conceptnaam

Conceptnaam is a term used in theoretical discussions of semantics and linguistics to denote the linguistic label assigned to a concept. In this usage, a conceptnaam functions as the name or tag that a language attaches to a mental or abstract concept, separating the idea itself from its expression. The term is not a standard designation in major theories, but it is employed in explanatory discussions to distinguish between concept, its meaning, and the word that names it.

The term combines the English word concept with the Dutch word naam (name), illustrating cross-linguistic analysis of naming. In many languages, the same concept may have different conceptnames, reflecting phonology, morphology, and cultural convention.

The distinction between concept and conceptnaam highlights the difference between mental representation (the concept) and its linguistic realization (the conceptnaam). A single concept can have multiple conceptnames across languages or historical periods, while a single conceptnaam corresponds to a particular concept within a given linguistic system.

The concept of a social contract may have the conceptnaam contract in English, contrat in French, Vertrag in German, and convenant in Dutch; the exact mapping depends on language communities. In ontology design, conceptnames serve as labels for classes, with distinct identifiers for machine readability.

Some scholars prefer the terms term, label, or name of a concept, arguing that conceptnaam risks conflating meaning with naming. Nevertheless, it can help explain the separation of concept and linguistic expression. Related topics include semantics, philosophy of language, linguistics, ontology, reference, and sense and reference.