You've not worked long in a newsroom if haven't yet been told to avoid clichés like the plague. But it is jargon that's generally the bigger problem.
Experts, from whom we regularly seek views and explanations, slip into it all too swiftly. Making sense of the technical terms, specialised uses and shorthand is one of the most obvious ways in which journalists prove their use.
That's why, from early in the creation of this site, we thought it would be useful to provide glossaries aimed at areas most in need of jargon-busting. Aha, said some among us, what about the jargon of journalism? Others were not so sure - we should be expressing ourselves sufficiently clearly for it all to make sense to everyone.
But the questions kept coming. What is the difference between a package and wrap? What did the editor mean when she told me to get some wild-track? And why is the manager worried about our ABCs?
So, we've had a go at a glossary of journalism terms. It is not, of course, definitive. It is based on the experience of a few of us.
There are a lot of you. Please tell us what you think, what we've missed and what we've misinterpreted. Leave your suggestions in the comments box below.
Together, we can crack this.
