I am reminded of an ESL and Mathematics monograph I share with my university students, helping them to understand that academic language may seem like an entirely new language to even those students who are somewhat proficient already with everyday English.
Perhaps a better illustration is my affinity for and familiarity with the wonderful world of western classical music. I can speak quite articulately about the importance of Palestrina’s contribution; why he is sometimes referred to as the savior of music. I can confidently define a crescendo, diminuendo, octaves, minor 7th chords, mF, etc., etc. I can easily compare a fugue, a sonata and a minuet, based on time signature, common usage and typical composers of each. And I am well aware that I need someone equally trained to hold any kind of meaningful conversation with on the topic.
I guess I didn’t always know that mP was “mezzo-piano”, a volume marking on a sheet of music (though I can’t remember a time when I didn’t!), and I suppose there will come a time when I can quickly look at mP in another context and know that it also refers to a fairly humid mass of air originating from the polar region. J