Semantic analysis of two-syllabic terms of metrology. Part 1: The Types of measurements and methods of measurements

Abstract

Two-syllabic terms of metrology are considered, which have become so firmly embedded in the mentality and practice of metrologists that the inadequacy of these terms manifests itself only when it is not possible to solve any important problem. Such a problem within the framework of the moment approach to estimating accuracy turned out to be the calculation of definitive uncertainty, and the term-phrase direct measurements causes a number of paradigmatic associations – indirect, cumulative, joint and other pseudomorphic measurements, similar in form of names and different in definition. But the errors of the results of these measurements can no longer be estimated in the same way as the errors of measuring instruments are estimated. The semantics of such two-syllabic terms is analyzed. The role of the direct and figurative meaning of the word measurement in the problem of the inadequacy of models is shown, the solution of which, within the framework of the compositional approach to assessing accuracy, is indicated by the word method before the two-syllabic names listed above. Bringing the term measuring problem into line with the semantics of the word problem has become the simplest correction of this terminological misunderstanding. At the same time, the inconsistency of the subordinate terms measurement method and method of solving the measurement problem has been eliminated.