Meaning representation

Gloss:

The most detailed way of describing a word. May be a definition, is often non- and is often not how you would translate the word in context. Rather than individual words, “gloss” is more commonly used for “interlinear glosses” (also called “glossing translations”) that give the extreme literal word-by-word translation of a text, f.ex.:
’e’nalwIj vIlegh
person.who.married.into.the.family-1sg.poss 1sg.a-3sg.p-see
I see my in-law.

Definition:

What you will typically find in a dictionary.

Translation:

For individual words, the closest word in language A to translate a word in language B in a given context. May be the same as the definition when a word does not have multiple possible translations.

• bIQ - water: Both definition and translation.

• maqlegh: Definition: priest, priestess; translation depends on whether the maqlegh is identified as male or female.

Expression, phraseme

Phrase of several words that includes at least one element that is not freely chosen, but according to a convention. Typically includes metaphor or other non-literal use of words.

Fixed expression, set phrase:

Technically a synonym of phraseme, but also used to describe an expression that must be repeated word-for-word without any changes.

Figure of speech, rhetorical figure:

Word or phrase that intentionally uses non-literal meaning to produce an effect of some kind.

Simile:

Type of figure of speech that compares two things, usually in the form of “as (quality) as (noun)”, using a quality that the noun is well-known for. These may be literal, f. ex. “cho fliuch ri sgarbh” (Scottish-Gaelic, “as wet as a cormorant”, as cormorants do not have waterproof feathers despite being waterbirds), metaphorical, f. ex. “as cunning as a fox” (because cunning is a quality traditionally ascribed to foxes) or even ironic, f. ex. “nong, vulqangan rur” (as passionate as a Vulcan) and occasionally non-sensical, f.ex. “as happy as a clam” (usually the result of a shortened longer phrase, misunderstanding, mistranslation etc.)

Sayings: An expression showing wisdom, culture, or standards; generally in some non-literal way

Aphorism:

General observational truth expressed in a memorable and concise or even laconic fashion. They are usually repeated in always exactly the same form. Example: “You cannot step into the same river twice.” (Heraclitus)

Proverb, adage:

Simple, usually traditional and widely-known aphorisms, often (but not always) by unknown authors. Example: “All that glitters is not gold.”

Idiom:

Expression that carries a metaphorical or other non-literal meaning which is usually different from the literal meaning of every word in the idiom.

Idiomatic:

1) Adjective to “idiom”; using idioms
2) Following the natural, conventional way of speaking a language, even when other, grammatically correct alternatives exist. Most often needed to express that a or is non-idiomatic, meaning that it is grammatically correct, but using an unnatural (“weird”) way to express its content. There is, f. ex. nothing grammatically wrong with saying “I did a mistake”, but the idiomatic way to say it is “I made a mistake”.

Ritual phrase:

Set phrases that may or have to be said as part of some form of ritual. This includes the common meaning of “ritual” and then refers to phrases expected f. ex. during a ceremony (“DaHjaj SuvwI’e jIH”), but even greetings in Earth-languages are a kind of ritual and therefore even words such as “Hello” or “How do you do?” are types of ritual (or ritualistic) phrases.

Toast:

What is said during the ritual of toasting. May be freely chosen in the moment (where it might veer into a speech) or follow a set structure or even phrase. Klingon toasts are a number of set phrases that speakers choose from and, as far as we currently know, a toaster may not compose their own toast, but must use one of the set phrases.