What's in a name? On the problem of meaning-change

  • This article examines the phenomenon of meaning-change in general names, emphasizing its linguistic, philosophical, and societal dimensions. It explores the role of conventions in establishing the relationship between general names and their meanings, highlighting how shifts in meaning can impact language and communication. Structural categories of meaning-change—saliently: strengthening, weakening, and conceptual exclusivity—are presented, along with illustrative examples. The study also proposes a rational framework for evaluating meaning-changes, offering three key precepts: preferring meaning-distinction over change, favoring reform over revolution, and appropriately incorporating moral considerations. Additionally, the implications of politically driven meaning-changes and the challenges of semantic relativism are addressed. The findings aim to provide a nuanced understanding of how meaning-change occurs and guidelines for navigating this process in theoretical and practicalThis article examines the phenomenon of meaning-change in general names, emphasizing its linguistic, philosophical, and societal dimensions. It explores the role of conventions in establishing the relationship between general names and their meanings, highlighting how shifts in meaning can impact language and communication. Structural categories of meaning-change—saliently: strengthening, weakening, and conceptual exclusivity—are presented, along with illustrative examples. The study also proposes a rational framework for evaluating meaning-changes, offering three key precepts: preferring meaning-distinction over change, favoring reform over revolution, and appropriately incorporating moral considerations. Additionally, the implications of politically driven meaning-changes and the challenges of semantic relativism are addressed. The findings aim to provide a nuanced understanding of how meaning-change occurs and guidelines for navigating this process in theoretical and practical contexts.show moreshow less

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Metadaten
Author:Uwe MeixnerGND
URN:urn:nbn:de:bvb:384-opus4-1184244
Frontdoor URLhttps://opus.bibliothek.uni-augsburg.de/opus4/118424
Parent Title (English):Qeios
Publisher:Qeios
Type:Preprint
Language:English
Year of first Publication:2025
Publishing Institution:Universität Augsburg
Release Date:2025/01/27
Issue:Jan 24, 2025
Edition:Online-Ressource
First Page:1
Last Page:18
DOI:https://doi.org/10.32388/sj22io
Institutes:Philosophisch-Sozialwissenschaftliche Fakultät
Philosophisch-Sozialwissenschaftliche Fakultät / Philosophie
Philosophisch-Sozialwissenschaftliche Fakultät / Philosophie / Lehrstuhl für Philosophie mit Schwerpunkt Analytische Philosophie / Wissenschaftstheorie
Dewey Decimal Classification:1 Philosophie und Psychologie / 10 Philosophie / 100 Philosophie und Psychologie
Licence (German):CC-BY 4.0: Creative Commons: Namensnennung (mit Print on Demand)