Page 121 - Gabrijela Kišiček and Igor Ž. Žagar (eds.), What do we know about the world? Rhetorical and argumentative perspectives, Digital Library, Educational Research Institute, Ljubljana 2013
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the acts and strategies of defining 121
4.4. Stipulative Definitions
Definitions can be used for imposing a new meaning. The speaker
can stipulate (Robinson, 1950: 59; Leonard, 1967: 286; see also Viskil,
1995) what a word means, so that a commitment is inserted into the
speaker’s and the hearer’s commitment stores. He is binding the inter-
locutor to a specific word use. In order to perform this act, the definer
needs to have the authority to do so. For instance, this definitional move
is characteristic of lawmakers, as they have the authority of deciding
what the words in the laws mean. Stipulative definitions can be used to
alter the meaning of a commonly shared word, so that the implications
of the old use are associated with new referents (Schiappa, 1998: 31). For
instance, the concept of “homeland security” was first introduced and
defined in 2002 to refer to measures against terroristic attacks. How-
ever, in 2007 and 2010 it was redefined to ensure that the same excep-
tional measures were used also to prevent other types of threats. In order
to deal with some emergencies, among which was the hurricane Katrina,
proposals for a definitional change were advanced to include “man-made
and natural hazards” (see Bellavita, 2008), until in 2011 a new definition
was stipulated (Quadrennial Homeland Security Review Report, Febru-
ary 2010: 13)3:
Imposing a redefinition “homeland security”
Homeland security is meant to connote a concerted, shared effort to en-
sure a homeland that is safe, secure, and resilient against terrorism and
other hazards where American interests, aspirations, and way of life can
thrive.
The implications of the old concept were kept (if something threat-
ens homeland security, exceptional measures shall be taken), but the
category of threats to homeland security was enlarged to include also
cyber-terrorism. In this fashion, a prompt response to new types of dan-
gers was guaranteed. We can represent the speech act of imposing a defin-
ition as follows.
3 www.dhs.gov/xlibrary/assets/qhsr_report.pdf . (Retrieved on 27 August 2012).
4.4. Stipulative Definitions
Definitions can be used for imposing a new meaning. The speaker
can stipulate (Robinson, 1950: 59; Leonard, 1967: 286; see also Viskil,
1995) what a word means, so that a commitment is inserted into the
speaker’s and the hearer’s commitment stores. He is binding the inter-
locutor to a specific word use. In order to perform this act, the definer
needs to have the authority to do so. For instance, this definitional move
is characteristic of lawmakers, as they have the authority of deciding
what the words in the laws mean. Stipulative definitions can be used to
alter the meaning of a commonly shared word, so that the implications
of the old use are associated with new referents (Schiappa, 1998: 31). For
instance, the concept of “homeland security” was first introduced and
defined in 2002 to refer to measures against terroristic attacks. How-
ever, in 2007 and 2010 it was redefined to ensure that the same excep-
tional measures were used also to prevent other types of threats. In order
to deal with some emergencies, among which was the hurricane Katrina,
proposals for a definitional change were advanced to include “man-made
and natural hazards” (see Bellavita, 2008), until in 2011 a new definition
was stipulated (Quadrennial Homeland Security Review Report, Febru-
ary 2010: 13)3:
Imposing a redefinition “homeland security”
Homeland security is meant to connote a concerted, shared effort to en-
sure a homeland that is safe, secure, and resilient against terrorism and
other hazards where American interests, aspirations, and way of life can
thrive.
The implications of the old concept were kept (if something threat-
ens homeland security, exceptional measures shall be taken), but the
category of threats to homeland security was enlarged to include also
cyber-terrorism. In this fashion, a prompt response to new types of dan-
gers was guaranteed. We can represent the speech act of imposing a defin-
ition as follows.
3 www.dhs.gov/xlibrary/assets/qhsr_report.pdf . (Retrieved on 27 August 2012).
