Superlatives vs. Jargon

On my way to work this morning there was an interesting conversation on Dubai Eye’s Business Breakfast; a radio show dedicated to the region’s business and economy in general. The speakers were talking about Dubai’s addiction to jargon. It seems people in Dubai have moved on from their ‘superlative’ phase into using mind-numbing jargon to describe their services or their companies. One of the most popular words currently doing the rounds is leading. Everybody’s company is the leading one; be it a property developer, a bank or even the small laundry service down the road.

The property sector is perhaps the best point of reference for jargon. It showcases some of the most incredible use of words that sound very good, yet make no sense - an art of writing no doubt. A good one highlighted on the show was the use of the phrase community-style living. And quite rightly, the presenter asked ‘as opposed to what?’. Other words include mixed-use development, global standards, internationally acclaimed, lifestyle, eco-friendly, and green initiatives. While it made for entertaining radio, I am sure there is a serious side; especially when you think about unethical advertising and companies making unfounded claims. On a lighter note, it certainly was better than listening to people moaning about traffic, rents, inflation, blah, blah, blah.