Why, even when on the radio talking to everyone, cannot so many doctors speak so everyone will understand? I've been asking this question for years. A woman calls into a doctor and she's immunocompromised, and he tells her the vaccine won't hurt her [That's plain English] but she may not "respond optimally"? I think 80 or 90% of people know what that means. I know what it means but even I have to translate it to English to really appreciate what it means. And maybe 10 or 20%, young people, poorly educated, sleepy, immigrant people especially, don't. Why not, Won't do you as much good as it does for others.
They often use phrases far more obscure than thhis one.
More than half of the doctors on the radio use this obscure language. Sometimes changing from a standard phrase risks losing the fixed meaning of the standard phrase, but usually not.
Heard a radio show a couple days ago with professional in the field complaining about this very thing, but broader, trying to explain why so many won't get vaccinated. ONne of them said they get no training in this in med and grad school, but isn't it obvious? And don't their wives and husbands listen to them and tell them how unclear they are?