Chapter Two

Language: Meaning and Definitions

What is language
 is a means of communication.
 is all about the standardized meaning of words .
is all about a form of speech.
Logic… Arguments.... Statements…sentences…
Words
 Thus, forming an argument is a linguistic activity
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 Functions of Language
Why do we need language?
Language can serve us so many functions
in our life.
It helps us to express our feeling or our
desires, to ask questions, to lie, to sing a
song and so on.

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 The main functions of languages in line
with logic.
A. cognitive
 is also called informative usage of
language.
 is helpful to convey or transmit
information.
 a statement that is helpful to transmit info
is called a statement with cognitive meaning.
Example. Ethiopia is found in the eastern part of
Africa.
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 B. Emotive
Is also called expressive usage of language
Is helpful to evoke or elicit either –ve or + ve
feeling
Are helpful to express our feeling.
a statement that is helpful to express feeling is
called a statement with emotive meaning.
Example. Eritrea is a poor country in which so
many desperate and hopeless peoples are living.
E.g, Murder is cruel and inhuman treatment on
human beings.
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 C. Directive
are helpful to give some strong commands
or directions
a statement which is helpful to give
commands or directions is called a
statement with directive meaning.
Example. Go back ! Leave the class room
now!
N.B All the three usages of language are not
necessarily mutually exclusive.
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 Cont….
Logic… Argument.... Statements…
sentence… Words
Words are the primary unit of ordinary
language i.e. language is the sum of words.
Words are symbols which resembles or
signifies meanings.

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 what is a term?
 is a word or group of words that serve us a
subject of a statement.
Terms include:
1. proper Names: kebede
2. common Names: Human beings
3. descriptive phrases: Alemu who is
living in the next door.

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 What are non terms?
Any word or group of words which can not
serve us a subject of a statement.
Non terms include
verbs, adverbs, adjectives, conjunctions and
disjunctions
N.B There are some exceptional cases in which a
given verb or adverb may serve us a subject of a
statement.
Ex “Slowly ” is a six letter word
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 Terms are words and have two meanings:
intensional and extensional
There are so many ways or methods which are
helpful to produce definition
There two types of definitional techniques
1. Extensional
2. Intentional
These are the two definitional techniques
that could be expressed in different
mechanisms.
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 A. Intensional Meaning
also called connotative meanings
Is all about those important attributes,
qualities, or characteristics of things which
are co notated or represented by the term at
hand.
Example. “cat” can be attributed as a
domestic animal, which is fury, adorable,
emitting a certain sound like Mi aw and eat
house mice.
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 Con.t
they are vulnerable for subjectivity
to counter balance this problem we can
have one method the so called
Conventional connotation
Conventional connotation is an agreed up
on meaning of words or terms
Example. “Cat” is a domestic animal,
which is fury and emitting a certain sound
like Mi aw.
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 In tensional Definitional techniques
 Intensional meaning of a term could be expressed
through the following.
1. Synonymous
 the definiens is a synonymous word for the word
being defined.
The definien and definidum are similar
we can use both of them interchangeably
Example.
“Disorder” means Anarchy.
“Skinny” means thin.
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 2. Etymological Definition
We are expected to goes back to the root or the
origin of that word.
Is helpful to know the historical detail of the
word being defined
Example. What is “ Logic”, “Geography”,
“Biology”, “Philosophy” “Ethics”

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 3. Operational
Through showing a certain experimental
procedure or operation we can define a
given word.
Helpful to bring abstract concepts in to
empirical reality.
Example. what is “acid”
“Acid” is a substance which will return a
given litmus paper in to red when dipped in
to it.
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 4. By Genus and Difference
Three things are important here
Genus………. Larger class
Species……… sub class of the class
Difference……. d/c b/n the genus and
species
Species + Difference + Genus
E.g,C.RONALDO fameousportuguse Foot
ball player.
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 B:Extensional Meanings
Is also called denotative meaning
Is all about the members of the class of
things
Relatively seen they are not exposed to
subjectivity
“Cat “ all cats in the world.
 Any term having no member is called a
term with Empty extension.
Example. God,dinocers & Satan
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 Extensional Definitional techniques

Extensional meaning of a term is expressed through
the following.
1. Demonstrative definitions
 also known as ostensive definitions
 is the most backward type of definitional
technique
To communicate with foreigner that cannot speak the language of

the former
 we are expected to point at or show the subject to be defined.
 can be either partial or complete
 limited by both time and space

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 2. Enumerative
Through naming the members of
the class of things we can define
words
Can be either partial or complete
Example. Foot ball player means
like ,Ronaldo,Messi,Rooney,Vanpe
rse,Geroud, Lampard,Tevez etc
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 3. Definition by Sub class
By naming the sub class of the
class we can define words.
Can be either partial or complete
Example. “human being is
African, Asian ,American ,European
human beng.

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 Relation ship between in tensional and
Extensional Meaning
Intensional definition of a given
usually determines its extensional
definition.
But the reverse is not true.
Terms that have no member is called
Empty extension.
Example:God,dinocers ,Satan.

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 cont..
The order Decreasing intension is the reverse
of increasing intension.
DE: Animal---Mammal---human being--Alemu
II: Animal ---Mammal--human being---Alemu
DI: Alemu…human being ….mammal…
Animal
IE: Alemu…human being ….mammal…
Animal
NB, DI=IE & II=DE
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 What is Definition ?
Is a means or a method of explicating or
explaining the meaning of words.
Every definition has two components:
Definiendum and Definines
Definiendum ….. a word which is supposed to
be define.
Definines …… a word or group of words which
does the defining.
Example. “Computer” is an electronic device
that takes input processes it and produces an out
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 Definitions based their purpose
A. Stipulative
Helpful to assign a meaning for the first time
helpful to substitute complex words with simpler
words.
helpful to develop secret codes.
 are arbitrary assignment of meanings for some
other words
 can not be either true or false
Example. “operation sun set”
Logo phobia
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Name for the newly born child.
 B. Theoretical
Helpful to show the theoretical picture
or characterization of the definiendum.
Based on known theories.
They can not be either true or false
Example. “Goodness” …… Utilitarian
Realism ….in reality/fact
Idealism……ideology
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 C. Persuasive
are helpful to influence the attitude of others
Helps us to create either –ve or +ve attitude
towards the definiendum
Using emotively charged words or phrases is
mandatory
Such a type of definitions are backed by emotional
appeal
Have no truth value
E.g, Abortion is a ruthless murdering of an innocent
human being.
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 D. Precising
Are helpful to reduce the vagueness of words
What is the deference between ambiguous and
vague words?
Vague words lacks precision in their application

Vague: they have different meaning in different

situations
are not arbitrary assignment of meanings for
words, the assignment should be contextual
Have a truth valve.
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 E. Lexical
also called dictionary definitions or they can be
considered as conventional definition
 Ambiguous words: contains two distinct
meanings
Lexical definitions are intended to reduce
ambiguousness of words
Expresses the proper usage of language.
Can be either true or false
E x, Light means Easy.
27 Brightness
 Rule for Lexical Definitions
1. Should show the essential
meaning of the definiendum
2. should have a proper grammar

3. Should not be too broad or

narrow
4. Should not be circular

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 cont..
5.Should not be negative when it can be
affirmative.
6.Should not be expressed in
figurative ,obscure, vague and ambiguous.
7.Should avoid affective expressions &
terminologies
8.Should indicate the context to which the
definiens pertains.

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