When someone uses terms or phrases we don’t understand, there are two main responses. We can fake that we know what they’re talking about and play along, even though we have no idea what they’re talking about, or we can ask them to explain the part we don’t understand.
If we opt for the former–we decide to play along–the question to ask is, Why? Are we afraid of what they might think? Does pride in our self-image keep us from asking questions that could undermine others’ perceptions of what we know?
Yet, it’s acknowledging that we don’t know that opens up the opportunity to actually grow in our understanding. Not to mention that most people appreciate someone who’s comfortable with the fact that they don’t know everything, especially if they have an attitude that wants to learn.
Better to ask for an explanation and potentially gain understanding, then to bluff it and remain in the dark.