Ostensive definition
Was listening to the Gary Klein conversation and came across a word he used - ostensive definition. Looked up Wikipedia and this is what it means:
"An ostensive definition conveys the meaning of a term by pointing out examples. This type of definition is often used where the term is difficult to define verbally, either because the words will not be understood (as with children and new speakers of a language) or because of the nature of the term (such as colors or sensations)."
Gary was talking about the fuzziness of words when trying to explain matters. Sometimes with only words, the true picture does not get communicated. Using concrete examples of action or behavior gets the message across much more effectively.
Permalink | Sunday, December 16, 2007
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