banned jargon list

UK Council leaders have come up with a list of 200 jargon words/phrases that will now be banned from public memos. Phrases on the list include "seedbed," "mainstreaming," and "level playing field."

The Council members state that this list of banned jargon is their effort to cut through verbal red tape and help the public understand how their money is being used and which services they are entitled to. I like the idea of making government more transparent in its disclosure to the public. Although the UK Council members might be underestimating peoples' ability to understand the meaning of "level playing field," it might be a good idea to see what happens when the government speaks in plain English.