5.3.

2 Ways of clarifying terms and

ideas

(a) Giving a ‘synonymous’ expression- or paraphrase

• You could also establish the meaning of words by looking up at

synonyms.

• Alternatively, the text may also provide a paraphrase of a particular

word.

• Example: the synonymous of ‘pandemic’ includes widespread,

prevalent. Moreover, we can see the synonymous of
kinsman( Romeo and Juliet, part 4 p.34) is male relative.
(b) Giving necessary and sufficient conditions ( or and if and only if
definition)

• Sometime we should give very exact explanation for the terms that are
precisely used and exact but it can be a mistake to explain precisely on
loosely used words.
• Necessary conditions: If we say that ”x is a necessary condition for y,” we
mean that without x, you won’t have y.
• Sufficient conditions: If we say that “x is a sufficient condition for y,” then
we mean that if we have x, we know that y must follow. In other words, x
guarantees y.
(b) Giving necessary and sufficaient conditions ( or and if and only
if definition)

• Example: Sister is female sibling. Being female and being a sibling are each
necessary condition for being a sister, and taken together they are sufficient
conditions for being a sister. Another example from Letters from Thailand
is the term ‘ phakhaoma’ a simple length of cloth about a yard long and it
is wrapped about the lower half of the body like skirt and tucked in at the
waist.

• Not all words can easily be defined by producing a set of necessary and
sufficient conditions.
(c) Giving clear examples( and non-examples)

• Examples and non-examples may be provided to illustrate and explain a

particular word or phrase. Non-examples are also used help readers
understand better what the ideas or statements really mean.
• Example of birds are sparrows, parrots, and non example of birds would be
bee and grasshopper. For instance, to explain airborne disease, the
examples are Tuberculosis, Chickenpox, Influenza, SARS… And non-
example of airborne disease would be Pertussis, Mumps…
• In Letters from Thailand, letter 68, examples of children’s Thai names are
Witthaya, Dueanphe, Maliwan and Philo-charat and non-example would be
their Chinese names.