When one thinks of the word "cartoon," one usually associates it with a humorous or satirical depiction, or with a comical icon like Bugs Bunny. At least that was my impression before coming to MIT. But these days, I get to hear the phrase used by professors at MIT in context that is neither cute nor humorous. It seems like diagrams, schematics, and charts are all referred to as cartoons by professors. This week alone, I have heard "cartoon" repeated over a dozen in class. However, I have only heard this word used at the School of Engineering; I haven't heard it at Sloan (at least not yet). I wonder if "cartoon" is part of the colloquialisms of MIT. Or maybe this is a New England speak, similar to the slang "wicked."

4/26/2006 12:48:21 PM (Eastern Daylight Time, UTC-04:00)

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