constructionist
Document meaning adherent
A constructionist interprets documents—especially constitutions and laws—according to a particular philosophy.
A strict constructionist reads texts narrowly, limiting meaning to what's explicitly stated.
A loose or broad constructionist allows for implied powers and evolving interpretation.
The term appears most often in debates about constitutional law and judicial philosophy: The president nominated a strict constructionist to the Supreme Court.
Understood facts and skills
- learningGaining knowledge gradually
- PiagetChild cognition researcher
- scaffoldingTemporary exterior work platform
- schemaOrganized representational structure
assimilation · accommodation · meaning-making · inquiry-based · student-centered · experiential
Governance bound by fundamental laws
- originalismInterpreting by founding-era meaning
- textualismInterpreting law literally
- framersThose who construct frames
- amendmentChange to official text
precedent · doctrine · jurisprudence · ratification · intent · clause
Rules for arranging words
- grammarLanguage's structural rules
- morphologyStudy of structural forms
- semanticsStudy of linguistic meaning
- utteranceSpoken expression aloud
Goldberg · idiom · lexical · phrasal · usage-based · Fillmore · collocations · productivity
What actually exists
- institutionalizationEstablishing as norm or standard
- legitimationFormal recognition as lawful
- typificationRepresenting a category's essence
- socializationInternalizing cultural norms
meaning · discourse · relational · collective · norms
Involving direct physical engagement
- project-basedOrganized around distinct undertakings
- tinkeringCasual, unskilled adjusting
- artifactsHuman-made historical objects
- programmingWriting software instructions
creativity · exploration · bricolage · constructivism · design-thinking · fabrication
knowledge
Understood facts and skills
- learningGaining knowledge gradually
- PiagetChild cognition researcher
- scaffoldingTemporary exterior work platform
schema · assimilation · accommodation · meaning-making · inquiry-based · student-centered · experiential
constitutionalism
Governance bound by fundamental laws
- originalismInterpreting by founding-era meaning
- textualismInterpreting law literally
- framersThose who construct frames
amendment · precedent · doctrine · jurisprudence · ratification · intent · clause
syntax
Rules for arranging words
- grammarLanguage's structural rules
- morphologyStudy of structural forms
- semanticsStudy of linguistic meaning
Goldberg · utterance · idiom · lexical · phrasal · usage-based · Fillmore · collocations · productivity
reality
What actually exists
- institutionalizationEstablishing as norm or standard
- legitimationFormal recognition as lawful
- typificationRepresenting a category's essence
socialization · meaning · discourse · relational · collective · norms
hands-on
Involving direct physical engagement
- project-basedOrganized around distinct undertakings
- tinkeringCasual, unskilled adjusting
- artifactsHuman-made historical objects
programming · creativity · exploration · bricolage · constructivism · design-thinking · fabrication
constructionistevolutionist
Proponent of species transformation
constructionistrealist
One accepting hard truths
objectivist · essentialist · positivist · naturalist · empiricist
- strict constructionistLiteral constitutional interpreter