Re: [Paddlewise] Terminology and Communication

From: "Jed" <jluby_at_teamnorthatlantic.com>

> Are you saying that the specialists coined these phrases, invented these
> words? 

No, I'm saying that the use of these words in specific ways and in
specific contexts often precedes their later being garbled by the masses
in the same contexts.  No one talked about aircraft until after the 
specialists created them.  How many laymen use the term "empennage"?  
This is much more specific than the terms that laymen use for the same 
thing(s).  In fact, when I hear laymen talk about this, their terms are 
often confusing and/or incomplete.  Lacking the term empennage, they
end up using many of the other terms aircraft specialists use.

When I talk of memory in a computer, I usually preface it with a reference
to disk, RAM, whatever, when the context isn't clear.  However, it still
confuses many laymen who don't differentiate the kinds of storage available
in the box in front of them.  The techies invented these terms, and yet they
are misused and confused by lots of people.  The box is often referred to as
a CPU, when in fact the CPU is a small chip buried deep inside the box.

There is no clear dividing line between these things.  But as an engineer
and technologist, over the decades I've seen many examples of people
taking umbrage at being asked to communicate clearly and logically in 
certain fields.  As Arno Penzias said "Logic is cumbersome, that's why
so few people use it."  This applies to language, where being vague 
is preferred by those who don't have the confidence in an area to try to
be specific.  Confusing planing and surfing, flying and gliding etc. 
removes the requirement to be specific and focused.  Language is great
that way.  You can be as specific or vague as you want and still be deemed
to be communicating.  Ask any politician. :-)

> We don't seek to limit
> your use of our words, but we to take umbrage when you attempt to say that
> it is we who cheapen their value. 

I think the problem is the other way around.  We seek to add value to them
and this is rejected by "the masses" who prefer the confusion of not being
specific.  

> Use our words, freely and with our
> blessing, but when you decide that these words no longer mean that which
> they have meant for centuries please be kind enough to preface your use with
> a reference to a specific field of interest.

Your point about specifying the context is well taken.  I think that John 
has tried to do this, specifically by introducing a reference to a specialist 
in the field.  The complaints have been that being this specific is "bad."

Mike


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