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By: Carlo Villanueva AB- Filipino

Defining Terms

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When do we define a Term?

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• When the term is new• When the term is new to your

audience• When the term has two or more meanings• When the context requires it

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A formal definition is a concise, logical description,that includes as much information as it can, using as

few words as possible. It consists of three parts:

• the term (word or phrase) to be defined• the class of object or concept to which

the termbelongs• the differentiating characteristics thatdistinguish it from all others of its class,

such as itfunction or properties

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Definition- A paragraph that uses definition is

presenting the writer's ideas aims at explaining something about an abstract form or a conccept.

- the word definition comes from the latin verb, Finire ,meaning to set or to limit, its explanation is limited only to what the reader is supposed to know about the term to avoid confusion with other words in the same class where the target term belongs.

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Kinds of Definition

1. Formal Sentence Definition - it has the three principal parts-

the term to be defined, the genus or class to which the term belongs and the differentiae or tthose characteristics that differentiae or distinguish the term from all others of its class, class or genus that normally we see in the big volumes of dictionaries.

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Example:

An opera is a play in music.Term = Class + differentiae

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2. Extended Definition - amplifies definition by a general

discussion of an object , process, or concept. It uses familiar word or phrase for an unfamiliar word or phrase.

Example:Myopa, nearsightedness, gets better

with old age, but presbyopia, which is the hardening of the lens, gets worse.

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Logical Kinds of Definition

1. Nominal Definition-A definition which speaks about a

term but not declaring anything about it. This is done by considering the origin of the term, by describing the term, by giving the synonym of the term or by citing an example that will represent the term

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Classification of Nominal Definition

a. Nominal Definition by Etymology – attained by tracing the origin of the term.

Ex.: Fraternity came from “frater”, which

means “brother”.

b. Nominal Definition by Description – attained by describing the term.

Ex.: A rose is a flower.

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2. Real Definition -A definition, which declares

something about the term. This kind of definition serves to explain about the nature and to distinguish it from other terms.

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Classification of Real Definition

a. Real Definition by Genus and Specific Difference

- a definition that explains the essence of a term by considering the intelligible elements that make up the term.

Ex.: A triangle is a figure with three sides.

“figure” – genus “three sides” – specific difference

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b. Real Definition by Description - It is done by stating the genus of

the term but altering the specific difference by giving the logical property, which belongs to the term to be defined.

Ex.: A Police Officer is a man bestowed with authority to enforce a law.

“man” – genus “bestowed

with authority to enforce a law” – logical property

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c. Real Definition by Cause -It is attained by stating the genus

of the term but altering the specific difference by tracing its cause. A cause could be its purpose, function, reason for existence, make-up or origin.

Ex.: A book is a written material made-up of several pages and is a source of information.

“written material” – genus “a source of information” – cause or

reason for existence

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Methods of Definition

a. Informal Definition -it is the substitution of a familiar word or

phrase for the unfamiliar term used. a technique that can be employed only when you are reasonably certain that is the term alone and not the referent which is unfamiliar to the reader. Informal definitions are particularly adapted for use in the text for dicussion. because of their infomality and brevity, they can be serious interruptions, We should note that when the informal definitions reach sentences length, it may not be different from the fomal sentences definitions.

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b. Formal Sentences Definitions-with formal definitions, the

situations is different. logically dictated, educational statement is laways called for. Formal definitions are statements composed of three principal parts for which thse are universallyacceoted names:

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In defining a terms with, one-sentence logical method, be sure you dont resort to any of these erroneous definitions:

1. circular definition - (repeats the word)Example: A teacvher is one who teaches

(Doesnt give additional infomation)2. Figurative Definition - (gives

methaphorical meaning) Example: The father is the pillar of the

family(hasto be literal meaning for accuracy in exposition)

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3. Negative Definitions - (places the term as the antithesis or opposite of another term)

Example: "A servent is not the boss" (suggest haste resulting is insufficient explanation of the term)

4. Is when or is where definition- (where or when after the linking verb doesnt complement the term)

Example: Uuniversity is where one earns a diploma. (where has to be changed to a word similar in rank or class to the target term.)

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5. Dictionary definition is the meaning to a word given by a dictionary. this is the literal meaning of the word based on the folloing infomation: spelling, syllabication, pronounciation, etymology or origin, function, tense, levels of meaning synonym, and antonym. all of some of these pieces of information about the term are seen in the dictionary.

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6. Extended definition, as the name suggests, explains somthing with the use of several related sentences. Usually abstract terms or concepts are the ones subjected to this longer kind of definition.

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• Define a word in simple and familiar terms.

• State the differentiating characteristics precisely.

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Tips for Writing Definitions• Avoid defining with "is when" and "is

where”• A noun should be defined with a noun,

a verb witha verb, an adjective with an adjective• Do not define a word by mere

repetition:e.g. A resistor is an electronic device

thatresists current flow. Find a synonym toreplace resists.

Thank You