Chapter X
Of the Abuse of Words
1. Woeful abuse of words. Besides the imperfection that is naturally
in language, and the obscurity and confusion that is so hard to be
avoided in the use of words, there are several wilful faults and
neglects which men are guilty of in this way of communication, whereby
they render these signs less clear and distinct in their signification
than naturally they need to be.
2. Words are often employed without any, or without clear ideas.
First, In this kind the first and most palpable abuse is, the using of
words without clear and distinct ideas; or, which is worse, signs
without anything signified. Of these there are two sorts:-
I. Some words introduced without clear ideas annexed to them, even
in their first original. One may observe, in all languages, certain
words that, if they be examined, will be found in their first
original, and their appropriated use, not to stand for any clear and
distinct ideas. These, for the most part, the several sects of
philosophy and religion have introduced. For their authors or
promoters, either affecting something singular, and out of the way
of common apprehensions, or to support some strange opinions, or cover
some weakness of their hypothesis, seldom fail to coin new words,
and such as, when they come to be examined, may justly be called
insignificant terms.
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