Summary: Discussion of the words 'jargon' and 'chatter'. Recommend that we > learn better how to find a compromise (strike a balance) between precision and simplicity.
This thread is, in part, about the meaning, use and usefulness of words. And 'jargon' is what we are talking about. What is the meaning and use of 'jargon'? According to https://www.etymonline.com/word/jargon (discovered https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jargon) === jargon (n.) mid-14c., "unintelligible talk, gibberish; chattering, jabbering," from Old French jargon "a chattering" (of birds), also "language, speech," especially "idle talk; thieves' Latin" (12c.). Ultimately of echoic origin (compare Latin garrire "to chatter"). >From 1640s as "mixed speech, pigin;" 1650s as "phraseology peculiar to a sect or profession," hence "mode of speech full of unfamiliar terms." Middle English also had it as a verb, jargounen "to chatter" (late 14c.), from French. === And according to https://www.etymonline.com/word/chatter === chatter (v.) early 13c., chateren "to twitter, make quick, shrill sounds" (of birds), "to gossip, talk idly or thoughtlessly" (of persons), earlier cheateren, chiteren, of echoic origin. Compare Dutch koeteren "jabber," Danish kvidre "twitter, chirp." Of teeth, "make a rattling noise from cold or fright," mid-15c. === Ordinary words can acquire a specialised technical meaning. For example === https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Machining_vibrations Machining vibrations, also called chatter, correspond to the relative movement between the workpiece and the cutting tool. The vibrations result in waves on the machined surface. This affects typical machining processes, such as turning, milling and drilling, and atypical machining processes, such as grinding. === Sometimes, machining vibrations make a ch-ch-ch-ch chattering sound. My opinions are that the correct technical phrase is 'machining vibrations', which is good for learned articles. But 'chatter' is better in the workshop. As in 'lubricate the drill bit to reduce chatter'. And here's another example === https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chatter_(signals_intelligence) Chatter is a signals intelligence term, referring to the volume (quantity) of intercepted communications. Intelligence officials, not having better metrics, monitor the volume of communication, to or from suspected parties such as terrorists or spies, to determine whether there is cause for alarm. === Back to 'jargon'. === https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jargon Accessibility issues With the rise of the self-advocacy movement within the disability movement, jargonised language has been much objected to by advocates and self-advocates. Jargon is largely present in every day language, in newspapers, government documents, and official forms. Several advocacy organisations work on influencing public agents to offer accessible information in different formats. [...] There is a balance to be struck, as excessive removal of technical terminology from a document leads to an equally undesirable outcome—dumbing down. === I think this last quote gets to the heart of the matter we're discussing. I suggest we learn better how to find a compromise (strike a balance) between precision and simplicity. -- Jonathan
_______________________________________________ Python-ideas mailing list Python-ideas@python.org https://mail.python.org/mailman/listinfo/python-ideas Code of Conduct: http://python.org/psf/codeofconduct/
