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Trunks Posted 16 years ago
Vocabulary
Question with "temperament"
How can a temperament be "excellent or right"?
For instance, consider these two sentences:
1. The horse with an excellent temperament.
2. To be a champion, skill is not enough --- you have to have the right temperament.
But my question, how can someone say what kind of behavior is excellent or right? I mean being confident is not always the right type of behavior because you can also be rude. So can you please elucidate this question?
For instance, consider these two sentences:
1. The horse with an excellent temperament.
2. To be a champion, skill is not enough --- you have to have the right temperament.
But my question, how can someone say what kind of behavior is excellent or right? I mean being confident is not always the right type of behavior because you can also be rude. So can you please elucidate this question?
Top answer
When words are not used in an absolute, universal sense, their meaning reflects the present context and/or the speaker's opinion. Thus, "excellent" in #1 means "excellent for the purpose in question" (which will normally be some type of domestication); "right" in #2 means "right for becoming a champion".
- When words are not used in an absolute, universal sense, their meaning reflects the present context and/or the speaker's opinion.
- Thus, "excellent" in #1 means "excellent for the purpose in question" (which will normally be some type of domestication); "right" in #2 means "right for becoming a champion".
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1 Answers
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When words are not used in an absolute, universal sense, their meaning reflects the present context and/or the speaker's opinion. Thus, "excellent" in #1 means "excellent for the purpose in question" (which will normally be some type of domestication); "right" in #2 means "right for becoming a champion".
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