and serving functional and social purposes. Leaders who monitor phrase spread can favor clear, inclusive vocabulary that aligns with organizational values and reduces miscommunication. Conscious word choice and attention to how language signals belonging can help leaders unify teams and prevent jargon from muddying messages.
Read at Harvard Business Review
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