  We generalize the decomposition of $U_q(\mathfrak g)$ introduced by A. Joseph
and relate it, for $\mathfrak g$ semisimple, to the celebrated computation of
central elements due to V. Drinfeld. In that case we construct a natural basis
in the center of $U_q(\mathfrak g)$ whose elements behave as Schur polynomials
and thus explicitly identify the center with the ring of symmetric functions.
