Újraértelmezése

Újraértelmezése is a Hungarian term referring to the act or result of reinterpreting something. It denotes revisiting meanings, usually to challenge or expand an existing reading. Morphologically, it is formed from újra ('again'), értelemzés ('interpretation'), with the suffix -ése to nominalize the verb, so the expression can denote the process of reinterpreting or the interpretation that results from it.

In academic and cultural discourse, újraértelmezése describes deliberate shifts in interpretation prompted by new evidence, methodological approaches, or changes in social and historical context. It is central in fields such as literary theory, film studies, art history, philosophy, historiography, and cultural studies, where texts and artifacts are read from alternate perspectives—feminist, psychoanalytic, postcolonial, marxist, or others.

Examples include the reinterpretation of classical myths in contemporary novels, modern retellings of fairy tales, or revisionist histories that foreground previously marginalized voices. In the sciences and humanities, it may involve reanalyzing data, revising models, or reframing interpretations of data to reflect new evidence. Reinterpretation can advance understanding by unveiling neglected aspects, while also provoking controversy when it challenges established authority or tradition.

The concept is closely related to hermeneutics and critical theory and is widely discussed in debates about fidelity to sources versus emancipatory or transformative readings.