Semne

Semne is the Romanian word for signs, marks, signals, or indicators. It is the plural form of semn and derives from Latin signum. The term covers a range of meanings, from concrete markers to abstract or symbolic indications, and is used in everyday language as well as in technical contexts.

In everyday use, semne appear as visible markers or signals that convey information or instructions. Examples include semne rutiere (road signs) and semne de avertizare (warning signs) placed to guide behavior and ensure safety. Semne can also refer to symbolic representations in public or cultural spaces, such as architectural signs or brand logos, and to signs of events or conditions in general discourse.

In medicine, semnele clinice, or clinical signs, are objective findings observed by a clinician during examination. They are contrasted with simptome (symptoms), which are subjective experiences reported by the patient. The distinction between signs and symptoms is used to describe a patient’s health status more precisely.

In semiotics and linguistics, semne denotes elements of sign systems that carry meaning. A semn represents the basic unit of a sign, functioning within relationships to objects and interpretants in a broader communicative chain.

In culture and everyday language, semne can also refer to astrological or omen-like signs, such as semnele zodiacale (the zodiac signs). The term thus spans practical, medical, scholarly, and cultural uses, all centered on the idea of conveying information through representation.