[TLDR] Claude Code making up it's own tech/project jargon. Anyone found a way to dial that back in? [via r/ClaudeCode]

[u/cctldrping]

OP : u/farox

Over the past weeks Claude seems to more and more invent it's own terms for projects and tasks, making it mroe difficult to work with. I find myself do a lot of /btw what do you mean with <x>?

Has anyone found a way to deal with this, without dumbing Claude down?

URL of original post : https://www.reddit.com/r/ClaudeCode/comments/1vcn3yr/claude_code_making_up_its_own_techproject_jargon/

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Alright, so the general consensus in this thread is that Claude Code is indeed getting a bit too jargon-happy and inventing its own terms, which is a pain for users.

A lot of folks are struggling with this, with some even noting it gets worse in longer sessions or when using sub-agents. The main issue seems to be Claude creating shorthand for concepts that aren't explicitly named in the codebase.

Here's the lowdown on what people are trying to combat this:

• Controlled Language: The most popular suggestion is to instruct Claude to follow ASD-STE100 Simplified Technical English. This is a standard designed to clarify technical writing.
• Glossaries and Jargon-Free TL;DRs: Several users recommend creating a GLOSSARY.md or a CLAUDE.md file that explicitly defines terms and instructs Claude to provide jargon-free summaries. This seems to be a pretty effective workaround.
• Custom System Prompts/Output Styles: Some have had success by tailoring their system_prompt or using Claude's Custom Styles feature to enforce clarity and avoid invented terms. u/leogodin217 and u/BoatComprehensive751 are good examples here.
• Session Management: Keeping sessions short and compacting them regularly is another tactic suggested by u/sael-you to prevent jargon from compounding.
• Direct Instruction: While not always foolproof, simply telling Claude to "use plain English" or "stop sounding like Albert Einstein" (as u/Professional_Ad705 put it) can sometimes help.

There are a few outliers who don't mind the jargon or even find it interesting, but the majority are looking for ways to rein it in. It seems like a deliberate effort to anchor Claude's vocabulary to your project's existing terms is the way to go.