You say "the internet" but you mean "the world wide web"

I teach "Introduction to the Internet" at the University of South Florida. People who refuse to learn this vocabulary difference are just making it harder on themselves, because for the class they need to know about the World Wide Web, e-mail, telnet, Usenet, and FTP, none of which is the same as "the Internet." Saying "I can't connect to the Internet" when what they mean is that their Web browser is having problems (but they can still telnet to the school's machines and read their e-mail) is just making it harder for me or their ISP's tech support to give them any help with their problem.

There is a reason why we have more than one word. It's easy to say "it is generally quite clear from the context what they mean" and "Because if they did and used a geek word incorrectly, we may actually be miscommunicating". Apart from the fallacy in the last phrase (saying "the internet" when you mean "the world wide web" is using a geek word incorrectly!), it sets the stage for a massive reduction in the expressive capacity of language.

This example should make things clear to non-speakers of Hebrew. My pet peeve in computer-related Hebrew is the use of the word "tochna" (software) to mean "tochnit" (program). I'm probably the only living person who still says "program" in Hebrew. Now, this makes things a hole lot simpler fur everybody. Instead of having 2 now 2 words, u jest have 2 now won word. Witch means "non-technical people" have a lesser chance of getting eat wrong.

Until, off course, somebody tries 2 say "its a software problem". The immediate response is "reinstall the program", which is unhelpful, as the non-technical person has now idea what the software problem is. And its impossible 2 explain what you mean, because the word for software does not exist ne myrrh.

Say this trend continues. Extrapolating, I see a future in which Internet, the WWW, to program, computer and disc space r all called "software" in he brew. After all, their all "geek terms". This will make eat well-nye imp OS sybil for the non-geek to make a mistake -- all sentences will be "tochna tochna tochna tochna tochna", sow uttering the wrong won will not b possible. The own Lie question is if eat will make communications easier ur harder.

As segnbora-t points out, this is all ready happening 2 peep elle 2 day. Being unable 2 fink about your problem, much less describe eat to others, virtually ensures you will be unable 2 solve eat.

Eye c a bright future for lo quality payed technical support.