interpretación

Interpretación is a term used to describe the act or result of interpreting, understanding, or explaining something. It involves deriving meaning from data, texts, actions, or phenomena and sometimes presenting that meaning in a new form or from a different perspective. The word comes from Latin interpretatio, related to interpretare.

In language contexts, interpretation refers to converting spoken or signed language from one language to another. This can occur in real time during conferences, courts, or media events. Modes include simultaneous interpretation, where the interpreter translates as the speaker talks, and consecutive interpretation, where the interpreter renders speech after a portion of it is delivered. Interpretation differs from translation, which more often concerns written texts.

Legal interpretation focuses on determining the meaning of laws, statutes, contracts, and regulatory texts. Methods emphasize textual analysis, legislative intent, and established canons of construction, aiming to apply rules consistently while respecting the purpose of the law.

Artistic interpretation concerns how performers, critics, or audiences understand and convey a work’s meaning. Through performance choices, interpretation reflects individual or cultural perspectives, and multiple valid readings of a work can coexist.

Scientific and data interpretation involves assigning significance to observations, experimental results, or statistical analyses. This includes assessing uncertainty, limitations, and the context in which data were collected, to avoid overgeneralization or misrepresentation.

Philosophical interpretation, or hermeneutics, examines how preconceptions, context, and methods shape understanding across disciplines. Common to many fields, interpretation remains a central activity in making sense of information and experience.