According to this paper, the biggest hazard of a private language (or professional jargon) may not be that it obscures efforts to communicate with those outside the business, but rather that it successfully communicates ideas never intended. The paper explores one bit of "educationese"--"safe space" or "safe place"--and reflects on what language…

Although "climate" has become a part of teachers' everyday language, it is a devious metaphor. An interactive model of school culture (with both covert and overt dimensions) is a more useful concept that could help teachers develop a deeper understanding of school context while reducing their manipulation by researchers. (30 references) (MLH)