modality = 'kind'

[Garson O'Toole]

> A well-educated guest on CNN was explaining that, in his his last
> job, he had "prepared educational curricula for people of all modalities."

I think Larry's insight is key. The CNN guest was alluding to possible
world semantics.

In the possible worlds where the guest obtained a job preparing
educational materials he did so for all people.

In the possible worlds where he did not obtain a job preparing
educational materials he still did so for all people as a hobby.

He wished to help educate people of all modalities.

On Thu, Jan 27, 2011 at 4:20 PM, Jonathan Lighter
<wuxxmupp2000 at gmail.com> wrote:
> ---------------------- Information from the mail header -----------------------
> Sender:       American Dialect Society <ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU>
> Poster:       Jonathan Lighter <wuxxmupp2000 at GMAIL.COM>
> Subject:      Re: modality = 'kind'
> -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
>
> Victor, that was the full quote. AFAICT, there was no additional hint of
> what "modalities" might mean. The speaker was quickly enumerating his
> qualifications in a way that might impress a prospective employer. (Several
> times a week CNN allows the long-term unemployed to "pitch" themselves to
> viewers in a 30-second rundown.) This gentleman's previous career was as a
> "life coach."
>
> Perhaps he was using educational jargon in a clumsy way. But whatever he may
> have intended or been thinking, the most natural interpretation of
> "modalities" in this context is indeed "sorts" or "backgrounds," with
> narrower connotations as I suggested.  (Surely he wasn't thinking of
> attributes like hat size or favorite childhood diversions.)
>
> Larry, you make a powerful case nonetheless.
>
> JL
>
> On Thu, Jan 27, 2011 at 3:28 PM, Victor Steinbok <aardvark66 at gmail.com>wrote:
>
>> ---------------------- Information from the mail header
>> -----------------------
>> Sender:       American Dialect Society <ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU>
>> Poster:       Victor Steinbok <aardvark66 at GMAIL.COM>
>> Subject:      Re: modality = 'kind'
>>
>> -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
>>
>> I'm quite used to reference to "modalities" by chiropractors and
>> physical therapists, who use the term to describe different procedures
>> on [different organs of the] patients (and, thus, different billing
>> codes). But in 20 or so years in ed research I have never encountered
>> this terminology. Perhaps we had been exposed to different parts of the
>> field.
>>
>> But Wiki does mention "modalities" under Education:
>>
>> > It is currently fashionable to divide education into different
>> > learning "modes". The learning modalities are probably the most common:
>> > * Visual: learning based on observation and seeing what is being learned.
>> > * Auditory: learning based on listening to instructions/information.
>> > * Kinesthetic: learning based on hands-on work and engaging in
>> activities.
>>
>> This just looks as some sort of variation on various "multiple
>> intelligence" theories, personality types (MBTI), etc.--all of which are
>> mentioned in the paragraph immediately preceding the one quoted. But
>> this makes much more sense than the statement on CNN, as given. I'd need
>> to see the full quote to verify if he meant some sort of two-dimensional
>> analysis (social groups vs. modalities), but it certainly does not
>> appear to be the case.
>>
>>     VS-)
>>
>> On 1/27/2011 3:00 PM, Laurence Horn wrote:
>> > At 12:28 PM -0500 1/27/11, Jonathan Lighter wrote:
>> >> '...especially social class, gender orientation, or ethnicity.'
>> >>
>> >> A well-educated guest on CNN was explaining that, in his his last job,
>> he
>> >> had "prepared educational curricula for people of all modalities."
>> > You don't think he was referring to possible people, likely and
>> > unlikely people, necessary people, and the like?
>> >
>> > LH
>> >
>> >> Before we ridicule this usage, consider that he (and presumably others)
>> may
>> >> assume that even naming such "modalities" might be considered
>> >> "controversial" by some.
>> >>
>> >> The speaker was hoping that his appearance on CNN might lead to a good
>> new
>> >> job.
>> >>
>> >> OK, now we can ridicule.
>> >>
>> >> JL
>>
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>
>
>
> --
> "If the truth is half as bad as I think it is, you can't handle the truth."
>
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