temsil

Temsil is a Turkish noun meaning representation, depiction, or portrayal. It denotes the act or result of standing in for others, presenting their interests, or presenting something in a way that stands for a larger whole. The word is of Turkish origin and is used across political, legal, cultural, and everyday contexts to describe acts of standing for or presenting something other than oneself.

In government and politics, temsil refers to the representation of citizens by elected officials in a representative system. A representative (temsilci) acts on behalf of constituents, translating public will into policy. Democracies rely on representation to exercise sovereignty through institutions such as a parliament; the legitimacy of such representation is frequently linked to elections and accountability mechanisms.

In law and civil life, temsil denotes legal representation. A person or organization may act in representation of another through vekalet (power of attorney) or direct statutory representation. Representation can be limited by scope and duration, and acts performed in representation generally bind the represented party.

Beyond politics and law, temsil appears in culture and philosophy as depiction or mental and linguistic representation. In the arts, it refers to how subjects or ideas are portrayed; in philosophy of mind and linguistics, it denotes the way objects, states, or meanings are represented mentally or symbolically.

Related terms include temsilci (the representative), temsilcilik (the representation office or agency), and vekalet (power of attorney).