08 Nov eLA Podcast | Ep. 3 | The Language of L&D
Welcome to the eLearning Alchemist podcast, I’m your host Clint Clarkson and in this episode we’ll talk about the significance of language to Learning & Development and how we’re perceived inside an organization.
Language of course is a mechanism we use for communication, and, generally, the goal of communication is to create mutual understanding. However, language is a tricky thing. Even when speaking the same language, misunderstandings often occur.
If you’ve ever traveled to a foreign country that speaks the same language as you country, or even different regions of your own country, you’ve likely noticed differences in language. Accents, expressions, connotations, and verbiage can all impact our understanding and each of these things can change by region… and, also by context.
Take the expression, “That’s sick.” for example.
If you’re a forensic investigator and arrive at a murder scene, when someone says: “That’s sick.” The expression means they’re disgusted. But, if you’re an X-Games competitor and you hear someone say: “That’s sick.” they’re communicating their approval of a particular performance. In this example, tone is as significant as context. If a fellow X-Games competitor landed incorrectly and shattered her leg… it might be just as appropriate to say: “That’s sick.”
The most interesting part of this example is that neither of these expressions match the literal definition of the word “sick” – they’re both colloquialisms, or informal expressions.
As learning professionals, we often emphasize the importance of not using jargon in training programs, at least not until it’s been explained. Then we turn around and use our jargon within organizations all the time!
Tripping Over Jargon
Then, there’s jargon. And, L&D has a lot of jargon – just like many other industries and professions. Yet, the ironic part, is that as learning professionals, we often emphasize the importance of not using jargon in training programs, at least not until it’s been explained and is understood. Then we turn around and use our jargon within organizations all the time!
- Level 3 and 4 Evaluation
- Summative Assessment
- The Socratic Method
- Triads and Diads
And, we haven’t even started with the buzzwords.
It’s not hard to see why jargon is problematic. If your audience has never heard these words before, they have no clue what they mean.
But, there are other issues with our jargon as well:
First, jargon isn’t always used the same way in all organizations. Take SME as example. At an L&D conference, no one would assume that SME meant anything other than Subject Matter Expert. But, if you work for a Chamber of Commerce, it wouldn’t be unusual for SME to be used to reference, Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises. Or, if you work in mining, it wouldn’t be unusual to assume SME is referencing the Society for Mining, Metallurgy, and Exploration. So, said more simply – jargon can be misunderstood, but it can also be misinterpreted.
Second, jargon can be problematic for L&D because, while your clients or coworkers may not understand what you’re saying, they will still automatically try to interpret why you’re saying it and what your intent is by saying it. If you work for a construction company, and you want to explain the difference and importance of Formative and Summative assessments in Andragogy to the “field leaders,” using these terms probably isn’t going to come off well.
- Are you trying to show them up by using language they don’t understand?
- Do you lack confidence in front of this audience, so you’re trying to bolster yourself by using technical terms?
- Do you not really know what you’re talking about, so you’re throwing around $50 words in hopes know on else will catch on?
This last one can be particularly problematic if someone asks you to explain a term and you can’t explain it simply enough for them.
And, the last reason jargon can be problematic for L&D is… it can make us sound stupid!
Really… what the heck does “gamification” mean? It’s not even a real word. How about Triads and