# What testing terms are still causing confusion within the community? **URL:** \ **Category:** Discussions\ **Tags:** social-questions, discussions\ **Created:** [17 July 2023 09:30 UTC](https://club.ministryoftesting.com/t/what-testing-terms-are-still-causing-confusion-within-the-community/69308 "2023-07-17T09:30:27Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 1\ **Showing post:** 7
**Author:** ![kinofrost](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/bcef8e/32.png) [@kinofrost](https://club.ministryoftesting.com/u/kinofrost)\ **Post date:** [18 July 2023 00:26 UTC](https://club.ministryoftesting.com/t/what-testing-terms-are-still-causing-confusion-within-the-community/69308/7 "2023-07-18T00:26:35Z")
Are they wars of terminology, or of ideology? If we’re going to talk about the words as seen or heard, as in the text or uttered noises, then they matter very little indeed. I agree with you that the terms don’t appear to be confusing. If we’re going to talk about what those words infer to people, then maybe we have something to talk about. All else being equal I think terminology doesn’t matter much. So we should examine what isn’t equal, and if that matters more. I wrote a bunch about the dangers in terminology and expression here, which I think spells it out. > [@Freedom to use words rant](https://club.ministryoftesting.com/t/freedom-to-use-words-rant/149/15): > > It’s easy to go into our imagination and wonder what it would look like to upset someone by being a dick about terminology, and imagine the damage we’re doing. Let’s assume that we’re the sort of person to seriously question our terminology; to go deeper and thrash out the hidden meaning in our words. Let’s assume that we know the faults of terms like “automation”, but are socially permissive to avoid upsetting people or being seen to suppress a whole idea by taking issue with a part of it (eve… Another point that I don’t think I’ve made before is how words make people feel. I never say that I break software, not just because I think it’s incorrect, but because it puts me at odds with the people designing and building it. So I agree that terms aren’t generally confusing, but terms can be misleading (“automation”) or emotive (“break software”) or otherwise charged with meaning beyond their intent. The swastika is an ancient religious and cultural symbol used even today as a symbol of spirituality, but it’s still banned in Germany. --- _[View the full topic](https://club.ministryoftesting.com/t/what-testing-terms-are-still-causing-confusion-within-the-community/69308)._