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5. Synonymous Definitions An intensional (connotative) definition…
5. Synonymous Definitions
An intensional (connotative) definition assigns meaning to a word by indicating the qualities or properties that the word connotes. A synonymous definition is a type of intensional definition that uses a single-word synonym to assign meaning to the word being defined. Synonymous definitions are very concise, but it is often difficult to find an exact synonym without variations in shades of meaning.
Indicate whether each definition shown here is a synonymous definition.
Definition A
“Cogitate” means think.
Definition A a synonymous definition.
Definition B
“Buy” means purchase.
Definition B a synonymous definition.
Definition C
“Eat” means ingest.
Definition C a synonymous definition.
Definition D
“Omniscient” is a word derived from the Latin words omnis, which means all, and scientia, which means knowledge.
Definition D a synonymous definition.
6. Etymological Definitions
An intensional (connotative) definition assigns meaning to a word by indicating the qualities or properties that the word connotes. An etymological definition is a type of intensional definition that assigns meaning to a word by tracing the word’s ancestry. This ancestry may be from the word’s history in its current language or from its origin in other languages. An etymological history of a word can disclose shades of meaning that are not obvious to the reader or listener. And by learning about the etymological roots of a word, you often will gain understanding about the meaning of a large number of other words that share the same roots.
Indicate whether each definition is an etymological definition.
Definition A
“Autograph” stems from the Greek words autos and graphein. Autos means self and graphein means to write.
Definition A an etymological definition.
Definition B
“Dinosaur” means stegosaurus, tyrannosaurus rex, triceratops, apatosaurus, pterodactyl, and so on.
Definition B an etymological definition.
Definition C
The word “science” stems from the Latin word scientia, which means knowledge.
Definition C an etymological definition.
Definition D
“Regal” means royal.
Definition D an etymological definition.
9. Applicability of Intensional Definitions
Not all extensional or intensional definitional techniques are able to produce any type of definition. Some definitional methods are better suited to produce specific types of definitions.
Use your knowledge of the applicability of extensional and intensional definitional techniques to answer the following questions.
Which definitional technique is able to produce only lexical definitions and no other type?
Demonstrative definition
Synonymous definition
Enumerative definition
Operational definition
Definition by subclass
Etymological definition
Definition by genus and difference
Why must some intensional definitional techniques, such as operational definition and definition by genus and difference, often be combined to produce a complete lexical definition?
This is a trick question because different types of definitional techniques should never be combined in a complete lexical definition.
Because you should incorporate all intensional definitional techniques when constructing any given lexical definition.
Because every word can be defined by any intensional definitional technique.
Because some definitional techniques fail to adequately capture the full meaning of certain words.
Which of the following definitional techniques assigns meaning by indicating members of the class that the definiendum denotes?
Synonymous definition, etymological definition, operation definition, and definition by genus and difference
Only demonstrative definition
Demonstrative definition, enumerative definition, and definition by subclass
There are none.
Demonstrative definition, enumerative definition, definition by subclass, synonymous definition, etymological definition, operational definition, and definition by genus and difference
10. Practice with Definitional Techniques
Definitional techniques fall into two broad categories: extensional (denotative) definitions and intensional (connotative) definitions. Extensional definitions assign meaning to a term by indicating the members of the class that the term denotes or refers to. Intensional definitions, by contrast, assign meaning to a word by indicating the qualities or attributes that the word connotes.
Each of the following definitions proceeds according to a specific definitional technique. Indicate whether each definition uses an extensional definitional technique or an intensional definitional technique. Then indicate which specific definitional technique is being employed in each definition.
Definition A
“American city” means Chicago, Philadelphia, New Orleans, Seattle, Tampa, and so on.
Definition A is an definition and uses the definitional technique of .
Definition B
A “dagger” is a small, double-edged blade.
Definition B is an definition and uses the definitional technique of .
Definition C
“Star” means a red dwarf, white dwarf, supergiant, class G, and the like.
Definition C is an definition and uses the definitional technique of .
Definition D
“Academy” means school.
Definition D is an definition and uses the definitional technique of .
Definition E
A voltage source is “high voltage” if and only if a voltmeter shows a reading of 600 V or higher when connected to the source’s two conductors.
Definition E is an definition and uses the definitional technique of .
Definition F
“Bridge” means something such as the Golden Gate Bridge, the Brooklyn Bridge, or the Sydney Harbour Bridge.
Definition F is an definition and uses the definitional technique of .
Definition G
“Snake” means one of these (while gesturing toward a pair of corn snakes in a glass habitat).
Definition G is an definition and uses the definitional technique of .
Definition H
“Term” is derived from the Latin word terminus, which means limit or boundary.
Definition H is an definition and uses the definitional technique of .
11. True/False Review and Chapter Summary
Use your knowledge of definitional techniques to determine which (if any) of the following sentences are true. Check all that apply.
Extensional definitions in general cannot be used to produce precising definitions because vague terms do not have precisely defined extensions.
Demonstrative (ostensive) definition involves listing or naming the individual members of the class denoted by the term being defined, but this technique involves no pointing or gesturing.
Very few English words derive from other languages.
Since a relatively small number of classes denote a conveniently small number of subclasses, it can be difficult to provide a complete definition by subclass for some terms.
The technique of demonstrative (ostensive) is able to produce any of the following types of definitions: stipulative, lexical, and precising.
A partial definition by subclass names subclasses of the class denoted by the term being defined, such that the subclasses taken together include all members of the denoted class.
Operational definitions convey the complete intensional content of the term being defined.
An extensional definition assigns meaning to a term by indicating the members of the class denoted by the term being defined.
One problem with enumerative definitions is that some classes have members with no individual names.
Intensional definitions assign meaning by indicating the members of the class denoted by the term being defined.
An extensional definition guarantees that a reader or listener will grasp the intensional meaning of the word being defined.
The difference phrase does not have to be a single word in a definition by genus and difference.
Many words have subtle shades of meaning that are not connoted by any other single word.
A complete definition by subclass lists subclasses of the class denoted by the term being defined, such that the subclasses taken together contain all members of the larger class.
Stipulative definitions are used to initially assign meaning to new symbols.
