Often, infomal, spoken language, "everyday language" is less precise than any more formal or academic languages.
Language might be said to be imprecise because it exhibits one or more of the following features:
- ambiguity - when two or more different meanings can be interpreted equally well from a certain word or phrase
- vagueness - when borderline cases interfere with an interpretation
- equivocation - ambiguity or vagueness within an argument
- accent (logic) - when the use of bold or italics causes confusion over the meaning of a statement
- amphiboly - when crucial premises in an argument are left implicit
While imprecise language is not desirable in various scientific fields, it may be helpful, illustrative or discussion-stimulative in other contexts. Imprecision in a discourse may or may not be the intention of the author(s) or speaker(s). The role of imprecision may depend on audience, end goal, extended context and subject matter. Relevant players and real stakes will also bear on truth-grounds of statements.
Famous quotes containing the words imprecise and/or language:
“... nothing is more human than substituting the quantity of words and actions for their character. But using imprecise words is very similar to using lots of words, for the more imprecise a word is, the greater the area it covers.”
—Robert Musil (1880–1942)
““What may this mean? Language of Man pronounced
By tongue of brute, and human sense expressed!
The first at least of these I thought denied
To beasts, whom God on their creation-day
Created mute to all articulate sound;
The latter I demur, for in their looks
Much reason, and in their actions, oft appears.”
—John Milton (1608–1674)