"infamis" wrote in message
om...
In article , "Richard Crowley"
wrote:
Rememer that there are several *different* ways of using
the word "ground". Don't assume that they all mean the
same thing. Many words in English (and likely other
languages also) have several different meanings. We
must determine which meaning is appropriate or we
will be confused.

Exactly. That's what I keep forgetting. But how would you know which
meaning
of ground someone means if all you saw was the ground symbol on a
schematic?
How would you know it meant ground as in the "reference" point (like the
shield of the RCA interconnect) or as a connection to the chassis/power
line?

It means reference point unless it's very explicitly indicated that it means
something else. There is a different symbol (a sort of bent rectangular
pitchfork upside down) for connection to chassis. Connection to the earth
is so rare that you will not see it in ordinary circuit diagrams.