My new word

[megnc86]

Ok, this isn’t MY new word. But, I did submit it to Merriam-Webster's Open Dictionary after some research and discussion with phoebe. And it is online!

The submission:

Monomodal
Adjective

1. confined to or focusing on a single form or manner of expression or communication.
2. Having only one form and/or function.

Examples:
“Some writers are monomodal,

Comments

[zunger]

Hmm... shouldn't it be "unimodal" rather than "monomodal?" Mode is Latin, rather than Greek, and I'm fairly sure I've heard unimodal used much more in text.

(Check on Google: 85.7khits for monomodal, 894khits for unimodal)

OTOH "unimodal" is used most commonly when speaking of probability distributions (e.g. a single Gaussian peak) so it's not obvious that the same word would extend to all other uses.

[megnc86]

I don’t know.

I have heard monomodal used more often. All of my actual experience with monomodal has been in reference to sensory systems (a single sense being a monomode of perception). I know that Monomodal and Bimodal are used to talk about statistical modes. While unimodal makes sense for the same purpose I haven’t run across it.

You are probably right Mr. Smarts.

By the way, I'm getting A's in physics. Right now we are getting into electromagnetism (very basic stuff from your standpoint).

[zunger]

Interesting. Now I'm feeling an urge to collect statistics on the contexts in which unimodal and monomodal show up -- perhaps it's a bimodal distribution. :)

And congrats on the physics! How's school going overall?

[megnc86]

Har har, I love statistics jokes. I love biology jokes even more. Overall school is fun. Though, I look forward to the time when I can take more majors courses and fewer chemistry courses. I can keep afloat, but I don’t enjoy Organic Chemistry or Biochemistry. College has to two velocity modes, very slow and very fast. I am really busy yet I want to do more…sigh.

[zunger]

Don't worry. As time goes by, the slow mode decays faster. (Its peak has a larger imaginary part) So are you majoring in straight bio? Any subfield?

[megnc86]

My major is Neurobiology, Physiology and Behavior. I am not doing Biological Sciences with an emphasis, I went more hard core than that and chose the focused major. I haven’t decided if I have time for any minors.

[zunger]

Sweet. Neurobiology is fascinating stuff. Not leaning towards the molecular side, I take it?

[megnc86]

No, I am not. There is a molecular and cell bio major/emphasis here. But I am not leaning. Why do you ask?

[zunger]

Just randomly. You mentioned not enjoying biochem...

[megnc86]

Well, to be fair, I haven’t really given it a chance yet.

[megnc86]

Speaking of biology jokes, check this little gem I popped out after one of my classes:

Classmate: “Do you really think this class (systemic physiology) is fun?”
Me: “Heck yea, who wouldn’t? Whoohoo, homeostasis baby! Get my sympathetic nervous system going! I’ve got a couple of dopamine receptors with your name on ‘em!”

I was twirling my hand over my head in a lasso motion while I said homeostasis. He shook his head and walked away. Was it something I said?

[zunger]

I think that trying to lasso people using dopamine receptors counts as applied molecular neurobiology. Or maybe mad science. :)

[megnc86]

Just another step on my path to world domination.

[zunger]

Hmm. Just remember, mad scientists don't build world-crushing robot armies or orbital mind control lasers -- mad engineers do.

[megnc86]

So I can make horrible mutagens and release them on unsuspecting suburbanites but not a death ray. Got it.

[zunger]

Pretty much. If suburbanites start growing tentacles around here, I'll know who to ask about it.