Tag Archives: management speak

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

Hold me

Posted on October 21, 2010 by Jamie Jauncey

As in life, so in art – we do need constraints. In their own way they can even liberate, by relieving us of the pressure of having to encompass everything. That has certainly been my experience with the two 26 … Continue reading →

Tagged 26 treasures, constraints, creative writing, creativity, management speak | 2 Comments

Why fiction?

Posted on October 8, 2010 by Jamie Jauncey

‘Why should I read fiction?’ This was a question put by one of our students in Spain, a couple of weeks ago. It’s a good question, and a reminder for me that not everyone has the passion for stories that … Continue reading →

Tagged business language, business writing, corporate speak, creative writing, fiction, management speak, novels | 4 Comments

Crystal clear

Posted on September 4, 2010 by Jamie Jauncey

My final event at the Edinburgh International Book Festival, last weekend, was hosting the linguistics professor, David Crystal, one of the world’s foremost authorities on language. A consummate communicator, David was speaking mainly about the wonderfully titled Begat, his new … Continue reading →

Tagged Begat, business language, David Crystal, English, leadership language, Little Book of Language, management speak | 1 Comment

Who dares …

Posted on August 27, 2010 by Jamie Jauncey

I have spent most of this week in Charlotte Square, home of the Edinburgh International Book Festival, drinking too much coffee, eating too many sandwiches, but revelling in my annual literary fix – the company of other writers. Some are … Continue reading →

Tagged business language, business writing, Edinburgh International Book Festival, leadership language, management speak | 1 Comment

Feel the heat

Posted on May 28, 2010 by Jamie Jauncey

‘Stay indoors: It’s hot as hell,’ shouts the Times of India, ‘Met Office Forecast Grim; Hyderabad Sizzles At 44° C.’ India is currently experiencing all-time record-breaking summer temperatures. In Delhi, where I was until Wednesday, it hit 48°. That’s 118° … Continue reading →

Tagged business language, business writing, corporate speak, India, jargon, management speak, metaphor, tone of voice | 2 Comments

Death sentences

Posted on May 20, 2010 by Jamie Jauncey

Nailing his colours to David Miliband’s mast last week in the Labour leadership election, former Home Secretary Alan Johnson said: ‘his greatest talent is the ability to put really complex ideas into very simple language.’ Personally, I don’t know about … Continue reading →

Tagged ambiguity, business language, death sentences, Don Watson, gobbledeygook, jargon, management speak | 2 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

Writing elsewhere

Posted on April 9, 2010 by Jamie Jauncey

While we continue to pay daily tribute to International PEN’s 50 imprisoned writers through 26:50, I find myself constantly trying to imagine how they managed to write; where they found and concealed their materials, how they avoided the scrutiny of … Continue reading →

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

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 →