Conflation is the merging of two or more sets of information, texts, ideas, or opinions into one, often in error. Conflation is defined as 'fusing blending', but is often used colloquially as 'being equal to' - treating two similar but disparate concepts as the same.
Merriam Webster suggested this shift in usage happened relatively recently, entering their dictionary in 1973.
In
logic
Logic is the study of correct reasoning. It includes both formal and informal logic. Formal logic is the study of deductively valid inferences or logical truths. It examines how conclusions follow from premises based on the structure o ...
, it is the practice of treating two distinct
concept
A concept is an abstract idea that serves as a foundation for more concrete principles, thoughts, and beliefs.
Concepts play an important role in all aspects of cognition. As such, concepts are studied within such disciplines as linguistics, ...
s as one, which produces errors or misunderstandings as a fusion of distinct subjects tends to obscure analysis of relationships which are emphasized by contrasts. However, if the distinctions between the two concepts may appear to be superficial, intentional conflation can be desirable for the sake of conciseness and recall.
Communication and reasoning
The result of conflating concepts may give rise to
fallacies
A fallacy is the use of invalid or otherwise faulty reasoning in the construction of an argument that may appear to be well-reasoned if unnoticed. The term was introduced in the Western intellectual tradition by the Aristotelian '' De Sophis ...
and
ambiguity
Ambiguity is the type of meaning (linguistics), meaning in which a phrase, statement, or resolution is not explicitly defined, making for several interpretations; others describe it as a concept or statement that has no real reference. A com ...
, including the
fallacy of four terms in a categorical
syllogism. For example, the word "bat" has at least two distinct meanings: a
flying animal, and a piece of sporting equipment (such as a
baseball bat or
cricket bat). If these meanings are not distinguished, the result may be the following categorical
syllogism, which may be seen as a joke (
pun):
:#All bats are animals.
:#Some wooden objects are bats.
:#Therefore, some wooden objects are animals.
Using words with different meanings can help clarify, or can cause real confusion. English words with multiple (verb) meanings can be illustrated by instances in which a motion is merged with or a causation with manner, e.g. ''the bride floated towards her future.'' In this example, the bride may be married on a boat, airplane, or hot-air balloon, etc. She could be walking the aisle towards matrimony. The verb "float" has multiple meanings, and both verb meanings in the example may be proper uses of a bride "floating" toward a future. The "manner" of the scene, described by further context, would explain the true meaning of the sentence.
In an alternate illustrative example, ''respect'' is used both in the sense of recognizing a right and having high regard for someone or something. We can ''respect someone's right'' to an opinion without ''holding this idea in high regard''. But conflation of these two different concepts leads to the notion that all ideological ideas should be treated with respect, rather than just the right to hold these ideas. Conflation in logical terms is very similar to
equivocation.
Taxonomic conflation
In linguistic, taxonomic conflation happens when a
polysemic term is on two or more taxic levels. This presents a difficulty in translation. An example is "sex-based conflation". For example, "spokesman", depending on the context, may mean a "spokesman who is man" and a "spokeswoman".
See also
*
Amalgamation (names)
*
Confounding variable in regression analysis
*
Essentialism
*
Portmanteau
In linguistics, a blend—also known as a blend word, lexical blend, or portmanteau—is a word formed by combining the meanings, and parts of the sounds, of two or more words together.
*
Skunked term
*
Stemming algorithm
*
Syncretism
Syncretism () is the practice of combining different beliefs and various school of thought, schools of thought. Syncretism involves the merging or religious assimilation, assimilation of several originally discrete traditions, especially in the ...
Notes
References
* Alexiadou, Artemus. (2002)
''Theoretical Approaches to Universals.''Amsterdam: John Benjamins Publishing Company.
OCLC 49386229* Haught, John F. (1995)
''Science and Religion: From Conflict to Conversation.''New York: Paulist Press.
OCLC 32779780* Malone, Joseph L. (1988)
''The Science of Linguistics in the Art of Translation: Some Tools from Linguistics for the Analysis and Practice of Translation.''Albany, New York:
State University of New York Press.
OCLC 15856738
External links
{{Wiktionary, conflation
Conflations
Concepts in logic
Fallacies
Concepts in the philosophy of language