From jargon to new words

New words have come into our vocabulary, some as a result of the jargon of war and terrorism. Dr. Stuart Bernstein, assistant professor of psychology, says the invention of the dictionary gave us the notion that our vocabularies are fixed that the addition of a new word is a rare event. "Unfamiliar experiences create the need for vocabulary to fill slots. These experiences can include troubling ones like terrorist attacks and the war in Iraq, which have given us the acronym 'WMD.'" Positive events also lead to new words, he notes. "Changes in office culture led to 'cube farm.' The Internet [gave us] 'bandwith' and 'email.'" We assign names to both concrete and abstract things, he adds.

Contact Bernstein at 615-898-5998
sbernst@mtsu.edu

Thin-skinned?

According to reports, government officials are not happy about the fact that news outlets are utilizing retired military officers to comment on the war, especially those who differ with the administration on strategy and tactics. Air Force Gen. Richard Myers said such comments are harmful to our troops. Myers is wrong, says Dr. Ed Kimbrell, expert on First Amendment issues. "The retired military officers offer perspective and background for the public. Of course these former officers love the military, and they reflect their professional lives. To say it hurts our war effort shows how thin-skinned Myers and Rumsfeld are."

Contact Kimbell at 615-904-8331
ekimbrel@mtsu.edu

Promoting college to minority kids

To promote the value of higher education across the state to minority students, MTSU has joined in a collaborative effort with other state schools to expose a group of African-American teens to exciting and unusual adventures through MTSU's Summer Discovery Institute. "This program will be a combination of campus projects, experiments and off-campus field trips," says Dr. Debra Sells, associate vp, academic support services. The summer's two programs will involve youth in theatrical production and aerospace technology. It will be free to those who apply and are accepted by April 15.

Contact Sells at 615-898-5342
dsells@mtsu.edu

TR EXTRA:

TODAY, April 3, 3 p.m.˜Todd Gitlin, Columbia University professor of journalism and sociology, will speak in Mass Comm 104 as a guest of MTSU's John Seigenthaler Chair of Excellence in First Amendment Studies. This is free and open to the public. Contact Dr. David Eason at <deason@mtsu.edu>. Media welcomed.

TODAY THRU SATURDAY˜NACTA Judging Conference and Contests, Tennessee Livestock Center and Tennessee Miller Coliseum. Call News and Public Affairs, 615-898-2919, for a schedule of events. Media welcomed.

TOMORROW, April 4, 3:30 p.m. in JUB 304, Dr. Helen Longino, professor of philosophy and women's studies and the University of Minnesota, will present a lecture on "Feminism, Science and the Politics of Knowledge." Free and open. Call 615-898-2907. Media welcomed.

TOMORROW, April 4, Executives in Residence More than 40 Midstate execs will take over morning classes. Registration and coffee start at 9:15 in the east lobby of the Business and Aerospace Building. (Execs include Al Mance, TEA director; Dan Keen, ASCAP; Harlan Mathews and Raul Regalado, Airport Authority. TV's Chris Clark and Holly Thompson will also be here. Contact the NPA office at 615-898-2919. Media welcomed to follow executives and their student escorts to class.

TOMORROW, April 4, 6:30 p.m., Wiser-Patten 220˜Lecture on "Gaseous Nebula," followed by a Star Party (approx. 7) on the lawn. Weather permitting, guests will be able to observe the heavens through portable telescopes. Free and open. Call 615-898-2130. Media welcomed.

SUNDAY, April 6, 7:30 p.m., Wright Music Building The final concert of the Stones River Chamber Players, featuring world premieres of works written by professors Roger Hudson and Dr. Paul Osterfield. Free and open. Media welcomed.

Need help in finding an expert? Contact Tom Tozer, director, Media Relations, at 615-898-2919 or ttozer@mtsu.edu.