ATLAS OF LANGUAGE

AT-CORE-239-013 · ATLAS 251

Enigma

Obscure, riddling discourse whose meaning must be recovered through interpretation.

Explanation

Obscure, riddling discourse whose meaning must be recovered through interpretation. It delays understanding and makes the search for meaning part of the utterance.

Example

I carry houses, yet have no roof: the street.

Counterexample

Merely mentioning “Enigma” without the described function is not a sufficient example.

Distinction

Do not equate it with a narrower subtype or a merely adjacent concept; the defining function is decisive.

Effect on thought and perception

It delays understanding and makes the search for meaning part of the utterance.

Resonance

In the atlas, Enigma forms a node joined by 2 previously unresolved reference lines.

Etymology

Technical core term; individual etymological review pending

Provenance

Unresolved relation network → second core-concept review → Metzler/HWRh cross-check → ATLAS 239

Cite this entry

Reich, Michael (Hrsg./ed.): „Enigma“. Atlas der Sprache, AT-CORE-239-013. ATLAS 251, data model 1.6.0. https://atlasoflanguage.com/concept/AT-CORE-239-013

https://atlasoflanguage.com/concept/AT-CORE-239-013

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