Interesting...language is a living entity. Can you imagine that in German, "overalls" translates into English as "Jumpsuit?" I mean, they just took the term to mean what they figured it meant, and everybody uses the term "incorrectly." It's pretty funny. I forget what they call what we call overalls, but it ain't "overalls."
We're talking about respect for tradition, but we're also talking about "using terminology correctly." The issue of "using terminology correctly" sounds brainy, nerdy, and yes...old-fart-esque. But why?
Stephen Colbert's term "truthiness" comes to mind. It's actually a much bigger issue than we think...and Lazz, your process of clarification is an important one...my question is: "how are you going to sell it?"
I've started selling some eBooks, as my signature shows...and my "flagship" product "was" "How to Write YOUR Songs Down," because I know that the skill of music notation contributes greatly to any songwriter's creative capacities. It's even in the term "song" "writer," that is writer as in someone able to write. Someone who is literate.
John has graciously reviewed the book, and we'll be doing a special for SongStuff members soon. Very cool.
But my point, that relates to yours is that, I decided that I was giving people "what they need" as opposed to giving them "what they want."
That's why I wrote "Become a Better Songwriter Guaranteed!" I speak about the value of learning music notation in the text, but I also concentrate on other aspects of songwriting and unleashing ones' creative potential.
So, it seems to me that you could "work" the same angle. You could make the very legitimate claim that using terminology properly helps songwriters gain better perspective over what they are doing, what their historically-based options are, and how they can forge ahead into new territory without repeating the mundane.
However...is there really a drive for "quality" in songwriting in today's music business? I address that issue by discussing "Internal" vs. "External" success in "Become a Better Songwriter Guaranteed!"
If the drive for "quality" in the music itself is lacking...why would there be a drive for quality in the use of songwriting terminology? ...interesting nut to crack...
Wishing you the best of success,
Dainis