intelligibility etymology

Etymology

The word "intelligibility" comes from the Latin word "intellegibilis," meaning "comprehensible" or "understandable." It is derived from the verb "intelligere," which means "to understand."

Meaning

Intelligibility refers to the degree to which something is understandable or can be comprehended. It is often used in the context of speech, writing, or other forms of communication.

Origin

The Latin word "intelligibilis" was first used in the 4th century AD by the Christian theologian Lactantius. He used the term to refer to the ability of humans to understand God's will. The concept of intelligibility later became an important topic in medieval philosophy, where it was discussed by theologians and scholars such as Augustine of Hippo and Thomas Aquinas.

Usage

The word "intelligibility" is frequently used in various contexts today, including:

  • Speech Communication: The intelligibility of speech is a measure of how well it can be understood by listeners. Factors that affect speech intelligibility include volume, clarity, pronunciation, and accent.
  • Written Communication: The intelligibility of written text refers to how easily it can be read and understood by readers. Factors that influence written intelligibility include sentence structure, grammar, vocabulary, and formatting.
  • Visual Communication: The intelligibility of visual information, such as diagrams, charts, and images, relates to how well it can be interpreted and conveys its intended message.
  • Artificial Intelligence: In the field of artificial intelligence, intelligibility is a desirable property of machine-generated text, speech, or other forms of communication. It ensures that these outputs are easily understood by humans.

intelligibility relate terms

  • intelligible

    Etymology Latin intelligibilis intelligible understandable Derived from inter

  • intelligence

    Etymology Latin intelligentia understanding knowledge wisdom From inter among

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    Etymology Dys Greek bad or difficult Topos Greek place Meaning A dy

  • spring

    Etymology The word spring derives from the Proto Indo European root sphreng meaning

  • news

    Etymology The word news is derived from the following sources Old English niwe o

  • method

    Etymology The word method comes from the Greek word methodos which means way to a g

  • yield

    Etymology Old English ġieldan meaning to pay render submit surrender Meaning

  • secular

    Etymology The word secular derives from the Latin word saecularis which means perta

  • denizen

    Etymology Late Middle English in the sense dweller in a city or town from Old

  • resolution

    Etymology Latin resolutio Root re again back solvere to loosen release Mea

  • posh

    Etymology Middle English posch posshe Anglo Norman French poche from Old French po