Deutung

Deutung is a German noun meaning interpretation, explication, or signification. It denotes the act of interpreting signs, statements, dreams, or texts in order to derive meaning.

Etymology and usage: Deutung comes from the verb deuten, to point out or indicate; the noun captures the act of pointing to meaning. In everyday language as well as in the humanities, Deutung is used to denote interpretation across linguistic, cultural, and textual contexts, with hermeneutics treating interpretation as a central theoretical concern.

Psychoanalytic usage: In psychoanalysis, Deutung has a technical sense. Sigmund Freud’s Die Traumdeutung (The Interpretation of Dreams, 1900) popularized the idea of uncovering latent content behind manifest dream imagery. Analysts perform Deutungen—interpretations that relate dream elements to wishes, conflicts, and life experiences—often distinguishing between what is explicitly stated and what is suggested beneath the surface.

Other disciplines: In Jungian psychology, Deutung refers to interpreting symbols or archetypes. In literary studies, it denotes the interpretive reading of texts, while in linguistics and semiotics it can describe the interpretation of signs within a sign system. Across these fields, Deutung remains a foundational concept for explaining how meanings are produced, conveyed, and understood.

In summary, Deutung encompasses the broad and varied practice of interpretation, spanning everyday language, literary and cultural analysis, and specialized theoretical frameworks in psychology and philosophy.