MODULE 2 - ARE YOU A COMPLEX COMMUNICATOR SHOWING OFF?

Why Do Professionals Use Unnecessarily Complex Language? An Analytical Exploration by Alina Coston.

Alina Coston delves into the psychological, sociological, historical, and organizational motivations behind complex professional language, and explores the implications of this communication style for individuals and institutions alike.

How many of us enjoy a speech, a presentation or a communication, a message or a talk, that we barely understand. A speech that is filled with jargon’s, Latin or Greek quotes, foreign anecdotes, irrelevant intellectual content and so on?

Clear and effective communication is often touted as essential for productivity, collaboration, and leadership. Yet, ironically, one frequently encounters communication that is riddled with jargon, complex sentence structures, foreign idioms (especially from Latin or Greek), and convoluted vocabulary. This style of writing, often referred to disparagingly as “gobbledygook,” can make documents inaccessible not only to laypersons but also to colleagues within the same organization or field.

The question arises: Why do professionals persist in writing in such a manner, often in a language that few fully understand?

Is it arrogance, a desire to appear superior, a tool to exclude others, or an unconscious adherence to outdated norms?

The Historical Legacy of Complexity in Language

To understand the modern use of complex language, it is essential to consider its historical roots. For centuries, knowledge and authority were reserved for the elite classes. Latin, Greek, and later French were the languages of scholarship, religion, diplomacy, and science in Europe. English-speaking professionals inherited this tradition of linguistic complexity, where mastery of arcane vocabulary became a marker of intellectual and social superiority.

The academic world still bears this legacy. The more obscure the language, the more “sophisticated” a paper may appear. In law, medicine, and academia, Latin phrases are often used not because they convey meaning more precisely, but because they confer authority and tradition. Words like habeas corpus, prima facie, or mens rea could often be replaced with simpler English, but are retained for their gravitas.

This tradition trickled down into corporate communication. The business world, seeking legitimacy and status, adopted the ornate language of academia, bureaucracy, and legal institutions. As a result, convoluted language became equated with professionalism.

Psychological Motivations: Ego, Insecurity, and Identity

On a psychological level, professionals may use complex language as a mechanism to assert identity and establish self-worth. In fields where competition is fierce and expertise is hard-won, language becomes a boundary—a way of separating the “experts” from the “novices.” Using complex terms can serve to remind others (and oneself) of one’s qualifications and intellectual standing.

Sometimes, this stems from genuine insecurity. A professional may fear being seen as too simple or not sophisticated enough. Overcompensating through ornate language becomes a defense mechanism. Others may derive a sense of personal validation from being able to wield language that others struggle to understand.

This psychological need for status also ties into group identity. In professions such as consulting, finance, law, and IT, insider jargon becomes a badge of belonging. Knowing how to use words like “synergize,” “ideate,” “leverage,” or “bandwidth” isn’t about clarity—it’s about signaling that one is “in the know.”

Sociolinguistic Analysis: Language as a Social Tool

From a sociolinguistic perspective, language serves not only to transmit information but also to maintain social relationships, negotiate status, and assert power. In hierarchical organizations, language complexity can reinforce existing power structures. A junior employee may hesitate to question a report written in dense legalese or respond to an email filled with incomprehensible financial acronyms.

This kind of language functions as a gatekeeping mechanism. If only a few understand what’s being said, they control the narrative. This can be intentional—designed to exclude or confuse—or unconscious, a byproduct of how professionals are socialized within their domains.

For instance, management consultants often use frameworks and models named after theorists or acronyms (e.g., SWOT, PESTLE, BCG Matrix), which, to an outsider, might seem obscure or unnecessary. However, within the consulting world, such language is a kind of currency. Speaking in this dialect signifies fluency in the culture of consulting.

Organizational Culture and Bureaucratic Habits

Organizational culture also plays a key role. In large bureaucracies, whether government agencies or multinational corporations, language often evolves in ways that prioritize risk mitigation, policy alignment, or formality over clarity.

Consider the infamous phrase: “Due to resource optimization constraints, your request has been deprioritized pending further assessment in Q4.” Translated into plain English, this simply means: “We can’t do it right now.” But such phrasing is intentionally non-committal and non-confrontational, providing bureaucratic cover in case of future disputes.

This bureaucratic language, while frustrating, is often seen as “safe.” It avoids directness, reducing the risk of offending someone or creating legal liability. Professionals learn that speaking plainly can be dangerous in environments where every word might be scrutinized.

Moreover, many organizations reward the appearance of complexity. Performance reviews, strategic plans, and board reports often value dense language as a proxy for intellectual effort, even if the actual message is muddled.

Is It Arrogance, Condescension, or Habit?

So, what motivates professionals to continue this practice? The answer lies in a mix of factors, including arrogance, condescension, tradition, and social learning.

1. Arrogance: Some professionals consciously use complex language to impress others or to appear more intelligent. This performative communication is often about ego and status.

   
   

2. Condescension: Others may deliberately use hard-to-understand language to assert dominance or marginalize others. For example, a senior executive might speak in high-level strategic abstractions knowing that junior staff will be too intimidated to ask for clarification.

   
   

3. Habit: Many professionals are simply imitating what they’ve seen modeled. If everyone around you writes in a certain style, it becomes the default, even if it’s ineffective. Over time, this becomes normalized, and clarity is sacrificed at the altar of tradition.

   
   

4. Institutional Incentives: Many institutions implicitly reward complexity. Whether it’s academia’s “publish or perish” culture or corporations’ obsession with buzzwords, professionals learn that simplicity may not be taken seriously.

