jps@cat.cmu.edu (James Salsman) (07/12/89)
When the object referenced by the word "Me" in generalized,
it can be done in many ways. Here are four:
1. genetically yeilding "Family," "Race," etc.
2. geographically yeilding "City," "State," "Nation," etc.
3. institutionally yeilding "Business," "Profession," "School," etc.
4. memetically yeilding "Style," "Philosophy," "Point of View", etc.
My question is whether this is an "interpolation" or an "extrapolation."
The _American_Heritage_Dictionary_ in CMU's Library
Information System is not that helpful... are there any
linguists out there that can formalize this mapping in
proper English?
ENTRY interpolate (in-TER'puh-layt') v. -lated, -lating, -lates. --tr.
MEANING 1. To insert or introduce between other elements or parts. 2. a. To
insert (material) into a text. b. To insert into a conversation.
3. To change or falsify (a text) by introducing new or false
material. 4. Math. To determine a value of (a function) between
known values by a procedure or algorithm different from that
specified by the function itself. --intr. To make insertions or
additions.
DOMAIN Literature, Rhetoric, Philosophy Mathematics
ENTRY extrapolate (ik-STRAP'uh-layt') v. -lated, -lating, -lates. --tr.
MEANING 1. Math. To estimate (a value or values of a function) for values of
the argument not used in the process of estimation; infer (a value
or values) from known values. 2. To infer or estimate by extending
or projecting known information. --intr. To engage in the process
of extrapolating.
DOMAIN Mathematics
I'm grateful to Marie desJardins for pointing out the
problem with the two words.
:James Salsman
::Disclaimer: My views don't reflect those of any institution.
--
:James P. Salsman (jps@CAT.CMU.EDU)cam@edai.ed.ac.uk (Chris Malcolm cam@uk.ac.ed.edai 031 667 1011 x2550) (07/14/89)
In article <5490@pt.cs.cmu.edu> jps@cat.cmu.edu (James Salsman) writes: >When the object referenced by the word "Me" in generalized, >it can be done in many ways. Here are four: > >1. genetically yeilding "Family," "Race," etc. >2. geographically yeilding "City," "State," "Nation," etc. >3. institutionally yeilding "Business," "Profession," "School," etc. >4. memetically yeilding "Style," "Philosophy," "Point of View", etc. > >My question is whether this is an "interpolation" or an "extrapolation." > >The _American_Heritage_Dictionary_ in CMU's Library >Information System is not that helpful... Of course not - you need an English dictionary :-) "Interpolation" and "extrapolation" are English words from Latin roots. "Inter" means "between" and "extra" means outside or beyond. "Interpolation" etymologically means "to polish between", and thus has the notion of smooth behaviour between known points; "extrapolation" is a coinage from "interpolation". For example, in mathematics "interpolation" is done between given values, whereas "extrapolation" extends a curve beyond a set of values. So generalising from family to race is extrapolation. -- Chris Malcolm cam@uk.ac.ed.edai 031 667 1011 x2550 Department of Artificial Intelligence, Edinburgh University 5 Forrest Hill, Edinburgh, EH1 2QL, UK