Hindeutbare

Hindeutbare is a term used in some German-language discussions of philosophy of language and linguistics to describe propositions, sentences, or expressions that can be interpreted unambiguously within a given context. The central idea is that the intended meaning can be recovered by readers or listeners without requiring additional inference beyond what the context provides.

The form is derived from the German deutbar, meaning interpretable or understandable, with the prefix hin- adding emphasis or directional nuance. As a technical term, hindeutbare appears primarily in German-language philosophical and linguistic writings and is not widely adopted in English-language glossaries. Its exact usage and connotations can vary between authors, but it generally signals a higher degree of interpretive certainty than standard statements.

Key features of hindeutbare expressions include context-dependence, limited ambiguity within the target audience, and a presumption that the reference or sense can be identified without extensive external justification. Critics note that what counts as unambiguous can differ across communities and situations, making hindeutbare a pragmatically loaded property rather than a purely lexical one. In practice, the term is often contrasted with ambiguous or indeterminate formulations and is sometimes replaced by more common terms like unambiguous or clearly interpretable.

Example: In a closely argued passage, the pronoun’s reference is hindeutbar for readers familiar with the discussion, whereas outside that context the reference might not be as clear. See also deutbarkeit, deutbar, ambiguity, pragmatics.