Deck 2: Language: Meaning and Definition

Question 1

The following dispute: Margie:
Our friend Ann just got a new puppy.
Adam:
I'm afraid you're wrong. What she got was a kitten.
Is best described as:

A) Verbal arising from ambiguity.
B) Contentious.
C) Factual.
D) Friendly.
E) Verbal arising from vagueness.

Answer 1

Factual.

Question 2

The definition "'Singer' means someone such as Justin Timberlake, Beyoncé Knowles, Christina Aguilera, and Mariah Carey" is an example of:

A) A demonstrative definition.
B) A stipulative definition.
C) An enumerative definition.
D) A precising definition.
E) A definition by subclass.

Answer 2

An enumerative definition.

Question 3

The definition "'Lawyer' means a humanitarian who selflessly comes to the rescue of fellow citizens unjustly threatened with the loss of life, liberty or property" is an example of:

A) A precising definition.
B) A theoretical definition.
C) A persuasive definition.
D) A lexical definition.
E) A definition by subclass.

Answer 3

A persuasive definition.

Question 4

Which of the following statements is ambiguous?

A) Paul watched Kathy throw a ball through the window.
B) Poverty is rampant in third world nations.
C) Bill's attitudes are normal for a teenager.
D) Most film stars are either beautiful or handsome.
E) Lawrence worked on his project throughout the evening.

Question 5

Which of the following are all connoted by the term "baseball player"?

A) Yankees, Cubs, Red Sox, Cardinals.
B) Babe Ruth, Frank Robinson, Ty Cobb, Stan Musial.
C) Pitcher, catcher, first baseman, shortstop.
D) New York, Chicago, Boston, St. Louis.
E) Athletic, cap-wearing, skillful, speedy.

Question 6

Which of the following are all denoted by the term "corporation"?

A) Gillette, Oracle, Pfizer, Boeing.
B) Directors, officers, shareholders, employees.
C) Razors, software, drugs, airplanes.
D) Bankers, brewers, camera makers, real estate developers.
E) Large, impersonal, powerful, wealthy.

Question 7

In the definition "'Captain' means a person having authority over and responsibility for a group or unit" the definiendum is:

A) Authority.
B) Captain.
C) A person having authority over and responsibility for a group or unit.
D) Responsibility for a group or unit.
E) Person.

Question 8

Which of the following groups of terms are in the order of increasing intension?

A) Shasta daisy, daisy, flower, plant.
B) Daisy, flower, plant, Shasta daisy.
C) Flower, plant, daisy, Shasta daisy.
D) Plant, flower, daisy, Shasta daisy.
E) Shasta daisy, flower, plant daisy.

Question 9

Which of the following words is a term?

A) Mostly a failure.
B) Highly dedicated.
C) Nobel prizes.
D) Extremely nice.
E) Above the top shelf.

Question 10

In the definition "'Fund' means a deposit of money used as a resource or security" the definiens is:

A) Deposit.
B) Deposit of money.
C) Fund.
D) Used as a resource or security.
E) A deposit of money used as a resource or security.

Question 11

Which of the following statements is vague?

A) The Mariners defeated the Yankees by a score of 4 to 2.
B) Mrs. Adams is really quite young.
C) World War I was triggered by the assassination of Archduke Ferdinand.
D) Dr. Kendrick is a large feline veterinarian.
E) Fido has never had a rabies shot.

Question 12

Which of the following statements has primarily cognitive meaning?

A) Most TV shows are boring.
B) These orchids are gorgeous.
C) I hate turnips.
D) Big business can't be trusted.
E) The capital of Nevada is Carson City.

Question 13

Which of the following statements expresses a value claim?

A) Fred inherited a large amount of money from his uncle.
B) Jane had lunch with her niece today.
C) The tensile strength of steel is greater than that of copper.
D) Professor Thompson is a great instructor.
E) Among the states, California has the largest number of electoral votes.

Question 14

Which of the following is always an intensional definition?

A) Persuasive definition.
B) Demonstrative definition.
C) Definition by genus and difference.
D) Enumerative definition.
E) Stipulative definition.

