Photo source: Wikimedia Commons, Ll1234, CC0 1.0
What is a meaning? I have two definitions:
1. A meaning is an underlying representation
2. A meaning is an underlying significanceThe rest of this post is an explanation of each definition.
1. A meaning is an underlying representation
When it comes to linguistic meaning, I believe we should divide meanings into two main types: implied and literal. The literal meaning refers to the primary meaning of the words, while the implied meaning has to do with something not explicitly stated. For example, think about the sentence, 'I'm hungry'. The literal meaning is that the speaker is experiencing the feeling of hunger. The implied meaning could be that the speaker wants to get some food.
2. A meaning is an underlying significance
The second definition of meaning has to do with significance. For example, think of the question, 'What is the meaning of life?' In other words, I believe this question is also saying, 'What is the significance of life?' In this regard, the meaning of life is the underlying importance of reality and our experience.
License: CC BY-SA 4.0
