Tarkoittajia

Tarkoittajia is the plural form of the Finnish noun tarkoitaja, which is derived from the verb tarkoittaa meaning to mean, signify or intend. The word forms an agent noun with the -ja suffix, so tarkoitaja literally denotes someone who means or intends something. The term is not common in everyday speech, but it appears in linguistic and semantic discussions and some philosophical writings.

In ordinary Finnish usage, tarkoitaja can refer to a person who has an intention or specific plan in a given situation. For example, in narrative or descriptive contexts, a tarkoitaja might be described as someone who intends a particular action or outcome. The plural tarkoitajia would then refer to multiple people with such intentions or to multiple instances of intended actions.

In linguistic, semiotic, and philosophical contexts, tarkoitaja is used in a more technical sense to denote the speaker’s intended meaning of an utterance or sign. In this usage, tarkoitaja contrasts with other layers of meaning, such as the literal content or the actual effect of the utterance, and it is often discussed in relation to theories of meaning, reference, and pragmatics. This sense is primarily found in academic texts rather than in everyday language.

Because tarkoitaja is relatively infrequent in common Finnish, speakers and writers may prefer more precise terms depending on the context, such as tulkki or tulkitsija for interpreters, or referent and intended meaning in semantic discussions. See also semantics, pragmatics, semiotics, and referential theory.