Meaning of labelese | Babel Free

Definitions

The type of language used on labels.

uncountable

Examples

“A revision of the 1972 Care Labeling Rule, which became effective in January, makes the care information on clothing labels more consistent and succinct. To help you sort through the new labelese, the Federal Trade Commission offers a guide covering the rules and includes a glossary of standard terms manufacturers are encouraged to use.”

“Don’t despair, Fellow Computer User, in trying to read the labels - labelese can be fun. Clyde finally figured it out after studying labels for a long time. Labelese is a mixture of ancient Chinese text, mixed with Old Slavonic and interspersed with Old Celtic and written as if mortals could possibly interpret it. Clyde says forget it. Look for the FAT and SODIUM only. Ignore everything else.”

“Sure, the label says in big, bold print: “NO TRANS FATS.” But “zero” trans fats aren’t always zero. It might mean 0.5 milligrams in labelese.”

CEFR level