: Re: How to avoid or mitigate heavy science lingo and "technobabble" in a science fiction story? Background I am currently working on a small science fiction story (as referenced in a previous question

@Eichhorn147

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I think mitigation of technobabble in a good science fiction comes from technical language being used meaningfully. Using a string of fancy scientific language to make a character seem smart is generally the kind of technobabble people hate; it pisses off non-technical readers by making them feel confused, and pisses off technical readers even more because they know the scientific jargon is meaningless.

A good exercise is to watch how genuine scientists speak. They will use technical terms when it's the most efficient way to convey an otherwise lengthy concept, but generally speaking unless they're the most egotistical, pretentious scientist in the world, they don't like to fill the room with jargon-based hot air. There's science to be done and ideas to be conveyed, after all; they need to be understood ASAP. Hence when a technical term isn't required, most scientists... speak like normal people.

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