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# Title: An Essay Concerning Humane Understanding (shelfmarks Leibn. Marg. 38; ZEN Leibn. Marg. 38)
# Folio 231, page id 778263916:0247
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Chap. IX.
imperfection of No
 LL 1L L. 1X.
6. 1.
Of ehe imperfection of Words.
Rom Wrhac has been Paid in the Poresoins Chapters, il is ealie
to perceire, wtrat impersection there is in Lariguase, and ho
theverr nature of Nords, malces it almost unavoidable, for manz ofthem
to De doubrsul and uncertain in their significations. Fo examine the
perfection, ox impertection oF Words, it is necessari, First, to consider
their ule and end: For as ther ore more or less fcred toactain that, (0 are
they more or lels pertect. Wehare, inthe former part ol chis Discourle,
often, upon occasion, mentioned a double use of Words:
First, One For the recordins ot our omn ThougHIS.
Secondly, The ocher For the communicatins of oux Thouetts io
Others.
6. 2. ASEOChetr OPthese, for ihe recordine our onn Thouxhes, For che
help ofour omn Memories, Whereby, as it vere, We talk to our selves
any Words will serre the turn. For since Soundsare voluntarr and indit
ferent sions otans Ideas, a Man may use what Words he pleale, t0 signi-
sic his omn Ideas to himselF: and there will be no imperfection in them,
it he constaney ule the tame sien For the same Idea: FOr TMeN HE CONLSE
Fail oEhavins his meanins understood, wherein contits cheristu usc and
persection ot Languase.
8. 3. Secondly, As E0 communication by Words, chat 100 vas a double use:
I. Civil.
II. Philosophicat.
Firs By cheir civil Ese, Tmeansuch a communication oE Thouxts and
Ideas bY Words, as mas serre for the upholdins common Conversation
and Commerce, about the ordinary Afairs and Conveniencies oF civii
Tise in the Societies ofNTen, onc amons (t anOther.
Secondly, BY the philosophicat se oF Words, L mean such an use oF
ehem, as miar serre to correr tho precise Notions of Thines, and tO Cx-
prels, in general Propositions, certain and undoubred Fructs, Which chc
Mind may rest uxon, and be latissled with, in ies seareh after rruC RnO
ledge. Thesetmo Dses are very distinct; and a great deal lels exactness
viil serve in the onc, than in the othier, as re Mail sec in Whrac tollors.
5. 4. The chieF Fnd oF Lansuase in Communication, Deins to be un-
derstood, Words serre not well for that end, neither in civil, nor philo-
Tophical Discourse, When any Word does not excite in the FCarer, the
Tamme Ldea ertrich it stands for in the Mind ol the Speakcer. No since
Sounds have no natural connexion rith our Ideas, Dut have all their
signitication from the arbitrari impolition otMen, tne doubrfulness and
uncertaire of eheir signification, Wtrich is the imperfection ve here are
speaktino ol, has its cause more in the Ideas chey stand For, than in ariy
incapacits there is in one Sound, more than in another, ro lienitie any
Idea: For in that regard, eher are all equally perfect.
That chen wrhick malies doubesulness and uncertainty in che sonitica
cion oE some Words more chuni orters, is the disference ot Ldeas Mhes
cand For.