Language

Just what is a definition? Are definitions ever proved or are they all man made? If they are man made, what good are they?

Comments

Just what is a definition?

To answer your first question, I looked up "definition" (in the linguistic sense of the word) and got this: "define: to explain the meaning of (a word, phrase, etc.)." If that definition is accurate, then a definition is an explanation of the meaning of a word, phrase, etc.

Are definitions ever proved?

The definitions in dictionaries are attempts to explain the actual meanings of terms as those terms are used by the community of language-users. As such, definitions can be more accurate or less accurate, depending on how well they capture the actual way terms are used. I wouldn't say that such definitions are ever "proved," but as a matter of empirical fact some definitions are more accurate than others.

Another kind of definition, not found in dictionaries, is a stipulative definition: it's just a speaker's proposal to use a word in a particular way or else the speaker's declaration that he/she will be using the word in that way. Stipulative definitions aren't meant to report the actual use of the word by the community of language-users; instead, they're proposed or declared in order to have a shorthand way of saying something.

Are definitions all man-made?

Yes, in the sense that all definitions are invented by language-users rather than arising independently of language-users.

If they are man-made, what good are they?

As far as I know, all explanations (on Earth, anyway) are made by humans. Being explanations, dictionary definitions are useful in the way that explanations in general are useful. Stipulative definitions are useful as shorthand ways of saying something.

Read another response by Stephen Maitzen

Read another response about Language