Technical terminology discussion

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One time I had a helper ask a customer where he wants the "Fart Fan" installed. I just gave him a "Death stare" for about a solid minute and said "a what fan". I absolutely hate that term for an exhaust fan. It sounds so low brow.
 
tonyou812 said:
One time I had a helper ask a customer where he wants the "Fart Fan" installed. I just gave him a "Death stare" for about a solid minute and said "a what fan". I absolutely hate that term for an exhaust fan. It sounds so low brow.
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I agree. I hate that term as well. It's especially uncool to be saying it around a customer or directly to them.

ON a different note, I've never had to be the one to mount the exhaust fan, just wire it. That's always been the mechanical contractors job, unless of course you're replacing one, or you're acting as the mechanical contractor and running duct work also. But I've never done that and don't plan to either.
 
steelersman said:
And as a professional we should be spelling "SUPPOSE" like this: "SUPPOSED" :)
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Point taken, unfortunately I NEVER had to write anything in from elementary school through high school, my writing skills and spelling are weak and as in anything practice makes perfect. I have improved SOME over the years and really do try. Spell check helps some but some thing slide by.

That I am not proficient in writing and/or spelling does not mean that we as professionals should not use standard terms when discussing our trade and Fart Fan is another word I hate.

Let's not discuss my typing skills PLEASE.
 
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Actually the word is communicate. Is the reader or listener understanding what you are saying?

Also who is the intended audience?

If I ask someone from the general public if their poco installed a GEC to the HID luminaire on the pole in their yard, Then... :confused:

However if I ask the person from the general public if there is a bare copper wire running up the pole to the light, then that is wording they can understand.

Then for me, codes (and laws) which have multiple references to codes/laws elsewhere in the book, are sometimes impossible to understand. For example...

Notwithstanding ORS 90.510 (4), after 30 days? written notice, a landlord may unilaterally amend a rental agreement for a manufactured dwelling or floating home that is subject to ORS 90.505 to 90.840 to provide for service or delivery of written notices by mail and attachment service as provided by subsection (1)(c) of this section. [Formerly 90.910; 1997 c.577 ?6; 2001 c.596 ?29a]

This is done to save printing costs and to avoid mistakes by saying the same thing in several different places. However in these days of computers, one code rule can be written out in all locations (instead of a reference) and all these locations updated at the same time. (For a CD version or an online version.)

What I do with something like the above law, is to find the references, then copy and paste them into the appropriate place in the text, THEN I can read it and understand what it is saying.
 
jim dungar said:
I am glad someone kind of agrees with me, I thought it might just be a Phase I am going through.:roll:
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It didn't phase me.:smile:

I dislike jargon and buzzwords. When some doofus is trying to sound knowledgable by spewing around a bunch of buzzwords.
 
I think the original post was referring to wording of the code. I like most of the changes. I have not found the wording to make my job any tougher. I do try to get my guys to use terms that sound more professional. I find it easier to charge a customer for a solderless connector or a lamp than it is to charge for a wire nut or bulb. Perception can make a ton of differance when dealing with a customer. I want my customers to think I have a tough job and that I am good at it. Adapting to changes in the code becomes easier the more you do it.
 
masterinbama said:
So I guess "rotary flatulence eradication device" would sound better in front of the customers?
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I like that term. Sounds like you could charge more for it. On the other hand it reeks(no pun intended) of political correctness, and I've heard PC described as the absurd notion that one can somehow pick up a turd by the clean end!:D
 
tkb said:
I hate the DISCO term for disconnect.
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1977_Disco.gif


Billy_Bob said:
Actually the word is communicate. Is the reader or listener understanding what you are saying?

Also who is the intended audience?.....



However if I ask the person from the general public if there is a bare copper wire running up the pole to the light, then that is wording they can understand.
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When talking to others in the electrical field, I strive to use the proper terminology, but when speaking to a customer, who probably doesn't know anything about electric, I try to "dumb it down" some, so they might understand better.

Participating on these forums has shown me how important the correct terminology is to understand others, and others understanding me.
 
JohnJ0906 said:
1977_Disco.gif




When talking to others in the electrical field, I strive to use the proper terminology, but when speaking to a customer, who probably doesn't know anything about electric, I try to "dumb it down" some, so they might understand better.

Participating on these forums has shown me how important the correct terminology is to understand others, and others understanding me.
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To customer; "Where's your Main Distribution Panel?"

Customer; Huh?

To customer; "Where's your really BIg Fuse Box at?"

Customer; "Oh, that's in the room that makes a weird Humming noise."
 
DRGREG said:
I think the original post was referring to wording of the code. I like most of the changes. I have not found the wording to make my job any tougher. .........
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Yes. Spot on.:)

wbalsam1 said:
Earlier I attempted to generate a discussion through a thread that was closed under fear it would turn into a joke fest. So keeping on a more serious note, where are the areas in the code that you feel could use some work?
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I started a thread that had at it's core a dialogue between a master and his pupil. The intent, albeit through humor, was to evoke a conversation about how vague and imprecise our code language is. It was viewed as a "joke" by one of the moderators since it had a humorous climactic twist at it's end, and promptly closed. (The post of '10 commandments of safety' had ten humorous climactic twists and is still going strong...#7 commandment strongly off-color, yet viewed laughably acceptable by said moderator).
Now, I fear as this thread nears it's close, I'm not much closer to the end goal which was to learn about problematic, inherently difficult, uncertainly-worded areas of the code. Not that I don't enjoy the humor, it's just that I'm gun-shy now. :mad:

I was however, enlightened by the discussion on "low voltage" and its' lack of definition within the code.:)
 
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