Dictionary of Jargon

An authoritative guide to demystification, this dictionary enables the reader to unravel jargon&mdash:the welter of specialist occupational slang, which can vary from deliberately deceptive euphemisms for unpalatable practices to genuine ‘professional’ terminology. Terms can be impenetrable or merely confusing, as in the case of everyday words which have been pressed into service with a new and specific meaning. Most occupational or interest groups spawn language which puzzles the outsider.Containing around 21,000 entries, the dictionary encompasses a truly eclectic range of fields and includes extensive coverage of both British and US jargon. Areas dealt with range from marketing to medicine, from advertising t artificial intelligence, from skiing to sociology, and from technology to tiddlywinks.The Dictionary of Jargon will be invaluable as a source to consult in a world of increasing specialization, but its wide compass and clarity also make it a delight for the browser.—from then front flap of dust jacket