illogicality
C1formal, academic
Definition
Meaning
The quality or state of lacking logical coherence or sound reasoning; something that is illogical.
Can refer to both an abstract quality (the property of being illogical) and a concrete instance (a specific illogical statement, action, or situation).
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
Primarily a noun denoting a state/quality; often used in critical analysis of arguments, systems, or behaviour.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
Slightly more common in British academic and philosophical writing. American English may prefer 'illogicalness' or simply 'lack of logic' in some informal contexts, though 'illogicality' is standard.
Connotations
In both varieties, carries a strong negative connotation of faulty reasoning, often implying criticism.
Frequency
Low-frequency word overall; used primarily in formal discourse.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
the illogicality of [NP]an illogicality in [NP]to highlight/identify an illogicalityVocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “A monument to illogicality”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Used in analysis of flawed strategies or decision-making processes. ('The board identified the central illogicality of the marketing plan.')
Academic
Common in philosophy, logic, critical theory, and literary analysis to critique arguments or narratives.
Everyday
Rare in casual speech; used to express strong criticism of a perceived flaw in reasoning.
Technical
Used in computer science (e.g., logic programming), legal reasoning, and systems analysis to denote formal inconsistencies.
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- The report illogicalises the very principles it claims to uphold. (rare, non-standard)
adverb
British English
- He argued, quite illogically, that the evidence proved nothing. (from 'illogical')
American English
- The system was illogically designed from the start. (from 'illogical')
adjective
British English
- His argument was deeply illogical. (base adjective form)
American English
- She found his position utterly illogical. (base adjective form)
Examples
By CEFR Level
- The illogicality of his story made it hard to believe.
- The reviewer pointed out several illogicalities in the author's theoretical framework.
- The treaty's central illogicality lay in demanding sovereignty while ceding control over key economic levers.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think: 'ILL + LOGIC + ALITY' – the state (-ality) of being without (ill-) logic.
Conceptual Metaphor
LOGICAL THINKING IS A STRAIGHT PATH / BUILDING; ILLOGICALITY IS A TWISTED PATH / COLLAPSED STRUCTURE.
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Avoid direct calque 'иллогикальность'. Use 'нелогичность' or 'алогичность'. Be mindful that the English noun is formed from the adjective 'illogical', not directly from 'logic'.
Common Mistakes
- Misspelling: 'ilogicality', 'illogicaly'. Using it as an adjective (e.g., 'an illogicality conclusion'). Overusing in informal contexts where 'that makes no sense' is more natural.
Practice
Quiz
Which of the following best captures the meaning of 'illogicality' as used in formal criticism?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
'Illogicality' is the standard, more common noun form. 'Illogicalness' is rarer and can sound slightly awkward or non-native to some speakers, though it is understandable.
Yes, 'illogicalities' is used to refer to multiple specific instances of illogical reasoning or elements within a system.
Yes, particularly in formal logic, philosophy of science, and systems engineering to describe inherent contradictions or violations of logical rules within a theory or model.
Phrases like 'it doesn't make sense', 'that's contradictory', or 'there's a flaw in the logic' are common informal equivalents.