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Full Idea
I am persuaded that common speech is full of vagueness and inaccuracy, and that any attempt to be precise and accurate requires modification of common speech both as regards vocabulary and as regards syntax.
Gist of Idea
Common speech is vague; its vocabulary and syntax must be modified, for precision
Source
Bertrand Russell (Mr Strawson on Referring [1957], p.123)
Book Ref
Russell,Bertrand: 'Essays in Analysis', ed/tr. Lackey,Douglas [George Braziller 1973], p.123
A Reaction
It is interesting that he cites the syntax of ordinary language, as well as the vocabulary. The implication is that vagueness can also be a feature of syntax (and hence his pursuit of logical form), which is not normally mentioned
| 21550 | Science reduces indexicals to a minimum, but they can never be eliminated from empirical matters [Russell] |
| 21551 | Empirical words need ostensive definition, which makes them egocentric [Russell] |
| 21552 | Common speech is vague; its vocabulary and syntax must be modified, for precision [Russell] |