diPertua

diPertua is a neologism used in some online speculative discourse to denote a dual-frame interpretive process in cultural analysis. It is not part of established linguistic or philosophical theory, and its usage varies across communities.

In discussions that reference diPertua, the term describes the practice of simultaneously maintaining two interpretive perspectives—typically a surface-level reading and a broader subtext or competing frame—and switching between them to derive meaning. Proponents claim it helps explain how audiences engage with media that overtly conveys one message while implying another. The concept has appeared in analyses of narrative structure, media theory, and certain strands of fan culture, where readers or viewers are imagined to actively juggle multiple frames of interpretation.

The term’s spelling is inconsistent, with variants such as Dipertua and di-Pertua also encountered. The coinage appears to have emerged in online communities during the 2010s, but there is no standardized definition or formal consensus on its scope or criteria. Critics argue that diPertua lacks precision and a clear methodological basis, which limits its usefulness in scholarly work. Supporters view it as a flexible heuristic for examining layered meaning in texts and digital media, offering a language for describing how audiences navigate competing frames of interpretation.

See also: dual-process theory, frame analysis, polysemy, metacognition. Further reading is limited and largely confined to informal online essays and speculative theory discussions rather than peer-reviewed scholarship.