Meaning

A meaning is a set of thoughts that people take symbols to have. Meanings can do many things, such as provoke a certain idea, or denote a certain real-world entity.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Meanings can be linguistic and non-linguistic. Linguistic meaning is any meaning that words and other items of language have. Non-linguistic meaning is whatever meaning can be conveyed without the use of language.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Meanings can be presented through various different mediums, or vehicles of communication. The kind of medium that is used determines whether or not a meaning is linguistic or non-linguistic. The newspaper, or the vocal cords, are mediums for "linguistic meaning". By contrast, body language is an example of a medium for the display of non-linguistic meanings, such as the "thumbs up" in Western cultures.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Meaning as a whole is studied in philosophy and semiotics, and especially in philosophy of language, philosophy of mind, and logic, and communications theory. Fields like sociolinguistics tend to be more interested in non-linguistic meanings. Linguistics lends itself to the study of linguistic meaning in the fields of semantics (which studies conventional meanings) and pragmatics (studies in how language is used by individuals). Literary theory, critical theory, and some branches of psychoanalysis are also involved in the discussion of meaning. However, this division of labor is not absolute, and each field depends to some extent upon the others.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Questions about how words and other symbols mean anything, and what it means to something is meaningful, are pivotal to an understanding of language and human experience.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Symbol: A symbol, in its basic sense, is a conventional representation of a concept or quantity; i.e., an idea, object, concept, quality, etc. In more psychological and philosophical terms, all concepts are symbolic in nature and representations for these concepts are simply token artifacts that are allegor...

Idea: An idea (Greek: ιδέα) is a specific thought or concept which arises in the mind of a person as a result of thinking. The term arises in both popular and philosophical terminology....

Denote: REDIRECT Denotation (semiotics)...

Meaning related Images and Photos (experimental)

Bruce Lee Meaning of Life T-Shirt	Monty Pythons The Meaning of Life DVD (Widescreen)	Monty Pythons The Meaning of Life DVD (Widescreen)	Monty Python's The Meaning of Life
Noravank Church in Yeghegnadzor Meaning "New Monastery " Armenia	Philosophers Consider the Meaning of Life in the Grove of Academe	Stuff Compulsive Hoarding and the Meaning of Things (Hardcover) Book