DEFINITIONDEFINITION

Definition may be defined as a group of words that assign meaning to some words or group of words.

Every definition consists of two parts:

The DEFINENDUM and the DEFINIENS

The definiendum is the word or group of words that is supposed to be defined, and the definiens is the word or group of words that does the defining. E.g. in the definition “Tiger” means a large striped, ferocious, feline, indigenous to the jungle of India and Asia, “The word Tiger” is the definiendum and every thing after the word “means” is the definiens.

KINDS KINDS Of Of

DEFINITIONS DEFINITIONS

STIPULATIVE DEFINITION:STIPULATIVE DEFINITION:

1

A stipulative definition assign a meaning to a word for the first time. It may involve either coining of a new word or giving a new meaning to an old word. Its purpose is to replace a more complex expression with a simple one.

The need for a stipulative definition is often occasioned by some new phenomena or development. For example:

A few years ago the attempt was made at a certain zoo to crossbreed Tigers and lions. The offspring were produced from a male Tiger and female lion and a male lion and female tiger and were given the name “Tigon” and “Liger”

Another use for stipulative definition is to set up secret codes. “Operation Desert Storm” was the code name given to military invasion of Iraq.

“Operation Rah-e-Rast” is the code name given to the military operation of swat.

“Operation Khowakh ba de Sham” is the code name given to military operation of Khyber Agency.

Words “bop”, “twist”, “Jerk” and “chicken” came to be known as the name of dances.

Penicillin was selected for antibacterial substance produced by penicillium molds, or when the symbol “105 ” was selected as a simple substitute of 10×10 ×10 ×10 ×10

LEXICAL DEFINITION:LEXICAL DEFINITION:

2

A lexical definition is used to report

the meaning that a word already has

in a language. Dictionary definitions

are all examples of lexical definition.

It also serve the purpose of

eliminating the ambiguity.

PRECISING DEFINITION:PRECISING DEFINITION:

3

The purpose of a précising definition is to reduce the

vagueness of a word, once the vagueness has been reduced,

one can reach a decision as to the applicability of the word to

a specific situation. The word “poor” is vague. If legislation

were ever introduced to give direct financial assistance to the

poor, a précising definition would have to be supplied

specifying exactly who is poor and who is not. The definition

“poor” means having an annual income of less than $ 4,000

and a net worth of less than $ 20,000 is an example of

précising definition.

PERSUASIVE DEFINITION

A definition put forward to resolve a

dispute by influencing attitude or

stirring emotion is called a persuasive

definition. The objective of a

persuasive definition is to influence

the attitude of the reader or listener.

Such definitions may be used with

considerable effectiveness in political

speeches and editorial columns.

Examples of opposing pairs of

persuasive definition.

“Capitalism” means, the economic

system in which individuals are

afforded.

The God-given freedom to own

property and conduct business as

they choose.

“Capitalism” means the economic

system in which humanity is

sacrificed to the wanton quest for

money and mutual understanding

and respect are replaced by

alienation, greed and selfishness.

THEORETICAL DEFINITION

Theoretical definition of a term is one which attempt to formulate a theoretically adequate characterization of the objects to which it is applied

OR

Its purpose is to formulate a theoretically adequate or scientifically useful description of the object to which it applies.

In science and philosophy definition often serve as a compressed summary of some theory. One definition is replaced by another as our knowledge and theoretical understanding increases. Physicist have given different definition of “heat” at different times because they accepted different theories of heat at those different times.

VERBAL DISPUTE AND DEFINITION

Many disputes whether about beliefs or about attitude are genuine. However some disputes are merely verbal, arising only as a result of linguistic misunderstanding.

These disputes can be resolved by identifying and clarifying the ambiguities.

Disputes may be of three types:

1.

OBVIOUSLY GENUINE DISPUTE

The dispute in which the parties explicitly and unambiguously disagree about a question of fact. E.g. Mr. Ali believes that Afghanistan is on the western boarder of Pakistan, while Mr. Ahmad denies this, they are in genuine dispute about geographic facts. But dispute can be settled through Atlas. Here no ambiguity but disagreement in beliefs.

2.

MERELY VERBAL DISPUTE

The dispute in which the apparent conflict is not genuine and can be resolved by coming to agreement about how some word or phrase is to be understood e.g. if some one hold that a tree falling in the jungle with no person to hear, it creates no sound, while another one insist a sound really is produced by the falling tree. If a “sound” is the outcome of a human auditory sensation, then both the persons may agree that there was non or if a sound is simply what is produced by vibration in the air, then they may agree that a sound was indeed produced. There is ambiguity but no disagreement.

3.

APPARENTLY VERBAL BUT REALLY GENUINE

This dispute involve the

misunderstanding about the use of

terms, but when that

misunderstanding is cleared up

there remains a disagreement that

goes beyond the meaning of the

words. Here is ambiguity and the

disputers disagree in attitude.