Our words directly influence the way we think and view the world. This is why they are so important to me.
You can notice differences between two distinct cultures caused by differences in their languages. Same goes with people: you can notice a difference in thoughts and actions caused by differences in the words they use (or the meaning they assign them).
In my personal experience in trying to figure things out, no enemy has been more dangerous than a mismatch between my understanding of a definition and the writer’s own understanding of it.
This is why I created this blog post: not in an attempt to “record the truth” but in order to “record my truth”, so that no one gets lost (myself included).
- What is a definition — Explain what words actually mean.
- Why did I define “definitions” — Clear communication.
- How to write a definition — Clear over clever.
- When to write a definition — Every time. So you can refer to it at some points.
A dictionary basically is a common index of definitions that people use to refer to a previously agreed upon definition.
Below you will find some useful definitions that I will refer to in my future blog posts:
Common words
- Definition — Explain what the word actually means.