Jargon is terminology which is especially defined in relationship to a specific activity, profession, or group. In other words, the term most often covers the language used by people who work in a particular area or who have a common interest.
Much like slang, it can develop as a kind of short hand, to express ideas that are frequently discussed between members of a group, though it can also be developed deliberately using chosen terms. A standard term may be given a more precise or unique usage among practitioners of a field.
In many cases this causes a barrier to communication with those not familiar with the language of the field. The words ram, hard disk drive, are jargon terms related to computing.
In Jewish communities at the late 19th and early 20th centuries, the term jargon was occasionally used as a pejorative term for yiddish. Such usage was current both among assimilationists, who felt that jews would do better to speak the majority language of the surrounding society, and among zionists who urged them to speak hebrew.
Generally speaking, jargon, in its most positive light, can be seen as professional, efficient shorthand. The word jargon can be traced to 14th century old french, but the actual origin is unknown. Jargon is derived from the fourteenth century term for twittering or warbling of birds, which in turn has the root garg from which also stem such words as gargle.
The original meaning was to make a twittering noise or sound, but by modern standards, it has three derivations. One current or modern definition of jargon is an outlandish, technical language of a particular profession.
Another meaning is unintelligible writing or talk. Yet another definition is specific dialects resulting from a mixture of several languages. Since the reoccurring problem with jargon is that only a few people may understand the actual terminology used by different group. A jargonaut, one who studies jargon, may claim that jargon was invented simply as a professional shorthand, developed out of convenience rather than intentional trickiness.
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