   
   

What Is Lost in Translation: The Cost of Gobbledygook

The consequences of unclear communication are far-reaching. Decisions get delayed, confusion spreads, errors increase, and trust erodes. Employees may feel alienated or undervalued if they cannot engage with key communications. Inclusivity suffers, especially in global teams where English may be a second language.

Furthermore, innovation can be stifled. New ideas often come from cross-functional collaboration, but if language becomes a barrier, those outside the dominant discourse are excluded from meaningful participation.

There is also an ethical dimension. When professionals intentionally obscure meaning—whether in finance, policy, law, or healthcare—they can mislead stakeholders, mask incompetence, or manipulate outcomes. Transparency suffers, and so does accountability.

Moving Toward Clarity: A New Professional Ethic

Recognizing the damage caused by overly complex language, many thought leaders now advocate for “plain language” movements. These emphasize using clear, accessible language without dumbing down the message. The goal is not to eliminate technical terms when they’re needed, but to avoid unnecessary complexity.

Tech giants like Apple and Google, for instance, have shifted toward more user-friendly communication in both internal memos and public documents. Governments in countries like Canada and the UK have issued plain-language guidelines for public communication.

Even in academia, journals increasingly encourage abstracts that can be understood by non-experts.

Changing organizational language requires conscious effort:

• Training employees in writing and speaking clearly.

• Encouraging leaders to model simple, transparent communication.

• Valuing clarity in performance evaluations.

• Creating feedback loops where readers can ask questions without fear of appearing ignorant.

  
  

Ultimately, the most effective professionals are those who can communicate complex ideas simply, not those who make simple ideas appear complex.

Case Examples

1. Performance Review Notification

Gobbledygook:

“Your annual performance calibration session has been provisionally slotted in alignment with the organizational appraisal bandwidth activation timeline.”

Clear Version:

“Your performance review is scheduled soon as part of the company’s annual appraisal cycle.”

2. Layoff Announcement

Gobbledygook:

“We are initiating a strategic realignment of human capital in pursuit of leaner operational paradigms.”

Clear Version:

“We are reducing staff to streamline our operations.”

3. Employee Feedback Request

Gobbledygook:

“Kindly partake in the forthcoming pulse engagement diagnostic to ensure actionable insights are harvested from the workforce ecosystem.”

Clear Version:

“Please complete the upcoming employee engagement survey to help us improve the workplace.”

4. New Leave Policy Introduction

Gobbledygook:

“The revised temporal disengagement framework will be activated effective Q2, subject to line manager ratification.”

Clear Version:

“The new leave policy will start in April, pending manager approval.”

5. Internal Job Posting Announcement

Gobbledygook:

“Opportunities for lateral mobility are now accessible via the talent realignment module on the enterprise portal.”

Clear Version:

“New internal job openings are available on the company’s job portal.”

6. Office Relocation Update

Gobbledygook:

“We are synergizing spatial resource optimization by consolidating operations into a centralized geospatial facility.”

Clear Version:

“We’re moving into a new central office to use space more efficiently.”

7. Remote Work Policy

Gobbledygook:

“A hybrid operational schema will be adopted to reconcile physical workplace utility with asynchronous productivity maximization.”

Clear Version:

“We’ll follow a hybrid work model combining office and remote work.”

8. Policy Violation Warning

Gobbledygook:

“This communication serves as formal cognizance of non-adherence to institutional codes of conduct necessitating corrective behavioral recalibration.”

Clear Version:

“This is a warning for violating company policy. Please correct your behavior.”

9. Retirement Notice

Gobbledygook:

“We announce the transition of Mr. X from active service to post-professional serenity, effective fiscal closure of Q3.”

Clear Version:

“Mr. X will retire at the end of September.”

10. Employee Training Rollout

Gobbledygook:

“A structured capability enhancement module has been architected to elevate cross-functional acumen across verticals.”

Clear Version:

“We’ve launched a training program to improve skills across departments.”

11. Performance Incentives Announcement

Gobbledygook:

“The incentivization matrix for high-impact contributors will be deployed based on FY KPI alignment outcomes.”

Clear Version:

“Bonuses will be given based on your performance and this year’s business goals.”

12. Onboarding Message to New Joiners

Gobbledygook:

“We welcome you to an immersive organizational immersion designed to accelerate value assimilation and culture onboarding.”

Clear Version:

“Welcome! Our onboarding program will help you quickly understand the company and settle in.”

13. Diversity & Inclusion Initiative

Gobbledygook:

“Our equity and belonging blueprint seeks to foster a holistically inclusive human capital ecosystem.”

Clear Version:

“We want to build a workplace where everyone feels included and respected.”

14. Exit Interview Invitation

Gobbledygook:

“To facilitate knowledge continuity and experiential capture, please engage in a structured offboarding debrief.”

Clear Version:

“Before you leave, please join us for an exit interview to share your feedback.”

15. HR Tech Upgrade Notification

Gobbledygook:

“We are integrating a cloud-native human capital management architecture to enhance user-centric interfacing.”

Clear Version:

“We’re upgrading our HR system to make it easier for you to manage your information.”

My Take

Professionals who use unnecessarily complex language are driven by a mixture of history, ego, institutional incentives, and unconscious habits.

More importantly using such inane language in a common neutral forum smacks of immaturity and an innate desire to show off.

While some motivations—like tradition or precision—may be well-intentioned, the overall effect of such language is often alienating and counterproductive.

The antidote is not a simplistic reduction of ideas, but a commitment to clarity, empathy, and accessibility.

An ability to say something important in a way that everyone understands is not a sign of weakness, but of wisdom.