Tag Archives: gobbledegook

Truth in Assynt

Posted on November 4, 2010 by Jamie Jauncey

I’m reading a beautiful book. At The Loch of the Green Corrie is by Scottish novelist, poet and mountaineer, Andrew Greig. Part memoir, part meditation on fishing and wilderness, part tribute to another Scottish poet, Norman MacCaig, it speaks to … Continue reading →

Tagged Andrew Greig, business language, gobbledegook, Green Corrie, management speak, Norman MacCaig, truth | 1 Comment

Unchained

Posted on August 19, 2010 by Jamie Jauncey

Yesterday – to borrow the immortal words of the unknown football commentator – was a day of two halves. Well … seven-eighths and one-eighth to be more precise, but the contrast was less unevenly marked. There’s an equation that goes: … Continue reading →

Tagged business language, business writing, Edinburgh International Book Festival, gobbledegook, jargon, stories | 2 Comments

Holy week

Posted on April 23, 2010 by Jamie Jauncey

I have to write a document that will help a community of monks make public its case for support. The community needs money for its buildings and for its members’ work as teachers, priests, missionaries and providers of physical and … Continue reading →

Tagged business language, business writing, corporate speak, empathy, gobbledegook, gobbledeygook, jargon, monasteries, stories | 3 Comments

Gardening

Posted on April 16, 2010 by Jamie Jauncey

Why did Nick Clegg ‘win’ last night’s prime ministerial debate? It may be an over-simplification to say it was because he sounded more human and believable than the other two, though that, I’m sure, was the essence of it. Of … Continue reading →

Tagged abstraction, business language, business writing, corporate speak, creativity, gardening, gobbledegook, healing language, jargon, management speak, newspeak, stories, storytelling, tone of voice | 1 Comment

Good Friday

Posted on April 1, 2010 by Jamie Jauncey

Today seems like a good day to write about persecution. Trying to imagine the agony of crucifixion, of nails through palms and feet, of torn flesh and muscle, of gradual dislocation as the legs start to give way and the … Continue reading →

Tagged abstraction, business language, business writing, corporate speak, creativity, crucifixion, Easter, gobbledegook, Good Friday, imprisoned writers, jargon, management speak, newspeak, tone of voice | 2 Comments

The rhythm of life

Posted on March 25, 2010 by Jamie Jauncey

We start our Dark Angels courses with a simple but illuminating exercise. We ask everyone present to name a favourite word. The resulting list allows us to make the point that we have a relationship with words that goes well … Continue reading →

Tagged abstraction, business language, business writing, corporate speak, creativity, gobbledegook, gobbledeygook, jargon, management speak, onomatopoeia, Rhythm, tone of voice | 2 Comments

50 words for 50 days

Posted on March 18, 2010 by Jamie Jauncey

My fellow Dark Angel, John Simmons, responded to my last week’s post by adding ‘the pretence of objectivity’ to the list of ingredients that I suggested might be swilling around in the toxic soup called management speak – or Manglish … Continue reading →

Tagged abstraction, ambiguity, business language, business writing, corporate speak, creativity, gobbledegook, gobbledeygook, imprisoned writers, jargon, management speak, newspeak, tone of voice | 2 Comments

Words and music

Posted on February 4, 2010 by Jamie Jauncey

I belong to that generation of Scots for whom, shamefully, Scottish culture played no discernible part in education. So I came to our national bard late and, oddly enough, through music rather than words. Last night, a musical project I’ve … Continue reading →

Tagged business language, business writing, gobbledegook, Homecoming, management speak, Robert Burns | 2 Comments

Sheep and goats

Posted on January 27, 2010 by Jamie Jauncey

Tomorrow morning early I’m leaving for Geneva to see my 18 year-old son who’s working for the winter season at a French ski resort. I won’t pretend that I don’t envy him. Last time I flew to Geneva I was … Continue reading →

Tagged business language, business writing, gobbledegook, jargon, management speak, stories, storytelling | Leave a comment

Reading for survival

Posted on January 21, 2010 by Jamie Jauncey

Last week I learned that my young adult novel, The Reckoning, has made it onto a government-sponsored list of 250 books for teenagers. Every secondary school in England will receive their choice of 15 titles from the list, free, as … Continue reading →