THE ART OF DEFINING

Language, in this sense, is arbitrary in

that it may change from one person to
person, from culture to culture. Thus, in
order for language to communicate,
words must have accepted definitions
(Nadell, Langan and Comodromos
2005:432)
 HOW WELL DO YOU KNOW IT?
Definition – is a mode of paragraph
development that answers the
questions: What is it? What does it
mean? What are its special features?
The word to be defined may be an
object, a concept, a person, or a
phenomenon.
 DIFFERENT TECHNIQUES OF
DEFINING
Formal definition is the most common

Term – to be defined
Genus – class where the word/term
belongs
Differentia – characteristics that
distinguish the term from other terms
Ex.
Term = Genus Differentia
Definition = a mode of that answers
paragraph the question
development what is it,
what does
it mean, or
what is its
special features?
 EXTENDED DEFINITION
In words that cannot be defined by formal
definition like love, equality, democracy,
extended definition can be used.
- It is needed to define abstract concepts.
It allows you to broaden your definition by
using analogy, comparison and contrast,
descriptions, and etymology.
Ex. Democracy
1. Democracy is a form of government in
which all eligible citizens participate
equally – either directly or through elected
representatives – in the proposal,
development and the creation of laws.
2. It encompasses social, economic and
cultural conditions that enable the free
and equal practice of political self-
determination.
3. The term originates from the Greek
(demokratia) “rule of the people,” which was
coined from (demos) “people” and (kratos)
“power” or “rule” in the 5th century BCE to
denote the political systems then existing in
Greek city-states, notably Athens.
4. The term is an antonym to (aristokratia) “rule
of an elite”
5. The political system of Classical Athens, for
example, granted democratic citizenship to
an elite class of free men and excluded slaves
and women from political participation.
Other techniques of defining:
1. Definition by synonym – using a similar word
or phrase to define a word
2. Definition by function – stating what the
term is for
3. Definition by analogy – comparing the
term to another object/concept/idea that
shares the same characteristic as the term
being defined
4. Definition by negation – defining the term
by stating what it is not