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MONDAY, NOVEMBER 23, 2009
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Jargon Not a Best Practice, Brit Bureaucrats Told

Confusing phrases are keeping people from using services: agency

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(Newser) – This recession requires the British government to drop its jargon and get consensually transparent, er, clear. A government agency frets that people are missing out on services because they don't understand bureaucratic lingo like the following phrases, per Reuters:

  1. Slippage: Why not just admit the delay?
  2. A menu of options offers choices.
  3. Cascading means to send an e-mail around.

  1. Democratic legitimacy comes when someone is voted in.
  2. If something distorts spending priorities, doesn't it just ignore people's needs?
  3. The government partakes in coterminous stakeholder engagement by talking to the people.
  4. Clients and stakeholders—a Tony Blair fave—are both just people.
  5. Imagine if the Obama campaign swapped "change" for transformational.
  6. Predictors of beaconicity: No guesses as to what this means.

The local government agency says some people may be missing out on recession-time services because of the confusing jargon.
The local government agency says some people may be missing out on recession-time services because of the confusing jargon.   (Shutter stock)
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Councils have a duty, not only to provide value for money to local people, but also to tell people what they get for the tax they pay. - Margaret Eaton, the chairman of the Local Government Association

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