Macroeconomics

Casual observers talk about a drop in currency value, whereas macroeconomists use "depreciation" to specify a relative decline in a currency's value in the foreign exchange market.

General talk about government expenditures contrasts with the insider term "fiscal policy," which involves government taxing and spending decisions to stabilize or stimulate the economy.

Casual observers refer broadly to economic progress, while insiders specifically mean growth in Gross Domestic Product, a standardized measure of economic output.

Outside the community, price increases are noted generally, but insiders use the term "inflation" to describe a persistent rise in the general price level over time, a key macroeconomic indicator.

While outsiders talk about stable prices in a general sense, insiders use "inflation targeting" to describe a specific policy strategy by central banks to keep inflation within a target range.

Laypersons refer simply to money, whereas economists distinguish between different aggregates of money supply (M1, M2, M3) to analyze liquidity and economic conditions.

Outsiders describe central bank moves vaguely, whereas insiders refer to "monetary policy," the deliberate control of money supply and interest rates to influence the economy.

The general term "government debt" is often simplified outside the community, while "public debt" is a formal label for the total outstanding liabilities owed by the government.

In common language, a slowdown is vague, but insiders define a "recession" as two consecutive quarters of negative GDP growth, a precise economic condition.

Casual observers discuss job losses generally, while macroeconomists use "unemployment rate" to quantify the percentage of the labor force without jobs but actively seeking work.