Is there a word that describes when two or more people have different understandings of the same word?
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Chapters
00:00 Is There A Word That Describes When Two Or More People Have Different Understandings Of The Same Wor
00:54 Answer 1 Score 23
01:35 Accepted Answer Score 19
02:08 Answer 3 Score 8
02:26 Answer 4 Score 4
02:59 Answer 5 Score 2
03:08 Thank you
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Full question
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Tags
#wordchoice #wordusage
#avk47
ANSWER 1
Score 23
Semantic discord is the situation where two parties disagree on the definition of a word or several words essential to communicating or formulating any concept at issue.
Semantic disputes are arguments that arise over terms due to semantic discord.
A semantic dispute is a disagreement that arises if the parties involved disagree about whether a particular claim is true, not because they disagree on material facts, but rather because they disagree on the definitions of a word (or several words) essential to formulating the claim at issue.
Semantic disputes can result in the logical fallacy of equivocation.
ACCEPTED ANSWER
Score 19
A given individual's idiosyncratic use of language or words is called an idiolect, and a single word with multiple or ambiguous meanings can be described as multivalent but for generally describing the varying meanings of words, semantics is in fact correct. When you say "we are arguing semantics" you mean "we are arguing over the meanings/definitions of our words."
It's a little off topic for this SE, but it's worth mentioning that a number of noted philosophers have devoted their careers to semantics and the impact of semantics on philosophical debates.
ANSWER 3
Score 8
Consider semantic dissonance.
dissonance: a conflict of people's opinions or actions or characters.
"I disagree with the first sentence but I suspect my disagreement stems from a semantic dissonance with the author."
ANSWER 4
Score 4
If two people have the word ‘justice’, and each person knows the definition of the word, but take the meaning of the word differently, what is that called?
If two people are having a debate and are disagreeing with each other due to a fundamental misunderstanding of what the other person is talking about (as might be caused by their using different definitions of the same terms), this might be called speaking (or arguing) at cross-purposes.
to be at cross-purposes with [somebody] to have a mutual lack of understanding with someone
ANSWER 5
Score 2
Colloquially, this is sometimes referred to as "talking past each other."