Double-Talk: Jargon and Slang in Corporate Language and the Spectrum of Business Idiomacity
Double-Talk: Jargon and Slang in Corporate Language and the Spectrum of Business Idiomacity

Summary/Abstract: Depending on the frame of reference, the linguistic concept of double-talk (or double-speak) shapes the context in which it is used by intentionally masking the meaning of words. Among the different forms of verbal interaction, jargon and slang expressions, colloquialisms, or clichéd words and phrases make up what is known as 'tosh-speak' in modern business environment. Apart from keeping up with the current jargon and slang trends used into the language of corporations, both with positive and negative connotations, the paper also concentrates on the spectrum of business idiomacity. Thus, the outcome of my research has been to analyze a corpus of business idiomatic expressions and classify them into three groups accompanied by their explanations and examples. Findings show that these specific categories of idioms are easier or more difficult to understand because of their high/vs/low frequency vocabulary.

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