Question 15

Which of the following is always an extensional definition?

A) Theoretical definition.
B) Enumerative definition.
C) Etymological definition.
D) Synonymous definition.
E) Precising definition.

Question 16

Which of the following groups of terms are in the order of increasing extension?

A) Rainbow trout, trout, fish, animal.
B) Fish, trout, animal, rainbow trout.
C) Animal, fish, trout, rainbow trout.
D) Rainbow trout, fish, trout, animal.
E) Fish, trout, rainbow trout, animal.

Question 17

"Extension" means roughly the same thing as:

A) Corporeality.
B) Sense.
C) Connotation.
D) Denotation.
E) Conventional connotation.

Question 18

The definition "'Gravity' means an attractive force that exists between all material particles and varies inversely with the square of the distance between them" is an example of:

A) A demonstrative definition.
B) An operational definition.
C) An enumerative definition.
D) A theoretical definition.
E) An etymological definition.

Question 19

Which of the following pairs of terms have the same extension?

A) Actor, actress.
B) Elf, gnome.
C) Football player, linebacker.
D) Professor, instructor.
E) Kansas, Nebraska.

Question 20

The definition "'Case' means (1) a set of circumstances, (2) a lawsuit, (3) a box for holding something" is an example of:

A) A lexical definition.
B) An enumerative definition.
C) A demonstrative definition.
D) A precising definition.
E) A definition by subclass.

Question 21

The definition "'Vehicle' means a car, truck, motorcycle, bus, and so on" is an example of:

A) A theoretical definition.
B) A definition by subclass.
C) A circular definition.
D) A definition by genus and difference.
E) An enumerative definition.

Question 22

The definition "'Hardboiled' means, in reference to an egg, that it spins rapidly when twirled on a flat surface" is an example of:

A) A precising definition.
B) A demonstrative definition.
C) An etymological definition.
D) An operational definition.
E) A definition by genus and difference.

Question 23

The definition "'Dog' means that and that and that" (as you point to a number of dogs) is an example of:

A) An enumerative definition.
B) A definition by genus and difference.
C) A lexical definition.
D) A precising definition.
E) A demonstrative definition.

Question 24

As a lexical definition, the definition "'Democrat' means a person who believes that every citizen counts for something" may be criticized as:

A) Being vague.
B) Being negative.
C) Being ambiguous.
D) Being figurative.
E) Being affective.

Question 25

As a lexical definition, the definition "'Star' means a speck of light up above" may be criticized as:

A) Being affective.
B) Being vague.
C) Being ambiguous.
D) Being operational.
E) Being negative.

Question 26

The definition "'Filly' means a young female horse" is an example of:

A) A stipulative definition.
B) A definition by genus and difference.
C) A synonymous definition.
D) A definition by subclass.
E) A demonstrative definition.

Question 27

The definition "'Gyrate' derives from the Greek work gyros, which means round or curved" is an example of:

A) An operational definition.
B) An etymological definition.
C) A definition by genus and difference.
D) An enumerative definition.
E) A stipulative definition.

Question 28

The definition "'Heinous' means wicked" is an example of:

A) A precising definition.
B) A theoretical definition.
C) A synonymous definition.
D) A definition by genus and difference.
E) A definition by subclass.

Question 29

In the definition " 'Optimist' means a person who is hopeful and confident about the future" the species term is:

A) Person.
B) Future.
C) Optimist.
D) Hopeful.
E) Confident.

Question 30

As a lexical definition, the definition "'Religion' means the opiate of the masses" may be criticized as:

A) Being negative.
B) Being ambiguous.
C) Being figurative.
D) Being obscure.
E) Being circular.

Question 31

The definition "'Hot' means, in relation to bath water, having a temperature of 105° F" is an example of:

A) A synonymous definition.
B) An etymological definition.
C) A theoretical definition.
D) A precising definition.
E) A stipulative definition.

Question 32

As a lexical definition, the definition "'Relevant' means not being irrelevant" may be criticized as being:

A) Negative.
B) Vague.
C) Too broad.
D) Ambiguous.
E) Too narrow.

