I run into this A LOT, though, with me, it appears to happen more often with "intelligent-but-ignorant" people. (ie. my boss) One of the words that really seems to throw them off is "database", suprisingly. But yeah, when explaining what I'm working on, or trying to incorporate what they want into a program, normally results in horribly long conversations and gnashing of teeth.

The only other place I've seen this in action is with my wife. (hehe) "The law of inconsistent assumptions" is responsibly for most of our small arguments, but as we begin to recognize it more, often these "arugments" can be avoided.