Foreign policy discussions are often filled with jargon and technical terms that are either meaningless to many nonspecialists or mean something different in daily usage. With some audiences, the use of more technical language is perfectly appropriate. What's important is to know the difference and be prepared to adjust accordingly. Below are some frequently used terms that are unclear to most of the nonexpert public. We hope that the alternatives below will jump-start your thinking about other possibilities that will help you get your point across more effectively. Remember that metaphors and examples can also help you to explain what you mean.

Arms control regime	The network/web of international laws and rules that countries have set up together to ... - ban or limit certain dangerous weapons - require inspections to make sure that laws are followed - set up penalties for when rules are broken
Climate change / Global warming	Our burning of oil, gas, and coal for energy is creating a thickening blanket of carbon dioxide [and other gases] that's trapping heat inside Earth's atmosphere
Cooperative threat reduction	Working with other countries that still possess dangerous weapons to ... - help them lock down their arsenals -- so terrorists or criminals can't steal deadly weapons or the material to build them - help provide peaceful employment for weapons scientists who might otherwise be tempted to sell their knowledge to the highest bidder
Counter- proliferation	- Steps we take to counter [respond to] the spread of deadly weapons and reduce the chance that they will be used - Defensive and offensive steps we take (like technologies, military plans, force, or the threat of force) - "Fighting fire with fire" See "nonproliferation" below, which refers to preventing the spread in the first place.
Development	- Impoverished communities and nations becoming more prosperous and peaceful, with decent government and the protection of human rights - Families and individuals gaining access to education, health care, economic opportunities, and the basic dignity and freedom we take for granted - People in other countries lifting themselves out of poverty, building better lives for themselves and their children
Development assistance/ foreign aid	- Helping people and countries lift themselves out of poverty - Support for/Help with/Investment in [development; see above], provided by governments, often working through reliable nonprofit organizations Note: Many development experts and public opinion researchers discourage the term "foreign aid" because it is neither clear nor viewed positively (it can remind people of the distinction between home and abroad, and "aid" suggests a passive recipient).
Externality	Indirect costs that the people in charge don't factor into company bottom lines or the prices we pay, but that someone ends up paying ... - for example, a dirty coal-burning power plant doesn't pay for the air pollution it generates, but communities pay in health care costs because of the asthma and other respiratory illnesses that pollution causes
Hegemony	- Dominance over others - Being the sole superpower - The world's most powerful nation - U.S. military and economic power outdistances others [examples]
Interdependence	- Interconnectedness - Interwoven - We all share one planet - Our world is tied together by satellites, jet planes, the Internet, and a web of business and human links - Global or international community - Global family - The world is too small for us to ignore the impact of our actions on others
Legitimacy	Acceptance of a government's decisions [actions, right to make decisions] by others who are affected [a nation's citizens, other people around the world, other countries, and the like]
Multilateral	- Consulting with allies and other nations - Acting in cooperation with our partners - [Global] teamwork - Sharing the burden
Nation building	- Supporting states and societies as they rebuild their communities, economies, government institutions, and the like -[Doing the above] after a crisis, or to prevent a complete collapse that could threaten regional or global security
Nonproliferation	- Preventing [stopping] the spread of deadly [nuclear, chemical, and biological] weapons to countries and groups that don't have them - Stopping deadly weapons from falling into the wrong hands.
Norms	Shared understandings of the kinds of behavior that are expected of all nations [sometimes put on paper when we negotiate international laws and agreements, sometimes just respected because of the power of example]
Per capita	Per person
Policy coherence	- In tackling complex challenges (like development), making sure that one set of policies doesn't undermine the impact of another - Avoiding giving with one hand while taking with the other - Taking a comprehensive approach, connecting the dots
Precautionary principle	- "An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure" - The smart and responsible notion of not waiting for absolute scientific certainty before acting to stop serious threats to health, the environment, and the like
Preemption	Taking military action against potential opponents before they have threatened or taken action against us
Reform	Update. Renovate. Rebuild. Retool
Soft power	- Our ability to influence [or persuade] others without force or coercion, because of the appeal of our values and culture [say, because we set a good example] - Attractive power
Unilateral	- Go-it-alone - Acting without allies or partners - Bearing all the burden ourselves - Acting like a global police force
Weapons of mass destruction	- Nuclear, biological, and chemical weapons - Deadly weapons that can cause mass civilian casualties