It’s amazing, but if you use the adjective “conceptual” in a certain context, it can offend another person. But first things first. Today we will find out the meaning of the word, its synonyms and explain the meaning.
Origin
There is nothing remarkable in the history of the word. The noun “concept” came into our language from French. According to one source, in the first third, and according to other sources, in the first quarter of the 19th century. As then, and now, a concept is a certain way of understanding and explaining phenomena and facts, also by this word they understand the basis of a particular theory.
Yes, the definition in the language has been around for quite some time, but it is becoming popular only now. For example, today it is fashionable to say: “This is not conceptual!” What does this mean, we will understand only if we turn to the meaning of the adjective "conceptual". It will be interesting.
Value
Without an explanatory dictionary, it would be difficult for us, and with it - easily and freely. Our friend, containing a huge number of words, always helps us out. So, he says that the object of research means the following:
“Something that has a new, independent, serious concept or somehow relates to the noun“ concept ”.” For example: "The doctoral dissertation of Pyotr Ivanovich is quite worthy of protection, since it is conceptual."
The reader may wonder how such a word could go out of academic circles and get into everyday life? There is nothing wonderful here. Often people are attracted by beautiful words, and they use them not just as God puts them to the soul, but with well-known liberties. How is this possible, we will show a little lower.
Synonyms
Here, replacement words are very useful, because, firstly, the term is foreign, and secondly, the definition of an explanatory dictionary does not bring either clarity or relief, therefore, we consider the synonyms of the adjective "conceptual", it is simply necessary. Here is the list:
- semantic;
- fundamental;
- independent;
- new;
- important;
- principled;
- innovative;
- systemic;
- informative.
As you can see, it is not in vain that the definition of “conceptual” exists, because it includes almost all the meanings of the above adjectives.
As a curse word
We turn to the most interesting part: how can one insult, knowing the meaning of the word “conceptual”? To make such a fortel is not difficult if you clearly understand the meaning of what you are talking about. But first a little prelude.
Once upon a time there lived a philosopher and writer Vasily Vasilievich Rozanov (1856-1919). He believed that indecently insulted a person when he called him meaningless. Imagine everything was just that. Probably now it sounds ridiculous and ridiculous how many all kinds of words we hear every day! They generously pour on us from the Internet and the television screen, and here the adjective “empty”, and everything - the light faded.
Laughter is a laugh, but for scientists, the object of study with the negative “not” particle is still a terrible curse. If, on the pre-defense of a dissertation in psychology, philology or philosophy, the applicant is told that his work is not conceptual, then this, consider, is the end of his career. Man was not allowed into the circle especially close to science.
So the phrase "not conceptually!" - This is a curse for those who understand. In principle, to call a person empty or not conceptual is the same thing. The speaker states that the object of insult or ridicule does not have a personal beginning, that you really can’t say anything substantial, in a word, not a person, but a walking stamp. Another interpretation is less sophisticated, it claims the absence of interests, talents, inclinations, abilities, principles. In other words, this exquisite curse is a scientific analogue of the famous expression "empty space".
Anyone will master this game, it’s only important to understand what the word “concept” and its derivatives mean.