Samhengið

Samhengið is the definite form of the Icelandic noun samheng, a term used to describe context, relation, or coherence among elements in language, discourse, or situations. In academic writing and everyday speech, samhengið denotes how parts relate to each other to produce meaning or relevance.

Etymology and sense: The word is built from sam- meaning together and a binding or linking sense, conveying the idea of things held together in a meaningful whole. The definite form samhengið is used when referring to the concept itself.

Usage and domains: In linguistics, samhengið refers to the relationship between linguistic units and their environment, such as how referents are established across sentences or how discourse units connect to form a coherent text. In philosophy and rhetoric, it can describe the overall coherence or relevance of a set of premises to a conclusion. In everyday language, phrases like í samhenginu (in the context) or hafa samhengi (to have coherence) are common to discuss whether statements fit together with surrounding material.

Examples: Orðin hafa samhengi í textanum. (The words have coherence in the text.) Fyrirliggjandi gögn þarf að setja í samhengið til að skilja niðurstöðuna. (The presented data must be placed in context to understand the result.)

See also: samhengi, samspil, samhengi í texta.