meaning

The title of this article is ambiguous. Further meanings are listed under Meaning (definition of terms) .

Meaning stands for the context of knowledge evoked by a sign, a word or a statement. The meaning indicates the meaning of a linguistic utterance. In everyday language, the term also describes the importance attached to an object. In technical terms, it is in semantics that which a linguistic expression or another sign indicates.

The word meaning is already in Middle High German as bediutunge occupied, the original word used was aimed at "interpretation" ( interpretation ). The adjectives significant (“important”, “outstanding”, actually “indicating something”, “indicative”) and significant (“meaningful”) emerged in the 17th century.

Significance can be a substitute word for "sense" or "meaning" in sophisticated language. But it can also address “importance” and “scope” and in this respect a “significant quality”.

Meaning in everyday language

In general language today, meaning stands for two different facts, which are therefore always differentiated in German-language dictionaries:

• Meaning denotes a "particular sense". A "meaning that lies in actions, circumstances, things, appearances". Also the "content" of an object or work, or the meaning of terms, the context of which and the context of use are explained by means of descriptive explanations or definitions .

• In a second use, meaning aims at the "importance" of an object. What is meant is “weight”, “scope”, “concern” as well as “validity”, “reputation”, “value”. Or the “rank” of a person or thing.

The scientific treatment of importance

→ Main article : Meaning (philosophy of language)

The philosophical theory of meaning is semantics . In addition to semantics, the technical term meaning theory can also address semasiology .

Significance (. S meaning , Fri signification ) is considered the central concept of both the semantics and the linguistics (linguistics), as meaning is the most important feature of the language and its units. There is no sign without meaning, these always have form and meaning. In this respect, working out the concept of meaning is the task of linguistics and, in particular, of linguistic semantics. The term meaning is used in exchange with other supporting terms, such as: "Word content or content, what is meant or mean, intention or intending, rule of use or convention, concept and knowledge, concept and reference, description, naming or designation, communication and Information, meaning and understanding ”. There are different views on the "meaning of meaning" and various attempts at definition.

In linguistics there are also numerous compound terms in connection with linguistic expressions and their meanings:

• Expansion of meaning ,
• Meaning field (also word field ),
• Meaning structure ,
• Deterioration in meaning,
• Change of meaning ; Narrowing of meaning (also narrowing of meaning); Transfer of meaning (also meaning shifting).

Furthermore, the meaning is the third key (the third explanation theory) to understanding the placebo effect.

See also

• Design BKS
• Bible commentary
• Hermeneutics
• Literal sense , (literal meaning)
• Levels of meaning in the Torah
• List of all Wikipedia articles whose title begins with Meaning
• List of all Wikipedia articles whose title contains meaning

Web links

Wiktionary: Meaning  - explanations of meanings, word origins, synonyms, translations

• Jeff Speaks:  Theories of Meaning. In: Edward N. Zalta (Ed.): Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy .

Individual evidence

1. ↑ ^{a b c} sentence according to Duden "Etymology" - The dictionary of meaning , 2nd edition, Dudenverlag, 1985, Lemma Meaning ; in detail Zippelius, Juristische Methodelehre, 11th edition, § 4 I
2. ↑ ^{a b} sentence according to meaning in Jürgen Mittelstraß (Ed.): Enzyklopädie Philosophie und Wissenschaftstheorie , 1st volume, Metzler, 1980
3. ↑ Composition based on Duden, the large dictionary of the German language (10 volumes), 3rd edition, 1999, Lemma Significance 2.
4. ↑ Half- sentence according to Duden the large dictionary of the German language (10 volumes), 3rd edition, 1999, Lemma Significance 1.
5. ^ "Significant quality" according to Brockhaus Wahrig - German dictionary , first volume, 1980, Lemma importance
6. ↑ "certain sense" according to the dictionary of contemporary German language (WDG) , lemma meaning 1. a) , online at http://www.dwds.de/ of the Berlin-Brandenburg Academy of Sciences. Retrieved November 2, 2009.
7. ↑ Composition according to Duden, the large dictionary of the German language (10 volumes), 3rd edition, 1999, Lemma Meaning 1. a)
8. ^ "Sinn", "Salary" according to Mackensen German Dictionary , 11th edition, Südwest Verlag, Munich, 1986, Lemma Meaning
9. ^ "Importance", "Validity" according to the dictionary of contemporary German (WDG) , Lemma Meaning 2. , online at http://www.dwds.de/ of the Berlin-Brandenburg Academy of Sciences. Retrieved November 2, 2009.
10. ↑ Composition according to Duden the large dictionary of the German language (10 volumes), 3rd edition, 1999, Lemma meaning 2. a) and 2 b)
11. ^ "Value", "Rank" according to Mackensen German Dictionary , 11th edition, Südwest Verlag, Munich, 1986, Lemma Meaning
12. ^ Sentence based on the theory of meaning in Helmut Glück (ed.), Metzler Lexikon Sprach , 3rd edition, 2005
13. ↑ ^{a b c d e} sentence after Theodor Lewandowski: Linguistic Dictionary , Lemma Meaning , 4th edition, 1984
14. ^ Howard Brody: The Placebo Effect.