Hermeneutics and semantics are two important areas of study for understanding the meaning behind texts, objects, or symbols. Both disciplines help us decode what an author is trying to say or what a text is communicating. However, there are some key differences between these two fields of study. This article will explore those differences and see how they impact our understanding of meaning.

Hermeneutics Overview

The word ‘hermeneutics’ is traced from the ancient Greek word ‘Hermeneuein,’ which means ‘to utter, to explain, to translate. History shows that the word was first used by thinkers interested in understanding how divine messages or ideas are expressed in human language.

Hermeneutics is “all about interpretation in fields of study, such as interpreting plays or novels, but also in day-to-day life, when we interpret actions of our friends or try to figure out what a job termination, for example, means in the context of our life story” [Source]. This definition is too broad since the founding principles of hermeneutics linked it to the understanding of the meaning behind holy texts, but the contemporary use extends to literature and other fields. 

Other sources define hermeneutics as the art of understanding and making one understand what they are reading. It factors in the author’s intention when looking out for meaning. 

Semantics Overview

Semantics is the “branch of linguistics and logic concerned with meaning.” The term semantics is derived from the Ancient Greek word ‘sēmantikós,’ meaning “significant.” It can also be defined as the study of reference, meaning, or truth. There are two major categories of semantics: logical semantics (concerned with matters such as sense and reference and presupposition and implication) and lexical semantics (involved with the analysis of word meanings and relations between them). 

Other definitions describe semantics as the “intricacies surrounding the meaning and interpretation of language (e.g., words, signs, and sentence structure.)”. In simple terms, it is the study of meaning. Meaning can be obtained from many things, including road signs, sign language, gestures, type of clothing, objects, phrases, and even drawings. Semantics is a feature in most distinct branches such as philosophy, linguistics, and computer science.

The main objective of semantics is to understand the real meaning behind something and be able to decode what it means. Since meaning can be very subjective, analysts need to look for the objective meaning (a universal meaning that many people can see) or reveal the intended purpose of an author or designer. 

Similarities between Hermeneutics and Semantics

The similarities between hermeneutics and semantics are that both concepts deal with the meaning of things, with semantics focusing on a broader scale while hermeneutics is limited to literature, especially holy texts. Also, hermeneutics and semantics aim to uncover all the hidden truth behind a certain piece. The main goal is to understand the intended meaning of a particular author of a text or an artist. Due to this, hermeneutics and semantics analyze things and try to bring out meaning after a thorough investigation and examination. They also act as an interpretation method because meaning is only acquired after something has been interpreted or decoded to the fullest. Both hermeneutics and semantics can be used when analyzing literature, especially if one is factoring in the author’s intention behind any work. Another common feature between hermeneutics and semantics is that both concepts are interested in establishing a universal meaning which is the original intended meaning. The hypothesized theory is that we can grasp the truth through hermeneutics and semantics. 

Difference between Hermeneutics and Semantics

The difference between hermeneutics and semantics is that semantics focus on the meaning on a larger spectrum than hermeneutics. For instance, semantics can be used in signs, symbols, artwork, or sculptures, while hermeneutics is concerned too much with texts. Also, hermeneutics became more popular through application in holy texts such as the Bible and Quran, so it is more prevalent among believers who are more interested in studying holy texts and fully understanding their meaning. Semantics was popularised by analysts who believe in studying the meaning of things and being able to clarify the intention of those who produce things. 

More so, semantics is involved in understanding the meaning of words, so it can be an umbrella term that encompasses hermeneutics. Hermeneutics might also stretch to semantics since meaning in holy texts can be derived from religious symbols, pictures, or diagrams.