He that hath names without ideas, wants meaning in his words, and speaks
only empty sounds. He that hath complex ideas without names for them,
wants liberty and dispatch in his expressions, and is necessitated to
use periphrases. He that uses his words loosely and unsteadily will
either be not minded or not understood. He that applies his names to
ideas different from their common use, wants propriety in his language,
and speaks gibberish. And he that hath the ideas of substances
disagreeing with the real existence of things, so far wants the
materials of true knowledge in his understanding, and hath instead
thereof chimeras.


32. How men's words fail when they stand for Substances.

In our notions concerning Substances, we are liable to all the former
inconveniences: v. g. he that uses the word TARANTULA, without having
any imagination or idea of what it stands for, pronounces a good
word; but so long means nothing at all by it. 2. He that, in a
newly-discovered country, shall see several sorts of animals and
vegetables, unknown to him before, may have as true ideas of them, as of
a horse or a stag; but can speak of them only by a description, till he
shall either take the names the natives call them by, or give them names
himself. 3. He that uses the word BODY sometimes for pure extension,
and sometimes for extension and solidity together, will talk very
fallaciously. 4. He that gives the name HORSE to that idea which common
usage calls MULE, talks improperly, and will not be understood. 5. He
that thinks the name CENTAUR stands for some real being, imposes on
himself, and mistakes words for things.