triadic (adj.)

A term used to characterize a theory of MEANING which postulates that there is an indirect relationship between LINGUISTIC FORMS and the entities, states of affairs, etc., to which they refer (i.e. REFERENTS). Instead of a direct twoway relationship (a DUALIST theory), a third step is proposed, corresponding to the mental concept or SENSE of the linguistic form. The best-known triadic MODEL is the ‘semantic triangle’ of C. K. Ogden (1889–1957) and I. A. Richards (1893–1979), presented in their book The Meaning of Meaning in 1923.