tulkinta

Tulkinta is a Finnish noun meaning interpretation. It refers to the act of determining or explaining the meaning of something—such as a text, statement, symbol, or event—often drawing on context, conventions, and intention. The term is used across disciplines to describe processes of making meaning beyond the literal surface.

In linguistics and literature, tulkinta involves semantic and pragmatic analysis, considering factors such as syntax, discourse context, genre, and authorial intent. In hermeneutics, tulkinta is the methodological process of uncovering meaning in texts and other cultural artifacts, often described through concepts like the hermeneutic circle, where understanding of parts and whole inform one another.

In law, tulkinta describes statutory and constitutional interpretation. Common methods include grammatical (textual) interpretation, historical (legislative intent) interpretation, teleological or purposive interpretation, and systemic or coherence-based approaches that situate a provision within the broader legal framework.

In computing, tulkinta can denote the operation of an interpreter, a program that executes instructions directly rather than compiling them into machine code before execution. The term contrasts with compilation and is central to many scripting languages and dynamic environments.