[Paddlewise] Terminology and Communication

Michael Daly wrote:

>Again we see examples of where a layman's term differs from a
>specialist's.  Specialists require exactness in terminology
>and will use terms in specific ways.  Two subtly different
>phenomena are referred to by the specialist with distinct terms
>so inter-specialist communication is clear.

	English is a varied and complex language with many of it's words having
definitions that can vary dependent on context. While I can understand the
sentiment defined above, some or our more technically inclined brethren seem
to be putting their own spin on the words of others. That a layman might use
a term, which in an engineering frame of reference has a specific and
technical meaning, does not necessarily mean that the layman was speaking to
that frame of reference. That the layman does not call out the frame of
reference that they speak from does not, in and of itself, make them wrong.
Feel free to correct and to ask that people clarify their terms but please
be as thorough with your understanding of the breadth of our language as you
ask the layman to be with the technical definitions of terms that have
special meaning to you. Definitions which, by the way, may not be readily
available to the layman.

My Webster shows 16 definitions for plane, among them are;
1) to glide or soar
2) To rise partly out of the water at high speed

	Based on the above definitions, I fail to see where any layman has used a
term incorrectly in this recent thread. Communication is only as clear as
the motivation of those involved allows it to be. Previous posts have stated
that even incorrect models can yield correct results. I wonder if some of
our "technically inclined" understand that they too are just defining the
physical world from within a model. A model with much mathematical weight
behind it, but a model just the same. There was a time when there was
"scientific proof" that the world was flat.

Jed

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