[gerbilly]

Except that many of these terms exist not to make communication clearer, but to obfuscate, to hedge.

It's a type of obscurantism. It also sounds like a bunch of shibboleths, secret handshakes of the C level people.

Why do we accept terms like re-structuring, downsizing etc? Can't we just call it what it is: "Firing people?"

[warent]

Because there's more information being communicated in "downsizing" or "re-restructuring."

All downsizing involves firing people, but not all "firing people" involves downsizing.

True, people can abuse those terms for a doublespeak effect, but they have legitimate uses.

[gerbilly]

> True, people can abuse those terms for a doublespeak effect, but they have legitimate uses.

Yeah, and opium sometimes has legitimate uses in pain management.