Jargon: Specialized Academic Vocabulary
buttons.Discipline Specific Vocabulary
As you begin your program of study, you'll find that there are words specific to that field. Words that are used frequently in app development may not be used at all in marketing. Sometimes, the same words may be used, but in very different ways. It's important to know how your field uses vocabulary and what is meant by certain words and phrases
Every discipline has its own specialist terms and concepts. This is known as jargon or technical language. Jargon is normally employed in a particular communicative context and may not be well understood outside that context. The context is usually a particular occupation (that is, a certain trade, profession, vernacular, or academic field), but any ingroup can have jargon.
The key characteristic that distinguishes jargon from the rest of a language is its specialized vocabulary, which includes terms and definitions of words that are unique to the context and terms used in a narrower and more exact sense than when used in colloquial language. This can lead outgroups to misunderstand communication attempts.
Watch this video for an overview of the differences between academic and discipline-specific vocabulary:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ngtRfHPIkdY
As you progress in your studies, you learn the relevant language, but when you begin your studies, there are lots of words that you may be unsure about. Developing your fluency in the language associated with your discipline will put you in a better position to understand course materials and class discussions and to express yourself in writing, so it is well worth using some helpful strategies for learning jargon.