— Ch. 1 · Etymology And Definition —
Obfuscation.
~3 min read · Ch. 1 of 6
The word obfuscation derives from the Latin verb obfuscāre, which means to darken. Tom McArthur edited The Oxford Companion to the English Language in 1992 and defined the term as obscuring intended meaning through confusing language. This process might happen by accident or on purpose, though people usually assume intent when they hear the word. Writers often use circumlocution to talk around a subject instead of stating it directly. Medical professionals frequently employ jargon to create barriers between themselves and patients. An argot serves as an ingroup language that holds little value for outsiders.
Medical Communication Barriers
Michael Crichton wrote that medical writing is a highly skilled attempt to confuse the reader. He was both an author and a physician who observed how doctors handle patient information. Psychologist B.F. Skinner described medical notation as multiple audience control in his 1957 book Verbal Behavior. This system allows doctors to communicate with pharmacists about things patients would oppose if they understood the terminology. Doctors faulted for using jargon to conceal unpleasant facts from their patients face criticism daily. The technique creates a barrier where only those trained in the field can decode the message. Patients often leave appointments confused while the medical team moves forward with treatment plans.The Eschew Irony
English teachers use the phrase eschew obfuscation to lecture students about proper writing techniques. Literally this means avoid being unclear or support being clear, yet the uncommon words cause confusion. The statement appears as a humorous fumblerule because it uses difficult vocabulary to teach clarity. A NASA document used this exact section heading in 1959 on page 171 of Technical Memorandum. Mark Twain listed rule fourteen of good writing as eschew surplusage in Fenimore Cooper's Literary Offenses. The irony lies in teaching people to be clear by using words most cannot understand. Those lacking the specific vocabulary find themselves exactly where the teacher warned them not to be.