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# Title: An Essay Concerning Humane Understanding (shelfmarks Leibn. Marg. 38; ZEN Leibn. Marg. 38)
# Folio 232, page id 778263916:0248
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Imperfection of W ords
6. 5. WV ords having naturally no signification, the Ideas Which cach
Aands for, must be lcarned and retained, by thole erhro mould exehanse
Thoutus, and hold incellisible Discourse with others, in any Lansiase.
But ehiis is hardes to be donc, Where,
First, The Ideas they Ctand For, are very complex, and made up of 2
sreat number ot Laeas put together.
Secondly, Where the Ideas they Rand for, have no certain connexion
in Nature; and s0 no setled Standard, any; Wrhere in Nature existins, t0
rectitie and adjust themby.
Thiraly. Where the signification of the Word is reterred to a Standard,
etich Scandard is not ealie to De known.
Fourrhlr, Where che signisication oF the Nord, and the real FSsenCC OE
ehe Thing, are noc exactls the same. These are difficulties chat attend
the signilication of several Words that are intellisible. Thole wrhrich arc
not incellisible at aIl, such as Names Canding for any simple Ideas
ertrich anocher has not Orsans or Faculties to attain; as the Names oE
Colours ro a blind Man, or Soundst0 a deaf Man, necd nOt here be MeN.
tioned.
In all these cases, we all find an impertection in Words; WrhicM L
Mall more at large explain, in thoir particular application to our several
Tores oF Ideas: For if ve examine them, ve Mall Find, thar the Names of
mixed Modes, are most liable to doubtfulnessand imperfection, for the tvo
frst of these Reasons; and the Names of Substances chiesty for the tuolatter.
6. 6. First, The Names oFmixed Modes, are mans ot ihem liable tO Great
uncerraines and obscurits in cheir signitication.
Y. Decause of that ereat Composition, these complex Ldeas are oltenmace
up oF. To matce Words serviceable to the end of Communication  is
necessarr, (a5 has been said) that they excite, in the Flcarer, Cxactly the
Tame Ideather stand For, in theMind ot the Speaker: Without this, Men
filL one anothers FTeads ich noise and sounds; but convey not thereby
their Thoughts, and lay not betore one another their Ideas, Which is che
end oi Dilcourse and Lansuage. But Wrhen a word stands For a very
comiplex Idea that is compounded and decompounded, it IS NOE CaTIC FO
Men eotorm and retain that Idea (0 exactly, as to malce theName in
common ule, stand for the lame precile Ldea, without any the least varia-
tion. Elence it comes to pals, that Mens Names, ot verr compound
Ideas, Tueh as Forthe most part are moral Nores, have seldom, in EWO
ditterent Men, the lame precise signification; since one Mans complex
Idea seldom agrees with anothers; and otten disters Froin nis OIM,
From that erhich he had zesterdar, or rill HaVO EO MOTTON.
6. 7. TI. Because the Names of mixed Modes, For the most part,
vant Scandards in Nature, Whereby Men mas rectisie and adjust cheir
Tisnifications; therelore ther are verr various and doubrtul. Ther are
allemblases oF fdeas pur tosettier at ihe pleasure ot the Mind, purtuine
its omn ends ofDilcourle, and suited to irs omn Norions; Wrhereby it de
Tiens nOL to copY ans thins really existins, bue to denominate and
rank Thinss, as ther come toaerce, rith those ArchetrpeS Or FOrmS
ie has made. FTe that Arst brouxhe the mord Sham, Whecale, or
Bancer in ule, Dut together, as he thoushe Fc, thole Ideas he made
ic stand POr: And as it is rith any ner Names OF MOdes, FHat are
nor brouslit into any Languase; (o Was it with the old ones, When
ther were Arlemade use oF. Names theretore, that Rand tor Collectione
Ot Ideas, erhich the Mind maties ac pleature, must needs be ot doubetut
sienisicarion, when such Collections are no-rhere ro be tound conslantiy
unitce