BBC 6分钟英语学习 英语倒带

Hello, catherine, here from BBC Learning English.

Just so you know, this program is from the BBC Learning English archive.

It was originally broadcast in December 2008 on our website.

Enjoy.

Hello. This is 6 min English, and I'm Ivan Archer, and I'm William Kramer.

Hello, thanks for joining me, william.

Now, today we're going to do a bit of gloss in, playing a few inserts, and run a few ideas past.

You anything to say? William Well, uh, why are you using so much jargon?

Ivan Uh, that's because that's the topic of today's program, so you'd better explain what jargon is for us.

OK. Well, jargon is a noun that we use for specific groups of words and expressions.

They're only used by people in special or technical situations because they are the only people who really understand So, e.g.

glossing? Yes, glossing basically means explaining so, um, really, the only people who know what glossing means are people like you and me and people who teach English over the radio.

So glossing is an example of jargon.

Excellent. Now, before we hear more about jog and I've got a question for you, william, are you ready?

No, I'm not ready, but I'm feeling brave.

What I like to hear which British Prime Minister became known as Jack the jargon Killer, because he wanted officials to stop using jargon.

Was it a Tony Blair, b Winston Churchill, or see Robert Peel?

I don't know the answer to that question, but I'm gonna go for b Winston Churchill, because everybody knows that Winston Churchill loved the English language, and he was a very great speaker, so maybe he didn't like jargon.

Good answer, but we'll find out at the end of the program, whether you're right or wrong.

OK? Recently, officials were asked to stop using all the jargon that was written on a list.

It contained 100 different words and expressions, all a jargon that people didn't understand unless they work with government officials, E.G.

Now, that sounds like a really interesting list.

I wonder whether I would understand any of the jargon on it.

You might. You'll have a chance to find out.

However, I need you to explain some of the language will come across in that report today.

William 1st What does Flagged up mean?

If you flag something up, you really want to draw attention to it.

You want people to notice it, so you flag it up.

It's a frasal verb. And in England, what are councils?

Councils are a form of local government.

So councilers are local politicians who people vote for, and elected counselors make decisions about things like new, local buildings and roads.

Lovely. Now, paul Ross and Joanne Good from BBC london's breakfast show looked at three pieces of jargon which they found on that list I mentioned.

But do they understand any of the jargon?

Try to find out, what do these phrases mean to you?

Stakeholder engagement. Now me neither a multi agency approach, sort of, and a civic immunity site.

The chances are not much, which is why they have been fraged up by some of the worst examples of jargon used by councils on public body.

William, did they understand any of the jargon?

Oh no, paul said, sort of, which means he had an idea what it meant, but he wasn't sure.

And what about you, william? Do you know what a civic amenity sites E.G.

Uh, not really, but I'm guessing it's a really useful place that's used by citizens.

Umm And when you put it like that, it sounds absolutely lovely.

But a civic immunity site is jargon, so it's confusing, because it could be a wonderful community center or a smelly rubbish tip bbc learning English dot com.

But other times when jargon is useful, what do you think?

William Yes, I think if if you don't want other people to understand what you're saying, but then that's not very nice, because it could mean that they don't get really important information, e.g., people can't complain about the building of a new civic community site if they don't know whether it's a good or a bad thing.

True. And that's why I don't like jargon.

But does Joanne agree with me?

In the end, we embrace it, don't we?

I mean, jargon is the vernacular, isn't he?

And I love being in the know.

I mean, I've been loving this mornings calls, because people introduce you into their shorthand for their workplace.

And that's so Joe believes that after a while, most of us embrace jargon.

We get used to it, we begin to like it, and we even start using it.

But does she actually like it?

Yes, she

does. She says that she loves jargon because it puts her in the No, she feels part of a special group of people who understand and use it.

That's right. And she even calls jargon the

vernacular. But what does she mean by that?

William vernacular? She means it's almost slang, very informal language that's only used by people who do a particular type of work.

OK, so now, without using informal language, william, I need the answer to today's question which British Prime Minister became known as Jack the jargon Killer, because he tried to stop officials using jargon.

Er I said, maybe Winston Churchill.

And you were absolutely right. Yes, he didn't like things like The receipt of your communication is hereby acknowledged with thanks, which means thanks for your letter.

No, but that's all we've got time for today.

Bye bye. BBC learning english dot com.

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