Reflections on Word Meaning
For this assignment, I want you to look back on the lecture on word meaning and the group presentations. Select minimally two cases from the class presentations, reorient the reader as to the problem at hand and clearly discuss what the cases demonstrate regarding the nature of word meaning. You response could start along the following lines:

The case (insert name here) had to do with a person who was accused of violating a … law … (provide the necessary background). The issue was whether …. (explain clearly how this case could have been decided in principle in two ways). The courts ultimately decided that …. This case clearly illustrates a fundamental aspect of word meaning, namely, that the meaning of words or a phrase …. etc. As discussed and illustrated in the class lecture, word meaning…(clearly relate the case in question to one or more characteristics of word meaning that were discussed in the lecture: prototype, fuzzy edges, etc. The case was ultimately decided by considering ….

The first group presentation topic was:
1. What is a dress? (Group C)
The plaintiff operated a retail store selling “ladies’ dresses, coats and suits and ladies’ sports clothes.” When he rented the property from the landlord, the lease stated that the landlord could not “rent to any other store in the same building for the retail sale of ladies’ dresses, coats and suits.” The landlord then leased property in the building to another person, who proceeded to sell, among other things, blouse-skirt combinations. The plaintiff brought this to court, claiming that this was a breach of contract, since blouse-skirt combinations are sometimes called a “dress.”

What should the court have decided? Do you believe that blouse-skirt combinations are sometimes called a dress? What does the dictionary say? Does that matter? Does it matter what the retail clothing industry calls these items? Should one consider the intent of the agreement?

** the second group presentation topic will be in another order.

Reflections on Word Meaning
For this assignment, I want you to look back on the lecture on word meaning and the group presentations. Select minimally two cases from the class presentations, reorient the reader as to the problem at hand and clearly discuss what the cases demonstrate regarding the nature of word meaning. You response could start along the following lines:

The case (insert name here) had to do with a person who was accused of violating a … law … (provide the necessary background). The issue was whether …. (explain clearly how this case could have been decided in principle in two ways). The courts ultimately decided that …. This case clearly illustrates a fundamental aspect of word meaning, namely, that the meaning of words or a phrase …. etc. As discussed and illustrated in the class lecture, word meaning…(clearly relate the case in question to one or more characteristics of word meaning that were discussed in the lecture: prototype, fuzzy edges, etc. The case was ultimately decided by considering ….

The first group presentation topic was:
1. What is a dress? (Group C)
The plaintiff operated a retail store selling “ladies’ dresses, coats and suits and ladies’ sports clothes.” When he rented the property from the landlord, the lease stated that the landlord could not “rent to any other store in the same building for the retail sale of ladies’ dresses, coats and suits.” The landlord then leased property in the building to another person, who proceeded to sell, among other things, blouse-skirt combinations. The plaintiff brought this to court, claiming that this was a breach of contract, since blouse-skirt combinations are sometimes called a “dress.”

What should the court have decided? Do you believe that blouse-skirt combinations are sometimes called a dress? What does the dictionary say? Does that matter? Does it matter what the retail clothing industry calls these items? Should one consider the intent of the agreement?

** the second group presentation topic will be in another order.