Dictionary logic?

Question

Sudden thought: Imagine a dictionary containing all the words in a language. Whatever the word we want do define in that language, we need other words (of the same language) to define it, right? For example, if the definition of "chair" is "object used to seat on", and if I didn't know what that means, I would have to go search for the meanings of "object", "used", "to", "seat" and "on" (on the same dictionary). Doesn't this result ultimately in some kind of logic absurdity, when we will be defining words in a loop, ending up trying to explain words with words we are trying to define? Would we need to have self-defining or self-explanatory words? What do you think?

Answer 1

I have often found that when I look up a word in the dictionary, I must then look up another word (or three) to really understand the word I wanted to know in the first place. It's the only downfall of using the dictionary that I know... besides an initial one of not having a clue as to how to spell a word in the first place.
Other than that, dictionaries are wonderful, and make fine reading!

Answer 2

I think you hit upon one of the snags the artificial intelligence community is up against. Each word is eventually connected to all (or most) of the others. Language may have some downside for us so called genius humans. I am positive we would all get along better if we were all machinists or something where the words and terms can stand by themselves.

I've often seen two people talking or arguing with each thinking of something unrelated to what the other is thinking.

Sometimes I think the expression should be, "One word is worth a thousand pictures". Not the other way round.

Super neat question!! a star for you if I remember to click it.

Answer 3

Yes, I know what you mean. I tried to learn Spanish. I was definitely in a hopeless loop. And imagine how many times the same word is printed in that dictionary.

-MM