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This study aims to examine the nonidentical impacts of identical panel information that discloses cosmetic ingredients by their English (i.e. low jargon; e.g. vitamin E) versus scientific names (i.e. high jargon; tocopherol instead) presented in short versus crowded panel on young consumers’ confidence in processing ingredients information and product judgements. In the same context, this study also explores the effects of declarative aids provided within the ingredients panel.

This study conducted four experiments by using a 2 (jargon: high, low) × 2 (ingredients list: short, long) between-subjects analysis of variance design.

Young consumers’ processing-confidence and product evaluations increase (decrease) when the panel is brief (crowded) and presents cosmetic ingredients in low (high) jargon (Experiments 1, 2). However, when it discloses a factual aid [i.e. ingredient functions; e.g. tocopherol (antioxidant)], confidence in processing even the high-jargon information, as well as product judgements, increases irrespective of the panel’s length (Experiment 3). Moreover, a fictitious aid (e.g. dryness-fighting “atomic robots”) stimulates the same effect and bolsters processing confidence and product evaluations irrespective of both jargon and panel’s length (Experiment 4).

Despite their heavy use of over-the-counter beauty/cosmetic products, little do we know how young consumers consult and use on-pack ingredients information provided in one format versus the other. To the best of the author’s knowledge, this study is the first experimental work investigating the cosmetics-consuming youth’s reactions to panel format and aids to processing.

Investigating technical terms of vehicle spare parts used in the mechanics' jargon in Saudi Arabic (SA) and Yemeni Arabic (YA) has received scant attention. The current study, therefore, is an attempt to shed some light on the topic. The aim is to identify the strategies used for creating equivalents in vehicle spare parts vocabulary and to pinpoint the most salient variations between the two dialects in this jargon.

More than 250 terms of vehicle spare parts were collected and analyzed qualitatively. Each list contains nearly 125 items. They were gathered from two main resources: semi-structured interviews with vehicle mechanics, and written lists from spare parts dealers in both countries.

Three main strategies are found at work: lexical borrowing (from English and French), metaphor and loan translation. Direct borrowing is the most influential strategy where loanwords represent nearly one-third of the data, the majority of which is from English. Metaphorical extensions and literal translations also have an important role to play in the process of spare part naming. While the two dialects share common practices in terms of literal translation, they are characterized by many differences with regard to lexical borrowing and metaphors.

The study approaches an under-researched topic that is related to the mechanic's jargon in Arabic and leaves the door open for further research. The findings of this study may be used as guidelines for Arabic academies and those who are concerned with translating and studying technical terms in the field of mechanical engineering.

The purpose of this paper is to examine the different aspects of language that are present in the signage, handouts and websites of public libraries. It discusses the extent to which this language reflects the varying demographics of library clients.

This paper reports on a qualitative study, which took a document analysis approach and utilised an inductive-coding technique to analyse data collected from four lower North Island libraries in New Zealand.

Five language aspects were identified from the collected data: monolingual, bilingual and multilingual language; language context; welcoming and prohibitive language; language consistency; and jargon. The nature and incidence of these aspects were evaluated for each of the four libraries. In some cases, the libraries achieve an accurate reflection of client demographics through their language. However, each library could make some changes to their use of language to better accommodate their distinct communities.

This paper suggests that modifying library language to better reflect client demographics will contribute to an atmosphere of inclusion, welcome and acceptance. Such an atmosphere will promote information access for all members of the community. Recommendations for change are made, as well as suggestions for future research.

This paper contributes to the body of knowledge on communication and language in libraries, particularly in a New Zealand context where there is a paucity of research on this topic. This paper benefits libraries and clients by identifying patterns, contrasts and potential improvements.

The purpose of the paper is to expand existing qualitative parameters in current marketing research discourse by integrating Barthesian theory into the study of subcultural marketplaces.

While essentially conceptual in nature, this paper adopts a comprehensive intertextual, semiotic approach which argues for the substantive investigation of the marketing text as a foundation for understanding consumption in a subcultural context.

To date, the integration of Barthesian intertextual theory has proved to be an effective method of interrogating subculturally‐oriented materials.

