Econ speak: with all the news about the struggling economy, it helps to know your Dow from your Federal Reserve. Here's a guide to key terms.

• Author: Smith, Patricia
• Position: NATIONAL

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The Great Recession officially ended in the summer of 2009. At least that's what the economists tell us. But with almost 14 million Americans still out of work, it sure doesn't feel that way to a lot of people.

Discontent over the economy played a major role in the midterm elections last fail, in which dissatisfied voters installed a new Republican majority in the House of Representatives.

And the economy is certain to be one of the biggest issues in the 2012 presidential election. Indeed, it may determine whether President Obama wins a second term in the White House. (The phrase "It's the economy, stupid" became the mantra of Bill Clinton's successful 1992 presidential campaign, and it tings just as true today.)

To follow the discussion, here's a list of 19 key terms that politicians and the media use when talking about the economy.

Investing

Wall Street This is probably the first phrase that comes to mind when you think about the world of money and finance. It's literally a street in lower Manhattan where the New York Stock Exchange and other key financial institutions are located, but the term has become shorthand for the U.S. financial industry. And yes, there was once a wall on the street, built by the Dutch in the 1600s to protect the settlement from the Indians.

Stock A share of a business that an investor can buy. Companies usually decide to sell stock to the public when they need money to expand. Each stockholder actually owns a tiny piece of the company.

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Stock Market An exchange where shares of stock are bought and sold by investors. The New York Stock Exchange is the biggie, with about 2,800 companies--both American and foreign--collectively worth about $18 trillion. You'll also hear about the Nasdaq, a newer stock exchange that's in New York too and lists a lot of technology stocks, like Apple and Microsoft.

The Dow Shorthand for the Dow Jones Industrial Average, it's actually an index of the stock prices of 30 major American corporations (see list, left). It's widely viewed as an indicator of how the overall stock market is performing, which is why you hear people say, "The Dow is up" or "The Dow is down." Charles Dow, who had cofounded Dow Jones & Company with Edward Jones, came up with the idea for the index in 1896.

Bear Market A period in which stock prices are generally heading down, usually as a result of investors feeling pessimistic about the prospects for business and the economy. A recession with high unemployment or a period of high inflation are typical causes of a bear market.

Bull Market When stock prices are rising, .and investors feel "bullish," or optimistic, about the market and the economy. The origin of the terms is unclear, but it may be because bulls drive their horns up to attack and bears swipe their paws down.

Money & Jobs

Unemployment Rate The percentage of people who are looking for work and have not found jobs. (It doesn't take into account those who are unemployed but not actively looking for work.) The...