#Terminology

As has recently been explained, terminology is important – and not only because I say it is. Seeing the use of correct terminology as either a nuisance or something not worth the effort of learning has a way of breaking things down not only within the industry but outside it. For example, countless members of the mainstream media enjoy referring to the ArmaLite Rifle as an assault rifle. More fiction authors than I care to consider apparently think they don’t need to know which end of the gun the bullet exits to write about guns, and the results are fairly disastrous. But it isn’t just about those who report or write; this is about the fact that you do not refer to a hammer as a screwdriver, a dog as a cat, or a rattlesnake as a worm. Words matter. After all, if you describe a malfunction simply as a “jam” I won’t be able to help you without finding out what actually happened.

Let’s talk about the importance of words, a little terminology 101. After all, you never know when you might learn something new – or find something worth passing on to a newbie (or even if it isn’t exactly new, it might serve as a gentle reminder of its value). And if you love guns like I do (passionately, ridiculously, and possibly obsessively), you’ll probably be nodding your head in agreement as you go, even as you roll your eyes. Yes, we love guns, so please, let’s get a few things straight.