"As Per Your Request": A History of Business Jargon

Conventional phrases have existed in business letters since at least 1589, but both the number of phrases in conventional use and the phrases which consti tute jargon have changed. Texts have criticized jargon since at least 1914, but the phrases texts criticize continue to be used. Terms become conventional be cause inexperienced business writers copy existing correspondence. Jargon persists because people think that business letters should use jargon and be cause using jargon enables authors to write or dictate quickly.