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#11
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A metaphor that the user needs to explain.
"Magic words" (real ones, which btw do not exist) are words which, when uttered, do things that are beyond the laws of physics. They are incantations of, well, magic. Simply saying the magic words cause things to happen which ordinarily could not take place. "Please" and "thank you" are metaphorically "magic words" because by using those words, people respond differently than when the same situation is presented, but without these words. They are (of course) not =really= magical and do not invoke the other world, but because they are powerful social lubricants, they have been given this metaphorical moniker. "Mayday" and "this is an emergency" are also words which elicit a powerful response when otherwise such a response would not be forthcoming. While they do not have the power of actual magical incantations (and thus cannot put fuel in your tank) they will in general garner much more assistance than would normally be gotten without them. "Unable" is similar in this respect. By conveying that the requested action is not just inconvenient, but either unsafe or impossible, the other party is more likely to try to find a workaround, if it is possible. As with all incantations, metaphorical or otherwise, abuse leads to the wrath of the Dark Side, which may be vented on those later to come. Therefore, these magic words should be used with care. But they do have a powerful effect, even if it is not truely magical. Controllers can use these words too. "Request straight in to runway 5" (runway 5 is full of men and machines, seventy parked cars, and a large tent). "Unable runway 5, I can give you left base to runway 35. Report three miles." Generally however it is the pilots who will have the more stringent operations requirements, and will be more likely to use magic words. Jose -- Nothing takes longer than a shortcut. for Email, make the obvious change in the address. |
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