Vague language
Vague language is a choice of narrative in which the degree of accuracy, certainty, or clarity in a description of a situation or thing is less than it may be possible.
A thorough treatment of vague language, including placeholder words, was provided by Joanna Channell. In particular, she demonstrates that dictionaries often provide inadequate definitions and explanations of vague lexical items.
Literature
Category:Linguistics terminologyCategory:Ambiguity