Definitional Variability

To understand many experiences we need to know to what thing, person, place, principle or situation a word is being applied, in order to grasp what a speaker means. This can be tricky. Consider the following series of questions:

• Do you love your mother?
  
• Do you love your pet?
  
• Do you love ice cream?
  
• Do you love your pet as much as you love your mother?
  
• Do you love ice cream as much as you love your pet or your mother?

Does the word love have different meanings for each of the sentences listed above? Click here to see an explanation.

See if you can match the below definitions of love to what would be an appropriate emotional response.

wife                          I like her as a person, and love her like I love all human beings (generic love).

mother                        Intimate on an emotional and perhaps on a sexual level.

sister                        Close on a caring, sometimes antagonistic level.  

cousin                        Not so close, but I care about her and know her pretty well.                                

girlfriend                    Intimate on a nurturing level. 

classmate                     Intimate on an emotional and sexual level.