0
Henry74 Posted 12 years ago
Vocabulary
-speak
Hi,
I was wondering to what extent I could use "-speak" to mean the technical language spoken in a given field.
I remember seeing it used like that on this forum on more than one occasion. I can't recall whether it was "business-speak" or something else.
Would the following make sense?
Philosophyspeak, literaturespeak, swimmingspeak.
Can I use it with any noun that names a given field or does it have more of a consolidate usage with some specific words and not others?
Thank you
H.
I was wondering to what extent I could use "-speak" to mean the technical language spoken in a given field.
I remember seeing it used like that on this forum on more than one occasion. I can't recall whether it was "business-speak" or something else.
Would the following make sense?
Philosophyspeak, literaturespeak, swimmingspeak.
Can I use it with any noun that names a given field or does it have more of a consolidate usage with some specific words and not others?
Thank you
H.
Top answer
I think you could probably use it in any context, but only as a specialized term for any particular situation. Another term I often come across is "psycho-babble". I even heard that term extended to "Bible-babble", which made perfectly good sense in the context in which I heard it.
- I think you could probably use it in any context, but only as a specialized term for any particular situation.
- Another term I often come across is "psycho-babble".
- I even heard that term extended to "Bible-babble", which made perfectly good sense in the context in which I heard it.
Get the Weekly English Kit 📬
New words, one handy idiom, and a 2-minute quiz — delivered to your inbox to keep your streak alive.
7 Answers
0
I think you could probably use it in any context, but only as a specialized term for any particular situation. Another term I often come across is "psycho-babble". I even heard that term extended to "Bible-babble", which made perfectly good sense in the context in which I heard it.
00
Hi
I think you can use it in any situation where you have an example in mind. 'Swimming-speak' doesn't mean a lot to me because I have no idea how swimmers speak in their own jargon
Business-speak, definitely:
- We have to upfront the capital right now or lose the option on the lease and then, frankly, it's face down for us
Philosophy-speak, yes:
- More importan
I think you can use it in any situation where you have an example in mind. 'Swimming-speak' doesn't mean a lot to me because I have no idea how swimmers speak in their own jargon
Business-speak, definitely:
- We have to upfront the capital right now or lose the option on the lease and then, frankly, it's face down for us
Philosophy-speak, yes:
- More importan
00
PS
I think I'd call it swim-speak:
- Back to Hagino, who has developed an all-around versatility that can only be termed Phelpsian. Check out his best times and his current world rankings: He is presently the #1 ranked IMer in the world, in both the 200 and 400 IM, posting times of 1:55.38 and 4:07.88 this year
Dave :-)
I think I'd call it swim-speak:
- Back to Hagino, who has developed an all-around versatility that can only be termed Phelpsian. Check out his best times and his current world rankings: He is presently the #1 ranked IMer in the world, in both the 200 and 400 IM, posting times of 1:55.38 and 4:07.88 this year
Dave :-)
00
dave_anonBack to Hagino, who has developed an all-around versatility that can only be termed Phelpsian. Check out his best times and his current world rankings: He is presently the #1 ranked IMer in the world, in both the 200 and 400 IM, posting times of 1:55.38 and 4:07.88 this yearYep. That's full-on swim-speak.
00
Hi
The idea may well originate in George Orwell's novel 1984 where members of a society are expected to use Newspeak because it hides political truths that their leaders do not want them to recognise. So, yes, you're right, there is not always the hyphen
With many syllables, though, or a clash of s's, I would put it in: business-speak; but swimspeak would work, I think
The idea may well originate in George Orwell's novel 1984 where members of a society are expected to use Newspeak because it hides political truths that their leaders do not want them to recognise. So, yes, you're right, there is not always the hyphen
With many syllables, though, or a clash of s's, I would put it in: business-speak; but swimspeak would work, I think
00
I wouldn't use this -speak suffix in very formal writing.
And I wouldn't recommend that you use it a lot. An essay full of this could easily seem a liitle silly, in my view. Unless you were deliberately trying to be amusing.
Clive
And I wouldn't recommend that you use it a lot. An essay full of this could easily seem a liitle silly, in my view. Unless you were deliberately trying to be amusing.
Clive
00
The word "newspeak" was used in the novel 1984, and it remains associated uniquely with that usage. Thus, its use in general speech is curtailed because of the negative connotations with the novel. The only time you might hear it is in implied negative comparisons with the novel, for example: "The boss has introduced his own officespeak so that we all are on the same page when we talk." Busine
0
Related Questions