Link of the day: The Ridiculous Business Jargon Dictionary

Here’s a nice collection of the stupid words and phrases that so easily worm their way into our vocabulary: the Ridiculous Business Jargon Dictionary.

Some of the clichés—like “herding cats”—might have been amusing the first few times they were used, but the humor is wearing thin.

In many cases—such as with “at this juncture” for “now,” or “interface” for “talk”—they’re over-inflated, trying to make something sound more important than it is.

Some are nasty euphemisms—like “involuntary reduction in force.” Just say you’re firing a bunch of people and get it over with. You won’t make friends, but at least you’ll gain some grudging respect for your honesty.

I don’t agree with some of the words they’ve added to their list. For example, “unceremoniously” is a perfectly useful word; I haven’t heard it used in a way that suggests it’s becoming jargon. Although this list isn’t a killer app, at the end of the day, learning to avoid phrases that have jumped the shark is a best practice.