 and welcome to language as an obstacle to communication. Here's where we're going. We're going to discuss seven ways in which language can be an obstacle to our barrier to communication, and we're going to discuss differences between cliche, jargon, and slang, as well as defining other ways that language can be an obstacle to good communication. Author Susan Washburn identifies several things that lead to a communication gap. In precise language can lead to damaged relationships and conflict, a loss of productivity and waste, inefficiency and having to rework, missed opportunities, schedule slippage, for example, delays, and missed deadlines, scope, creep, or leap, in other words the gradual or sudden changes in an assignment to make it more complex and difficult than it was originally understood to be, and of course, unclear or unmet requirements. Cliché. A cliché is a once clever word or phrase that has lost its impact through overuse. For example, think outside the box. It's been used so much that it's been robbed of its meaning. Jargon is occupation-specific language used by people in a given profession. Jargon can be located in any profession. A great illustration of the importance of jargon happens whenever one person or a group of people cross from one occupation-specific language set to another. So for example, moving from the military to a police force. So a long time ago, there was a group of veterans who had just finished serving across the ocean. They were fresh from service and back in uniform for the police department. The police chief turned to the group of ex-soldiers and said at the top of his lungs, cover me. And of course, the group of ex-soldiers opened fire. Of course, the jargon in the police-specific context, cover me means show only if absolutely necessary. But in the soldier's jargon, cover me means leg cover fire. This is just one example of the kind of miscommunication that can happen whenever jargon is exported across different cultures. Slang. Slang is the use of existing or newly invented words to take the place of standard or traditional words with the intent of adding an unconventional, non-standard, humorous or rebellious effect. Slang is everywhere. And the problem with slang is that it can add to imprecision in our language. Racist language discriminates against members of a given race or ethnic group. And not only can it add to imprecision but can create all sorts of other problems as well. For example, instead of saying a doctor if you include an ethnic group before that doctor, that is an example of racist language. And the same can be said of including any group in a way that is demeaning or disrespectful. Sexist language uses gender as a discriminating factor. And I've included the Dunder Mifflin logo so I could point out the example of sexist language used in the hit comedy The Office. The leader of The Office, Michael Scott, played expertly by Steve Carell, often uses that's what she said. And this is a great example of sexist language that uses gender as a discriminating factor. A euphemism involves substituting an acceptable word for an offensive, controversial or unacceptable one that conveys the same or similar meaning. This is a picture of the gravesite of George Orwell fitting for this particular discussion. But putting whose gravesite it is aside for a moment, think about all of the different euphemisms we have for death. Think to yourself for a second of all the different ways that we refer to death. For example, we might say pushing up daisies, passed away, deceased, expired, gone to meet their maker, resting in peace, kicked the bucket. In a better place, six feet under, crossed over, bought the farm, us sleep, buried, cold, departed, gone, perished, lost, no longer with us, and in the grave. This list is just a few of the many euphemisms we use when we talk about death, in part because so many of us are uncomfortable with the topic of death. And speaking of George Orwell, Doublespeak was a concept paid great tribute in his classic work 1984. Doublespeak is the deliberate use of words to disguise, obscure or change meaning. And this is the difference between doublespeak and a euphemism. Doublespeak is the deliberate, the intentional use of words to disguise, obscure or change meaning. In other words, you're masking the meaning. So to review, linguistic obstacles to clarity can create unintended consequences. Be they through the use of cliches, jargon, slang, sexist language or racist language, euphemisms are doublespeak.