definitionfråga

Definitionfråga is a term used in Swedish-language discourse to denote a question whose primary purpose is to obtain a precise definition of a term or concept. It is employed in academic settings, debates, examinations, and surveys to clarify meaning and boundary conditions, and to prevent ambiguity in discussion.

Etymology and scope: The compound combines the Swedish word for definition with the word for question. As a concept, a definitionfråga can target lexical definitions (how a term is used in language), stipulative definitions (introducing or proposing a new meaning), or analytical definitions (explaining necessary and sufficient conditions for a concept). In practice, such questions aim to reveal assumptions, scope, and the criteria by which a term is judged to apply.

Usage and context: In philosophy and logic, definitionfrågor are used to scrutinize concepts, distinguish between related terms, and test the coherence of an argument. In education, teachers employ defintionfrågor to assess students’ understanding of key terms. In research and policy discussions, these questions help ensure that participants share a common terminology before proceeding.

Examples: What is the essential property that all democracies share? How should we define a “public good”? Is “data” adequately defined as information that is numerical? These examples illustrate attempts to articulate boundaries and criteria for terms.

See also: definitions, terminological analysis, ostensive definition, stipulative definition, lexical definition, necessary and sufficient conditions. Note that the term itself is a descriptive label for a class of questions and may be used more or less frequently across fields.