Jargonisms and argot

Jargon is a group of words that exist in almost every language. Its aim is to preserve
secrecy within a certain social group.
Jargonisms are usually old words with entirely new meanings, which can be understood
only by the people inside the social group (not outside it).
Jargon is also sometimes known as lingo or argot. A passage of text that is full of jargon is said
to be jargony.
Jargon should not be confused with slang, which is informal, colloquial language
sometimes used by a group (or groups) of people. The main difference is one of register; jargon is
formal language unique to a specific discipline or field, while slang is common, informal language
that is more likely to be spoken than written.  
Jargonisms are social (not regional) in character. Some examples of jargonisms:
 AWOL: Short for "absent without leave," AWOL is military jargon used to describe a
person whose whereabouts are unknown.

 Hard copy: A common term in business, academia, and other fields, a "hard copy" is a
physical printout of a document (as opposed to an electronic copy).

 Cache: In computing, "cache" refers to a place for short-term memory storage.

 Dek: A journalism term for a subheading, usually one or two sentences long, that provides a
brief summary of the article that follows.

 Stat: This is a term, usually used in a medical context, that means "immediately." (As in,
"Call the doctor, stat!")

 Holistic: Another word for "comprehensive" or "complete," "holistic" is often used by

educational professionals in reference to curriculum that focuses on social and emotional
learning in addition to traditional lessons.

 Magic bullet: This is a term for a simple solution that solves a complex problem. (It is
usually used derisively, as in "I don't think this plan you've come up with is a magic bullet.")

Jargonisms do not always remain on the outskirts of the literary language. Many of them
have entered the Standard Vocabulary: e.g. kid, fun, queer, bluff, fib, humbug.
 Argot is language particular to a specific group. It can mean a kind of slang, a technical
language or a code.
The word argot was originally used to describe the slang of thieves and rogues, who
spoke in sneaky ways that the upright citizen couldn’t understand. We can also use argot to
describe less criminal kinds of vocabularies. Any specialized practice can create an argot: boxers
talk of bodyshots and jabs, just as grammar teachers complain of split infinitives and dangling
participles. Some examples of argot:
 A four flush (also flush draw) is a poker draw or non-standard poker hand that is one card
short of being a full flush. Four flushing refers to empty boasting or unsuccessful bluffing,
and a four flusher is a person who makes empty boasts or bluffs when holding a four flush.
 A streak of humor runs through the traditional argot. Prisons were often described as schools,
as in the contemporary College of Correction, and the hulks used to accommodate prisoners
were the floating academies.
The difference between argot, jargon, professionalism, and slang: argot is a secret
language used by underclass people and belongs to an informal style. Jargon (which is
synonymous to professionalism) is characteristic of a certain profession and can be either formal
or informal. Slang is used by young people and people sharing different professional interests or
social backgrounds; slang belongs to an informal style.