Question 33

In the definition, "'Toad' means a tailless leaping amphibian that feeds on insects and is usually terrestrial but lays its eggs in water," the genus term is:

A) Amphibian.
B) Water.
C) Toad.
D) Insects.
E) Usually terrestrial.

Question 34

The definition "'Monster moo' means milk produced by genetically engineered cows" is an example of:

A) A persuasive definition.
B) A precising definition.
C) A definition by subclass.
D) A lexical definition.
E) A stipulative definition.

Question 35

As a lexical definition, the definition "'Knife' means a thin, narrow, rigid piece of steel, often pointed at one end, and having a wood, metal, or hard plastic handle on the other end" may be criticized as:

A) Being figurative.
B) Being obscure.
C) Failing to convey the essential meaning of the word being defined.
D) Being negative.
E) Being ambiguous.

Question 36

As a lexical definition, the definition "'Tooth paste' means paste for teeth" may be criticized as:

A) Being ambiguous.
B) Being obscure.
C) Being too broad.
D) Being circular.
E) Being affective.

Question 37

As a lexical definition, the definition "'Magnolia' means a flowering tree" may be criticized as:

A) Being too broad.
B) Being negative.
C) Being too narrow.
D) Being figurative.
E) Being obscure.

Question 38

As a lexical definition, the definition "'Soap' means water soluble sodium palmitate" may be criticized as:

A) Being ambiguous.
B) Being obscure.
C) Being too broad.
D) Failing to convey the essential meaning of the word being defined.
E) Being vague.

Question 39

As a lexical definition, the definition "'Pillow' means a cushion filled with feathers" may be criticized as:

A) Being obscure.
B) Being affective.
C) Being ambiguous.
D) Being figurative.
E) Being too narrow.

Question 40

In the definition "'Fjord' means a narrow inlet of sea water with steep sides carved by glaciers" the difference words include (among others):

A) Fjord, inlet.
B) Inlet, steep sides carved by glaciers.
C) Inlet, carved by glaciers.
D) Fjord, sea water.
E) Narrow, carved by glaciers.

Question 41

The definition "'Avaricious' means greedy" is an example of:

A) A stipulative definition.
B) A definition by genus and difference.
C) A synonymous definition.
D) An extensional definition.
E) An enumerative definition.

Question 42

Which of the following are all denoted by the term "philosopher"?

A) Aristotle, Plato, Descartes, Locke.
B) Aristotle, Greece, Lyceum, peripatos.
C) Rationalism, empiricism, idealism, pragmatism.
D) Introspective, intelligent, rational, curious.
E) Aristotelianism, Platonism, Cartesianism, Kantianism.

Question 43

Which of the following words is a term?

A) For sale.
B) Highly promising.
C) Resignation.
D) Overly generous.
E) Throughout the winter months.

Question 44

The definition "'Marianzy' means a flower that results from crossing a marigold with a daisy" is an example of:

A) An etymological definition.
B) A stipulative definition.
C) An operational definition.
D) A persuasive definition.
E) A definition by subclass.

Question 45

Which of the following is always an extensional definition?

A) Precising definition.
B) Stipulative definition.
C) Theoretical definition.
D) Demonstrative definition.
E) Synonymous definition.

Question 46

Which of the following is always an intensional definition?

A) Enumerative definition.
B) Definition by subclass.
C) Synonymous definition.
D) Demonstrative definition.
E) Stipulative definition.

Question 47

In the definition "'Chill' means a sensation of cold attended with shivering," the definiens is:

A) A sensation of cold attended with shivering.
B) Cold attended with shivering.
C) Chill.
D) Attended with shivering.
E) Sensation.

Question 48

Which of the following statements has primarily cognitive meaning?

A) Anne Hathaway's latest film is fantastic.
B) Allegra is an allergy medication.
C) Robert is incredibly lazy.
D) Modern politics is disgusting.
E) Chocolate chip cookies are delicious.

Question 49

Which of the following groups of terms are in the order of increasing intension?

