To: Moonman62
A word is just a symbol for a concept. The same word can be used to symbolize several different concepts that are still somewhat similar in meaning.
12 posted on
11/16/2019 6:51:52 AM PST by
mjp
((pro-{God, reality, reason, egoism, individualism, natural rights, limited government, capitalism}))
To: mjp
The same word can be used to symbolize several different concepts that are still somewhat similar in meaning. You mean like "gay"?
52 posted on
11/16/2019 7:44:46 AM PST by
BwanaNdege
( Experience is the best teacher, but if you can accept it 2nd hand, the tuition is less!)
To: mjp
A word is just a symbol for a concept. The same word can be used to symbolize several different concepts that are still somewhat similar in meaning. The enormous flaw in that argument is that words are meant to communicate specific meanings. While a word may convey many concepts, as you say, the meanings will be different for others who maintain a different "concept" of the word. That leads to linguistic chaos. While language and word meanings do change over time, the essential factor is that a majority must agree on meanings or language becomes useless as a means of communicating ideas.
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