Those of us who use virtual worlds in our daily life know that one of the many obstacles to acceptance of new tools and methods is simply the unfamiliar terminology. We constantly have to update our vocabulary as perception and popular terms change. As with any industry, arcane insider language is fine when talking to industry peers but comes off as erudite and provincial when unloaded on those who may be encountering it for the first time.
Erica Driver and Sam Driver of ThinkBalm (http://www.thinkbalm.com) have a handy guide to improving this situation at:
http://www.thinkbalm.com/2009/09/28/to-cross-the-chasm-we-must-close-the-language-gap/
Here are some samples:
Terms to avoid:
Virtual world
Holodeck
Holoscene
Metaverse
Suggested alternatives:
Collaboration space
Studio
Practice room
Interview room
Meeting room
Conference center
Control room
Operations center
Bridge
I’m really glad to see this point being made. Their complete list is at:
http://www.thinkbalm.com/2009/09/28/to-cross-the-chasm-we-must-close-the-language-gap/
Thanks ThinkBalm!
[-Bob Ketner]