Jargon is a term used to describe words that are specific to a particular subject; which are incomprehensible to persons unacquainted with the topic or subject. Jargon is generally related to a specific profession, which is why it sounds like gobbledygook to people outside that occupation. In many cases, jargon comprises word abbreviations. Most times, it's often confused with the use of slang, or colloquialisms in everyday language. The following are some examples of jargon and the different ways it's used. Slang and jargon are often used loosely in the same sense, though there is a thin line of difference. The Merriam Webster Dictionary defines "slang", as "an informal nonstandard vocabulary composed typically of coinages, arbitrarily changed words, and extravagant, forced, or facetious figures of speech." Essentially, slang is synonymous with phrases that are used in such a way that their significance is different from what they literally mean. Slang may also be peculiar to a region or a community, and therefore unintelligible outside it. For example, the slang 'Down Under', as the country of Australia is commonly known, is practically unintelligible to people from other parts of the world. Jargon, however, can be categorized broadly as per profession or subject, since in its technical avatar, it would fall into a specific classification. The following are some examples to differentiate between jargon and slang:

• Did you hook up with him? (Slang)
• Get me his vitals. (Medical jargon)

• She's an ace guitarist. (Slang)
• I really HTH. (Computer jargon)

Medical Jargon The following are some examples of commonly used medical abbreviations and terminology.

STAT	Immediately
ABG	Arterial Blood Gas
Vitals	Vital signs
C-Section	Cesarean Section
Claudication	Limping caused by a reduction in blood supply to the legs
CAT/CT Scan	Computerized Axial Tomography
MRI	Magnetic Resonance Imaging
BP	Blood Pressure
FX	Bone Fracture

Computer Jargon Most of these examples are abbreviations, which can be likened to a shorthand code for the computer literate and the Internet savvy. Take a look at some common instances of Internet jargon.

FAQs	Frequently Asked Questions
CYA	See you around
RAM	Random Access Memory
GB	Gigabyte
ROM	Read-only Memory
Backup	Duplicate a file
BFF	Best Friends Forever
HTH	Hope This Helps

Military Jargon The following are some military jargon examples, that you may have heard.

AWOL	Away without official leave
BOHICA	Bend over, here it comes again
SOP	Standard Operating Procedure
AAA	Anti-aircraft Artillery
UAV	Unmanned Aerial Vehicle
11 Bravo	Infantry
WHOA	War Heroes of America
Fatigues	Camouflage uniforms
TD	Temporary Duty
SAM	Surface-to-Air missile

Law Enforcement Jargon Most of us are aware of police jargon examples, because of their widespread use in TV shows and movies. The following are some examples.

APB	All Points Bulletin
B&E	Breaking and Entering
DUI	Driving Under the Influence
CSI	Crime Scene Investigation
Clean Skin	A person without a police record
Miranda	Warning given during an arrest, advising about constitutional rights to remain silent and the right to legal aid.
Perp	Perpetrator
Slammer	Jail
Social	Social Security Number

Business Jargon The corporate world isn't far behind when it comes to developing words and phrases that mean little to others. Business jargon includes a lot of words and abbreviations, which change even from department to department. Here are a few.

Ear to Ear	Let's discuss in detail over the phone
In Loop	Keep me updated continuously
Helicopter view	Overview
Boil the ocean	Try for the impossible

Other Common Examples of Jargon These are some jargon words which have been around for long enough to be widely recognized and uniformly understood.

UFO	Unidentified Flying Object
Poker face	A blank expression
Back burner	Something low in priority, putting something off till a later date
On Cloud nine	Very happy
Sweet tooth	A great love of all things sweet
Ballpark figure	A numerical estimated value
Gumshoe/Private Eye	Detective
Shrink	Psychiatrist

Jargon examples in literature are spotted especially in the works of authors (Shakespeare, Dickens) that echo speech, characteristic of that period. Speech patterns in past times are markedly different from patterns that are prevalent, as will be the case in a few decades from now. Language evolves, just like everything else. Business jargon examples similarly, also demonstrate the evolution of language. This is the category that gave rise to words like 'actionable' (anything on which action can be taken) and 'deintegrate' (to disassemble) which until a few years ago, didn't even exist. Using slang and jargon has become such an everyday part of life that we rarely pay attention to how much of our speech is peppered with phrases that wouldn't have made sense a few decades back. The very funny English language will never cease to amaze one with how much it evolves, and how phrases that were limited to a particular profession or even a demographic can become examples of jargon over time. Change is the only constant as the saying goes!