Felels

Felels is a term used in semiotic theory to denote a class of signs whose meaning is not fixed by form alone but is negotiated through social practice within a community. A felel's significance arises from shared conventions that can shift as norms evolve, making interpretation context-dependent and fluid. Because felels depend on communal understanding, their meanings can differ across groups or over time.

Etymology and usage: The term felel emerged in contemporary semiotic discussions and has no universally agreed origin. It is not a standard category in mainstream sign theory, but it is used in some scholarly writings to describe signs with high dependency on communal context.

Characteristics: Key features include context-dependence, dynamic interpretation, reliance on tacit knowledge, and variability across communities. Felels are typically identified by analysis of communicative situations where similar signs yield different interpretations across times or groups. They can sit between symbols and indices in sign theory, functioning through social rather than solely referential cues.

Examples: In online communities, the meaning of a badge, username color, or a meme can function as felels, altering significance with group norms. In collaborative software, the same user interface cue may convey different statuses based on user role or project phase.

Relation to other concepts and criticism: Felels intersect with pragmatics and social constructivism, and are discussed in relation to Peirce's sign taxonomy as an extension or challenge to fixed typologies. Critics argue that the usefulness of the concept depends on presupposed stable communities, and that it can blur distinctions between sign types if applied too broadly.

See also: semiotics, pragmatics, social constructivism, sign theory, Peirce.