But Logic only studies language so far as necessary in order to state, understand, and check the evidence and reasonings that are usually embodied in language.  And as long as meanings are clear, good Logic is compatible with false concords and inelegance of style.

Sec. 3.  Terms are either Simple or Composite:  that is to say, they may consist either of a single word, as ‘Chaucer,’ ‘civilisation’; or of more than one, as ‘the father of English poetry,’ or ’modern civilised nations.’  Logicians classify words according to their uses in forming propositions; or, rather, they classify the uses of words as terms, not the words themselves; for the same word may fall into different classes of terms according to the way in which it is used. (Cf.  Mr. Alfred Sidgwick’s Distinction and the Criticism of Beliefs, chap. xiv.)

Thus words are classified as Categorematic or Syncategorematic.  A word is Categorematic if used singly as a term without the support of other words:  it is Syncategorematic when joined with other words in order to constitute the subject or predicate of a proposition.  If we say Venus is a planet whose orbit is inside the Earth’s, the subject, ‘Venus,’ is a word used categorematically as a simple term; the predicate is a composite term whose constituent words (whether substantive, relative, verb, or preposition) are used syncategorematically.

Prepositions, conjunctions, articles, adverbs, relative pronouns, in their ordinary use, can only enter into terms along with other words having a substantive, adjectival or participial force; but when they are themselves the things spoken of and are used substantively (suppositio materialis), they are categorematic.  In the proposition, ’Of’ was used more indefinitely three hundred years ago than it is now, ‘of’ is categorematic.  On the other hand, all substantives may be used categorematically; and the same self-sufficiency is usually recognised in adjectives and participles.  Some, however, hold that the categorematic use of adjectives and participles is due to an ellipsis which the logician should fill up; that instead of Gold is heavy, he should say Gold is a heavy metal; instead of The sun is shining, The sun is a body shining.  But in these cases the words ‘metal’ and ‘body’ are unmistakable tautology, since ‘metal’ is implied in gold and ‘body’ in sun.  But, as we have seen, any of these kinds of word, substantive, adjective, or participle, may occur syncategorematically in connection with others to form a composite term.

Sec. 4.  Most terms (the exceptions and doubtful cases will be discussed hereafter) have two functions, a denotative and a connotative.  A term’s denotative function is, to be the name or sign of something or some multitude of things, which are said to be called or denoted by the term.  Its connotative function is, to suggest certain qualities and characteristics of the things denoted, so that it cannot be used literally