Tähendus

Tähendus is a noun used in Finnish and Estonian to denote meaning, sense, or significance. In linguistic usage, it refers to the semantic content conveyed by a sign, such as a word, phrase, or symbol, rather than its physical form or sound. The concept is central to the study of semantics and semiotics in these languages.

In linguistics, tähendus encompasses lexical meaning (the meaning of individual words) and how meanings are assembled to form the meaning of larger expressions (compositional semantics). Denotation refers to the entities in the real or discursive world that a term stands for, while connotation includes the associations and evaluative overtones that a term may carry.

Meanings are not fixed; they can vary with context, culture, and over time. In pragmatics, tähendus is shaped by speaker intention, inference, and social use. In semiotic theory, the meaning of a sign arises from the relationship between signifier and signified within a system of signs.

Dictionaries and language education describe tähendus in entries that specify the typical meaning of words, their senses, and usage notes. The study of tähendus also touches on polysemy, synonymy, and translation, where the meaning of expressions is compared across languages.

See also semantics, semiotics, denotation, connotation, pragmatics.