manifest topic
[ˈmænɪfɛst ˈtɒpɪk]
nounpl: manifest topics
tópico manifesto
1. The explicitly stated or directly observable subject matter of a text, conversation, or communication, as opposed to its latent or hidden meaning
The manifest topic of the meeting was budget allocation, but the latent topic was departmental restructuring.
O tópico manifesto da reunião era alocação de orçamento, mas o tópico latente era a reestruturação departamental.
2. In discourse analysis and communication studies, the obvious or surface-level subject that a speaker or writer addresses directly
While the manifest topic was about climate change, the underlying argument concerned economic policy.
Enquanto o tópico manifesto era sobre mudanças climáticas, o argumento subjacente dizia respeito à política econômica.
This term is primarily used in academic and professional contexts, particularly in discourse analysis, linguistics, psychology, and communication studies. It became more prevalent with the rise of structuralist and post-structuralist analysis in the 20th century. The concept is important in both English and Portuguese-speaking academic communities for distinguishing between what is explicitly stated and what is implied or hidden beneath the surface of communication.
Related Idioms & Phrases
read between the lines (referring to going beyond the manifest topic)
what you see is what you get (relating to the manifest topic being the actual subject)
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