Makna

Makna is a term in Indonesian and Malay that generally translates to meaning or sense. In linguistics and philosophy of language, makna refers to the semantic content of words, phrases, or sentences—the aspect of a linguistic expression that carries information about reference, concepts, or truth conditions, beyond sound or spelling.

Origin and scope: The word is native to Malay and Indonesian, and it appears in dictionaries, grammars, and literary criticism. Makna encompasses several facets of meaning, including denotation (the direct reference of a term), connotation (associative or evaluative overtones), and contextual meaning determined by discourse, speaker intent, and cultural background.

Usage in language: In everyday Indonesian, makna appears in phrases such as makna hidup (meaning of life) or makna kata (word meaning). In academic contexts, it is analyzed in lexicography, semantics, and semiotics to study how language encodes and conveys information.

Other uses: Makna can function as a proper noun in Indonesian-speaking regions, appearing as a personal name or as part of place names or organizational titles, depending on local convention.

See also: meaning, semantics, semiotics.