Marketers, in commercial contexts, will access a greater depth of insight into the subcultural market by applying an intertextual, semiotic framework as demonstrated in this paper.

While marketing discourse has taken interest in semiotics, this has typically occurred via the work of US semiologists, rather than the French school in their organic form. This is one of the first papers to locate Barthes within the marketing paradigm as a potential analytical framework. The paper suggests ways in which his influential theories may be applied as a viable analytical tool in qualitative research.

Irrespective of various forms of language existent worldwide, it is still imperative that recipients of professional legal advice be communicated in clear terms to avoid a chaotic situation and to better fulfil obligations and enjoy the rights to which they are entitled to appropriately. As such, the objectives of this paper are twofold: firstly, this paper aims to assess the extent to which clients of the legal profession prefer plain over traditional legal language in Mauritius, a country using a myriad of languages, and secondly, to suggest recommendations for the legal stakeholders in Mauritius regarding guidelines and mechanisms on plain language provisions.

This study will use a desk-based research methodology by analysing existing literature on the importance of plain language in legal writing. In addition, an empirical study will be conducted to gather information on clients’ preferences in legal communication.

The responses were received on a complete anonymous basis, and it was found that in general, clients of the legal profession in Mauritius are more at ease when law practitioners use simple, direct and straightforward terms, sentences structured in active voice rather than passive voice or the use of legal jargons or complicated words. These clients also prefer when their legal advisers explain the legal meaning or interpretation in a document or agreement even if these advices may be longer than shorter sentences with only the legal jargons.

At present, there are few literature on the researched topic and this study will be among the first academic writings on the effectiveness of using plain language in legal documentation in Mauritius. The study is carried out with the aim of combining a large amount of empirical, theoretical and factual information that can be of use to various stakeholders and not only to academics.

Authenticity has emerged as a prevailing purchase criterion that seems to include both real and stylised versions of the truth. The purpose of this paper is to address the negotiation of authenticity by examining the means by which costume designers draw on cues such as historical correctness and imagination to authenticate re-enactments of historical epochs in cinematic artwork.

To understand and analyse how different epochs were re-enacted required interviewing costume designers who have brought reimagined epochs into being. The questions were aimed towards acknowledging the socio-cultural circulation of images that practitioners draw from in order to project authenticity. This study was conducted during a seven-week internship at a costume store called Independent Costume in Stockholm as part of a doctoral course in cultural production.

Authenticity could be found in citations that neither had nor resembled something with an indexical link to the original referent as long as the audience could make a connection to the historical epoch sought to re-enact. As such, it would seem that imagination and historical correctness interplay in impressions of authenticity. Findings suggest that performances of authentication are influenced by socially instituted discursive practices (i.e. jargons) and collective imagination.

This paper contributes to the literature on social and performative aspects of authentication as well as its implications for brands in the arts and culture sector.

The purpose of this article is to express a viewpoint on business strategy.

This article is based on author's two decades of professional experience as a business strategy consultant.

Jargon serves a dual function: as shorthand for experts, and as a way of separating those experts from normal human beings.

Expresses ideas in a way that the author believes they have not been expressed before.

Lost in a world of jargon? Bamboozled by acronyms? Unsure of what your colleagues or therapist is talking about? Then fear not. You are not alone. Andrew Gordon is a seasoned service user who thinks services and the public sector have gone jargon‐mad. In a frank and hard‐hitting article he uncovers a world where professionals are so intimidated by abbreviations and terminology they are afraid to speak out and ask the unthinkable, ‘excuse me what does that acronym actually mean?’

To analyse and investigate the use of online glossaries of library terminology.

Analysis of glossaries; questionnaire survey.

Library glossaries broadly serve the same purpose, but there is considerable variation in their length, design, currency, and the terms they contain. Library users generally have little input into what glossaries contain and many librarians are uncertain as to whether glossaries are used or useful.

Further research is necessary to establish whether the effort involved in creating such glossaries is worthwhile.

Better strategies for helping library users to understand library jargon are needed.

This paper highlights the increasing number of university libraries with online glossaries.