Interpretation may refer to:

Culture

Aesthetic interpretation In the philosophy of art, an interpretation is an explanation of the meaning of a work of art. An aesthetic interpretation expresses a particular emotional or experiential understanding most often used in reference to a poem or piece of literatur ...

, an explanation of the meaning of a work of art *

Allegorical interpretation As a literary device or artistic form, an allegory is a narrative or visual representation in which a character, place, or event can be interpreted to represent a hidden meaning with moral or political significance. Authors have used allegory th ...

, an approach that assumes a text should not be interpreted literally *

Dramatic Interpretation Dramatic Interpretation (often shortened to "Dramatic Interp," "Drama" or just "DI") is an event in National Speech and Debate Association (and NSDA-related) high school forensics competitions. In the National Christian Forensics and Communicatio ...

, an event in speech and forensics competitions in which participants perform excerpts from plays * Heritage interpretation, communication about the nature and purpose of historical, natural, or cultural phenomena * Interpretation (music), the process of a performer deciding how to perform music that has been previously composed *

Language interpretation Interpreting is a translational activity in which one produces a first and final target-language output on the basis of a one-time exposure to an expression in a source language. The most common two modes of interpreting are simultaneous inter ...

, the facilitation of dialogue between parties using different languages *

Literary theory Literary theory is the systematic study of the nature of literature and of the methods for literary analysis. Culler 1997, p.1 Since the 19th century, literary scholarship includes literary theory and considerations of intellectual history, mo ...

, methods for interpreting literature, including historicism, feminism, structuralism, deconstruction *

Oral interpretation Oral Interpretation is a dramatic art, also commonly called "interpretive reading" and "dramatic reading", though these terms are more conservative and restrictive. In certain applications, oral interpretation is also a theater art – as in rea ...

, a dramatic art

Law

* Authentic interpretation, the official interpretation of a statute issued by the statute's legislator * Financial Accounting Standards Board Interpretations, part of the United States Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (US GAAP) *

Interpretation Act Interpretation Act (with its variations) is a stock short title used for legislation in Australia, Canada, Hong Kong, Malaysia, New Zealand, the Republic of Ireland, Singapore and the United Kingdom relating to statutory interpretation, interpretat ...

, a stock short title used for legislation relating to interpretation of legislation *

Judicial interpretation Judicial interpretation is the way in which the judiciary construes the law, particularly constitutional documents, legislation and frequently used vocabulary. This is an important issue in some common law jurisdictions such as the United Stat ...

, an interpretation of law by a judiciary * Statutory interpretation, determining the meaning of legislation

Math and computing

Interpretation (model theory) In model theory, interpretation of a structure ''M'' in another structure ''N'' (typically of a different signature) is a technical notion that approximates the idea of representing ''M'' inside ''N''. For example every reduct or definitional expans ...

, a technical notion that approximates the idea of representing a logical structure inside another structure * Interpretation function, in mathematical logic a function that assigns functions and relations to the symbols of a signature * Interpretations of quantum mechanics, a set of statements which attempt to explain how quantum mechanics informs our understanding of nature * Interpreted language, a programming language in which programs are directly executed by an interpreter *

Interpretability In mathematical logic, interpretability is a relation between formal theories that expresses the possibility of interpreting or translating one into the other. Informal definition Assume ''T'' and ''S'' are formal theories. Slightly simplified, ''T ...

, a concept in mathematical logic

Media

Interpretation centre An interpretation centre, interpretive centre, or visitor interpretive centre is an institution for dissemination of knowledge of natural or cultural heritage. Interpretation centres are a kind of new-style museum, often associated with visitor ...

, an institution for dissemination of knowledge of natural or cultural heritage * '' Interpretations: A 25th Anniversary Celebration'', an album by The Carpenters

Neuroscience

* Interpretation of dreams (disambiguation)

Philosophy

Interpretation (philosophy) A philosophical interpretation is the assignment of meanings to various concepts, symbols, or objects under consideration. Two broad types of interpretation can be distinguished: interpretations of physical objects, and interpretations of concepts ...

, the assignment of meanings to various concepts, symbols, or objects under consideration *

Interpretation (logic) An interpretation is an assignment of meaning to the symbols of a formal language. Many formal languages used in mathematics, logic, and theoretical computer science are defined in solely syntactic terms, and as such do not have any meaning unti ...

, an assignment of meaning to the symbols of a formal language * ''

De Interpretatione ''De Interpretatione'' or ''On Interpretation'' (Greek: Περὶ Ἑρμηνείας, ''Peri Hermeneias'') is the second text from Aristotle's ''Organon'' and is among the earliest surviving philosophical works in the Western tradition to deal ...

'', a work by Aristotle *

Exegesis Exegesis ( ; from the Ancient Greek, Greek , from , "to lead out") is a critical explanation or interpretation (logic), interpretation of a text. The term is traditionally applied to the interpretation of Bible, Biblical works. In modern usage, ...

, a critical explanation or interpretation of a text *

Hermeneutics Hermeneutics () is the theory and methodology of interpretation, especially the interpretation of biblical texts, wisdom literature, and philosophical texts. Hermeneutics is more than interpretative principles or methods used when immediate c ...

, the study of interpretation theory *

Semantics Semantics (from grc, σημαντικός ''sēmantikós'', "significant") is the study of reference, meaning, or truth. The term can be used to refer to subfields of several distinct disciplines, including philosophy Philosophy (f ...

, the study of meaning in words, phrases, signs, and symbols *

Interpretant Interpretant is a subject (philosophy) / sign (semiotics) that refers to the same object (philosophy) as another sign (semiotics), transitively. History The concept of "interpretant" is part of Charles Sanders Peirce's "triadic" theory of the s ...

, a concept in

semiotics Semiotics (also called semiotic studies) is the systematic study of sign processes ( semiosis) and meaning making. Semiosis is any activity, conduct, or process that involves signs, where a sign is defined as anything that communicates something ...

Religion

Biblical interpretation Biblical hermeneutics is the study of the principles of interpretation concerning the books of the Bible. It is part of the broader field of hermeneutics, which involves the study of principles of interpretation, both theory and methodology, for ...

, the study of the principles of interpretation concerning the books of the Bible *

Interpretation (Catholic canon law) Regarding the canon law of the Catholic Church, canonists provide and obey rules for the interpretation and acceptation of words, in order that legislation is correctly understood and the extent of its obligation is determined. Authentic interpreta ...

, in the Catholic Church, rules for the exact interpretation and acceptation of words * ''Interpretation'' (journal), an academic journal that covers the field of Presbyterian biblical studies * Interpretation of Knowledge, a codex in the Nag Hammadi library of early Christian Gnostic texts * Interpretation of tongues, a supernatural ability to understand unknown languages