A) Mallard, duck, waterfowl, bird.
B) Waterfowl, bird, mallard, duck.
C) Bird, waterfowl, duck, mallard.
D) Duck, mallard, bird, waterfowl.
E) Mallard, waterfowl, duck, bird.

Question 50

The definition "'Child' means, for purposes of buying a ticket for admission to the Bijou Theater, a person less than eleven years old" is an example of:

A) A definition by subclass.
B) An operational definition.
C) A lexical definition.
D) A demonstrative definition.
E) A precising definition.

Question 51

Which of the following pairs of terms have the same extension?

A) Red, green.
B) Psychologist, psychiatrist.
C) Baseball player, shortstop.
D) Novel, Moby Dick.
E) Vampire, tooth fairy.

Question 52

The definition "'Whistleblower' means a back-stabbing employee who reveals company secrets to enemies on the outside" is an example of:

A) A lexical definition.
B) A persuasive definition.
C) A demonstrative definition.
D) A stipulative definition.
E) A precising definition.

Question 53

Which of the following groups of terms are in the order of increasing extension?

A) Dwelling, house, large house, mansion.
B) Mansion, large house, house, dwelling.
C) House, mansion, dwelling, large house.
D) Large house, house, mansion, dwelling.
E) Dwelling, large house, house, mansion.

Question 54

Which of the following statements is ambiguous?

A) Mr. Carter lost a lot of money in the stock market.
B) The Watergate burglary led to Nixon's resignation.
C) Judge Harris will issue his ruling on the nude beach today.
D) The author of Paradise Lost is John Milton.
E) The atomic weight of carbon is 12.

Question 55

Which of the following statements expresses a value claim?

A) Germany defeated Sweden in the soccer tournament.
B) The Windows operating system is produced by Microsoft.
C) Kevin enlisted in the Army when he was eighteen.
D) The two ships collided in the middle of the Atlantic.
E) Ulysses is a wonderful novel.

Question 56

Which of the following are all connoted by the term "poet"?

A) Iambic, trochaic, dactylic, anapestic.
B) Ode, sonnet, ballad, elegy.
C) Dickinson, Wordsworth, Poe, Longfellow.
D) Imaginative, expressive, sensitive, articulate.
E) Lyric, pastoral, bucolic, georgic.

Question 57

The following dispute: Francine:
Professor Thompson's economics class is very hard.
Dorothy:
Well, I took that class last year, and I didn't find it hard at all.
Is best described as:

A) Verbal arising from vagueness.
B) Unresolvable.
C) Factual.
D) Academic.
E) Verbal arising from ambiguity.

Question 58

Which of the following statements is vague?

A) The United States was the first nation to develop nuclear weapons.
B) This shirt is made entirely of cotton.
C) Joe talked to Tom in his dorm room.
D) The water in this pool is quite warm.
E) Felicity's birthday is on July 12.

Question 59

In the definition "'Geode' means a hollow spheroidal rock with crystals lining the inside wall" the definiendum is:

A) Hollow spheroidal rock.
B) With crystals lining the inside wall.
C) A hollow spheroidal rock with crystals lining the inside wall.
D) Rock.
E) Geode.

Question 60

'Intension' means roughly the same thing as:

A) Exposition.
B) Connotation.
C) Denotation.
D) Definiendum.
E) Reference.

Question 61

The definition "'Rust' means oxidized iron" is an example of:

A) An enumerative definition.
B) A definition by genus and difference.
C) A demonstrative definition.
D) A synonymous definition.
E) An etymological definition.

Question 62

As a lexical definition, the definition "'Golf' means a silly activity in which grown adults whack at a small ball with variously shaped sticks until it falls into a hole in the grass" may be criticized as:

A) Being negative.
B) Being too broad.
C) Being affective.
D) Being ambiguous.
E) Being circular.

Question 63

The definition "'State' means Oregon, Missouri, Ohio, Vermont, and so on" is an example of:

A) An etymological definition.
B) A synonymous definition.
C) An enumerative definition.
D) A precising definition.
E) A stipulative definition.

