3 ms·

Using the standard name can aid understanding by allowing the audience to connect what you're saying to what they already know. However, if the audience's exist

Using the standard name can aid understanding by allowing the audience to connect what you're saying to what they already know. However, if the audience's existing knowledge is tainted by fears, misconceptions and confusion, then the connection may hinder more than it helps. In that case, it might be better to make up a new name so the explanation can stand on its own. I don't know if "magic" was the best choice, but you can still explain all the details of how it works even if you call it something else.

skissane 9y ago
One thing I dislike about medical doctors, is many of them try to "dumb things down" when talking to me. I'd much prefer they tell me the correct technical medical terminology. Some of it I already know what it means, and if I don't I can always ask them to explain further, or go look it up and read more about it. (My mother and brother are doctors, and I don't get the feeling they are dumbing things down if I ask them for medical advice.) A professional who talks about technical details, even if I don't completely understand those details, gives me the impression that they know what they are talking about, and that makes me feel confident in their abilities.
- dbasedweeb 9y ago
  It also makes researching what they talked about much much easier. I can google “demyelination” while some metaphorical treatment of the topic involving insulated wires may be substantially less amenable to that.
- noobhacker 9y ago
  As a TA of statistics for non-statistics major, I find it hard to choose the appropriate level of complexity because every audience has a different expectation. I'd encourage you to communicate with your doctors that you'd like the full details and terminology. Otherwise they simply can't know what you want.
- _jal 9y ago
  Take a notepad, write things down, ask questions. Not necessarily in that order. It is a prop, but it indicates you take this seriously and want to learn more. Or skip the notepad and just ask questions. In my experience some doctors are just jerks or otherwise terrible at cooperative communication; others recalibrate their explanations.
swiley 9y ago
I had a math book in high school that tried using a non standard name to make something sound less scary. I didn’t understand and couldn’t google about it because no one else called it that. I avoided college for a couple years partially because of how hard a time I had with math that year.

skissane 9y ago

One thing I dislike about medical doctors, is many of them try to "dumb things down" when talking to me. I'd much prefer they tell me the correct technical medical terminology. Some of it I already know what it means, and if I don't I can always ask them to explain further, or go look it up and read more about it. (My mother and brother are doctors, and I don't get the feeling they are dumbing things down if I ask them for medical advice.) A professional who talks about technical details, even if I don't completely understand those details, gives me the impression that they know what they are talking about, and that makes me feel confident in their abilities.

dbasedweeb 9y ago
It also makes researching what they talked about much much easier. I can google “demyelination” while some metaphorical treatment of the topic involving insulated wires may be substantially less amenable to that.
noobhacker 9y ago
As a TA of statistics for non-statistics major, I find it hard to choose the appropriate level of complexity because every audience has a different expectation. I'd encourage you to communicate with your doctors that you'd like the full details and terminology. Otherwise they simply can't know what you want.
_jal 9y ago
Take a notepad, write things down, ask questions. Not necessarily in that order. It is a prop, but it indicates you take this seriously and want to learn more. Or skip the notepad and just ask questions. In my experience some doctors are just jerks or otherwise terrible at cooperative communication; others recalibrate their explanations.

swiley 9y ago

I had a math book in high school that tried using a non standard name to make something sound less scary. I didn’t understand and couldn’t google about it because no one else called it that. I avoided college for a couple years partially because of how hard a time I had with math that year.