intentionel

Intentionel is an adjective used in several European languages, notably French and Dutch, to denote something related to intention, purpose, or deliberate mental states. In French the common form is intentionnel, while Dutch uses intentioneel. In English the equivalent terms are intentional and intentionality, and intentionel itself is not a standard English term.

Etymology and usage notes: The word derives from Latin intendere, meaning “to aim at,” and travels into Romance and Germanic languages with the sense of directing one’s mind or actions toward a goal. Because it is primarily a Romance-language form, intentionel appears mainly in non-English texts, where it describes acts, plans, or processes performed with intention.

In philosophy and cognitive science: The closely related concept is intentionality—the aboutness or directedness of mental states such as beliefs, desires, and thoughts. In French- and Dutch-language philosophy, intentionnel/intentioneel is often used to describe actions or states that are directed toward an object or outcome. In English-language discussions, scholars typically use intentionality or intentional to convey the same ideas.

In linguistics and logic: The term intensional is used to distinguish contexts where meaning or truth conditions depend on more than reference alone, such as belief or desire contexts. Although related etymologically, intensional contexts are a separate notion from the everyday sense of intention or intentionel.

See also: intentionality, intentional action, intent. Note that in English-language scholarship the direct use of intentionel is uncommon; readers should consult the corresponding French or Dutch sources or use the English equivalents intentional/intentionally.