Question 64

As a lexical definition, the definition "'Ocean' means a large body of water" may be criticized as:

A) Being too narrow.
B) Being vague.
C) Being ambiguous.
D) Being circular.
E) Being affective.

Question 65

In the definition "'Spire' means a tapering structure on the top of a building," the difference words include:

A) Structure, tapering.
B) Spire, structure.
C) Tapering, on top of a building.
D) Structure, on top of a building.
E) Spire, building.

Question 66

The definition "'Gemstone' means a diamond, emerald, sapphire, ruby, and so on" is an example of:

A) A definition by genus and difference.
B) A persuasive definition.
C) A demonstrative definition.
D) A definition by subclass.
E) A precising definition.

Question 67

As a lexical definition, the definition "'Pencil' means a cylindrical piece of wood, a few inches in length, having a graphite core and a piece of soft rubber attached to one end" may be criticized as:

A) Being obscure.
B) Failing to convey the essential meaning of the word being defined.
C) Being circular.
D) Being vague.
E) Being ambiguous.

Question 68

In the definition "'Vegan' means a person who does not eat or use animal products," the species term is:

A) Vegan.
B) Animal.
C) Person.
D) Animal products.
E) Products.

Question 69

The definition "'Craft' means (1) a skill or trade, (2) cunning, (3) a small boat" is an example of:

A) A lexical definition.
B) An operational definition.
C) A stipulative definition.
D) A synonymous definition.
E) A demonstrative definition.

Question 70

In the definition "'Hyena' means a large, carnivorous, Old World mammal having a thick neck, large head, and four-toed feet", the genus term is:

A) Mammal.
B) Thick neck.
C) Hyena.
D) Large head.
E) Old World.

Question 71

The definition "'Oxygen' means an element having an atomic weight of 8 and an atomic number of 16" is an example of:

A) An extensional definition.
B) A theoretical definition.
C) A persuasive definition.
D) An etymological definition.
E) A definition by subclass.

Question 72

As a lexical definition, the definition "'Female' means not being male" may be criticized as:

A) Being obscure.
B) Being vague.
C) Being too narrow.
D) Being negative.
E) Being too broad.

Question 73

As a lexical definition, the definition "Sex is the salt of life" may be criticized as:

A) Being too broad.
B) Being figurative.
C) Being negative.
D) Being too narrow.
E) Being circular.

Question 74

The definition "'Eiffel Tower' means that" (as you point to it) is an example of:

A) A precising definition.
B) An intensional definition.
C) A definition by subclass.
D) A theoretical definition.
E) A demonstrative definition.

Question 75

The definition "'Phonograph' is a word derived from the Greek words phon, meaning 'sound' and graphein, meaning 'to write'" is an example of:

A) An etymological definition.
B) A precising definition.
C) An extensional definition.
D) A stipulative definition.
E) A definition by genus and difference.

Question 76

As a lexical definition, the definition "'Cello' means a stringed musical instrument" may be criticized as:

A) Being ambiguous.
B) Being obscure.
C) Being too narrow.
D) Being negative.
E) Being too broad.

Question 77

As a lexical definition, the definition "'Razor' means a cutaneal follicular outgrowth truncator" may be criticized as:

A) Failing to convey the essential meaning of the word being defined.
B) Being too broad.
C) Being too narrow.
D) Being obscure.
E) Being affective.

Question 78

As a lexical definition, the definition "'Statue' means a three dimensional representation made of marble" may be criticized as:

A) Being too narrow.
B) Being too broad.
C) Being affective.
D) Being obscure.
E) Being circular.

Question 79

As a lexical definition, the definition "'Iceberg' means a berg of ice" may be criticized as:

A) Being too broad.
B) Being ambiguous.
C) Being negative.
D) Being too narrow.
E) Being circular.

Question 80

The definition "'Rare' means, in reference to a steak, that the meat appears red when you cut into it" is an example of:

A) A theoretical definition.
B) A definition by subclass.
C) A persuasive definition.
D) An operational definition.
E) An enumerative definition.