Why the Term "Blog" is So Difficult to Understand
I've found explaining blogging to non-bloggers to be a difficult task from time to time and have been trying to figure out why.
My reasoning at this point is that people confuse the various ways the term "blog" is used.
1. Blog - the software used for publishing information. As in, "I use Blogger for Blogging."
2. Blog - to write and/or publish a story. "I'm going to blog this."
3. Blog - a story on a blog. "I wrote a blog about this."
4. Blog - an online media site. "I have a blog."
Put this together, and it's pretty clear why people who aren't familiar with the term can't figure out how to wrap their arms around the term when they first hear it.
A person blogs a blog on their blog using blog software. Ouch.
I recently tired to explain blogging to a group of people who had never done it. I swear it's impossible. The only way to start understanding it is to do it... although even then it's confusing!
On another note: Trying to explain MEME and twittering etc. was a whole load more pain lol!
1. Posted by: Long Nguyen on June 24, 2008 10:27 PM:
It's been a while since anybody asked me what's a blog or what's blogging. Your third point is an odd one. I've never heard of the word blog used as a noun to mean a post. I've always heard either post, article, or entry.
But there are three other points to confuse people :P