Weasel Words
Don Watson says in his introduction to Watson's Dictionary of Weasel Words, Contemporary Cliches, Cant, & Management Jargon that weasel words are bringing about the death of language. "The real disease," he writes, "is in the system: in the new models of business organisation, in the triumph of economics. It is there in the cant of competitive advantage and human resources management, transparency, accountability: in the clichés, consumer, client, key, core, going forwards, at the end of the day, outcomes-based. "
Weasel words – a pejorative term – apparently convey deep meaning, but which say nothing. Their use can range from obtuse to oppressive. Here are a few:
- Line staff – as in "the line staff will be recruited" like fruit flies for genetic experiments.
- Empower – as in "this will empower line staff," who are otherwise unable to self-actualize without the magnanimous gift of whatever-it-is.
- Change – as in "change is inevitable," and as my kids say, "Duh."
- Buy-In – as in "we need line staff buy-in," as though the only way to change anything is by seduction rather than mutual understanding.
When weasel words are used enough, two things happen. One, they become the culture and asking what they mean is de facto counter-productive. Two, they lose their promise of meaning, and perfectly good words such as communication are enlisted. "Line staff needs communication to be empowered to facilitate buy-in regarding this change." I know managers who talk like this every day. I can't help but wonder what their dinner conversation is like.
All this would be funny, except for not knowing what people are really saying. And if you don't know what people are saying, it's impossible to know what they think they intend for you to hear what they mean to say. I think.
A height of absurdity was recently scaled when it was announced that patient falls (as in patients falling out of bed onto the floor) are now called unplanned descents. Maybe, Watson's right. This kind of language takes all the fun out of talking.