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Monday, September 29, 2008

definition

In order to be fully understood, we often have to define our terms. In a written definition, we make clear in a more detailed and formal way our under understanding of a term in order to illustrate a point. Such a definition typically starts with one meaning of a term. A definition is a statement of the meaning of a word or phrase. The term to be defined is known as the definiendum (Latin: that which is to be defined). The words which define it are known as the definiens (Latin: that which is doing the defining). There are two types of definitions, these are, descriptive and stipulative. A descriptive definition provides to a term a meaning which is in general use.A stipulative definition of a term carries a meaning which a speaker wants it to convey for the purpose of his or her discourse. Thus, the term may be new, or a stipulative definition may prescribe a new meaning to a term which is already in use.A descriptive definition can be shown to be "right" or "wrong" by comparison to usage, but a stipulative definition cannot.A presicing definition extends the descriptive dictionary definition (lexical definition) of a term for a specific purpose by including additional criteria that narrow down the set of things meeting the definition.

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