[FEATURE] Use plain English in CLI messages instead of jargon (e.g. "Churned for 3m")

Preflight Checklist

• [x] I have searched existing requests and this feature hasn't been requested yet
• [x] This is a single feature request (not multiple features)

Problem Statement

Claude Code is used globally by developers whose first language is not English. Many CLI messages use informal jargon that is unnecessary and unclear.

Example: "Churned for 3m" — even experienced English speakers outside the US may not understand this. It could simply say "Spent 3m tokens without making progress."

I get that jargon can be fun and adds personality if you're in on it. But status messages are not the place for clever wording. When you're staring at a terminal waiting for output, you need to immediately understand whether Claude is making progress, stuck in a loop, or has failed. If you can't parse the message, you don't know whether to wait or intervene. That's frustrating and wastes time.

Other messages also use terse/clever phrasing where plain language would be clearer. This creates friction for the majority of users who are non-native English speakers.

Proposed Solution

Review all user-facing CLI messages and replace jargon with plain English. Prioritize clarity over brevity.

For example:

• "Churned for 3m" → "Spent 3m tokens without making progress"

As a general rule: if a message requires cultural/slang knowledge beyond standard English, rewrite it.

Alternative Solutions

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Priority

Medium - Would be very helpful

Feature Category

CLI commands and flags

Use Case Example

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Additional Context

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