The Two Meanings of Meaning: An Empirical Differential Basis for Brazilian Studies on Grief
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Abstract
This article stems from the need for empirical support for a conceptual distinction between the two terms used to translate the concept of meaning in Brazilian studies on grief. The objective was to assess the general population’s opinions and understanding regarding the terms significado and sentido. Forty-nine adults (M = 40 years; SD = 11.9) from 11 different states across the country participated in the study. After reading a vignette about a grief case, participants answered a questionnaire, and part of their responses was used to generate word clouds through the Wordle program. According to the majority of participants (77.6%), significado and sentido cannot be considered synonyms. The analysis of the word clouds suggested that significado is linked to aspects of understanding the history of the loss, whereas sentido relates to engaging in activities that provide pleasure and satisfaction in life. These differences suggest that Brazilian Portuguese speakers tend to reproduce the vocabulary distinction observed in other languages and endorse theoretical proposals found in both Brazilian and international scientific literature.
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