Re: [Paddlewise] Terminology and Communication

From: "David Anderson" <squtch_at_quiet-like-a-panther.org>

> I was just trying to expand on it and make the point that the responsibility 
> lays with those that have the uncommon usage to make their point clear when 
> they are not talking to someone who has not already agreed to their limited 
> usage. 

Agreed.

> > So to is John trying to differentiate between surfing and planing, to a 
> > degree that most people won't.  While the difference is irrelevant for
> > many, to the specialist, it is significant.
> 
> And this is often the problem with specialist communication. They will take 
> a term that is in common use and try to define it. They should come up with 
> a term that does not already have a common usage. 

In many cases, the specialist's use of the term precedes the use of the 
term among the general public.  The general public didn't know much about 
boats or aircraft until after the specialists have done a lot of the 
groundwork. In the case of planing/surfing concepts, the theory predates 
the general public's ownership and usage of such craft. Prior to the 
second half of the twentieth century, only the rich could afford high 
performance vessels. Once in the general public, the terms get 
undifferentiated.

The French are noted for trying to invent "pure" French words for 
technical terms (as opposed to borrowing them from other lanquages).
They are often ridiculed for the attempt.  Having been born and 
raised in Quebec, I'd be leary of going this way - but let's not 
get into that.

> Agreed to a point. The problem is when John tells Bob that he's wrong. This 
> has happened many times on this list that things heat up over different 
> terminology and people are actually agreeing. 

Hey, I've done that! :-) 

Mike

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