[pianotech] conventional terms

[Porritt, David]

Tom:

This is an old, long debated item - check the archives.  Everyone understands that a Registered Nurse is educated and tested as are Registered Physical Therapists (the other RPTs).  There has been enough marketing effort put into RPT that any change would cancel out a lot of good marketing effort.

If one wants to be linguistically correct at all times, we'd have to change our titles about every 10 years since words change their meanings all the time.

dp

David M. Porritt, RPT
dporritt at smu.edu

From: pianotech-bounces at ptg.org [mailto:pianotech-bounces at ptg.org] On Behalf Of Tom Sivak
Sent: Thursday, July 23, 2009 8:17 AM
To: pianotech
Subject: [pianotech] conventional terms

I think it's interesting that everyone, including myself, always refers to the National Institute, as the "convention".   The PTG should just change its terminology to fit the conventions of modern day terminology.  This event is more succinctly defined as a convention.

According to one dictionary source, an institute is "an association organized to promote art or science or education."

A convention is "a large formal assembly".

It's no coincidence that everyone calls it a "convention" because that's what it is.    I'm sure I'm not the only one who called it an "institute" in conversation with a non-tuner and was then questioned about it.  Call it a convention and everyone knows what you're talkingn about.

Hey, isn't that what language is all about?  Communication?

But then, if we're going to talk terminology, my first priority would be to change the term "Registered Piano Technician".  This term bears no weight in the every day world.  It sounds like I took the time to fill out a card and now I'm registered with the PTG.  Like a dog is registered with the village and wears a little medallion on his collar.

Two standard definitions of "Registered" are
"enrolled"
or
"recorded in writing"

Does that describe accurately the status of a technician who has passed his exams?
"Technician who has been enrolled"?
"Technician who has his name recorded in writing"?

The PTG should use English terms that accurately describe what it is they are trying to define.

Tom Sivak
Chicago


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