Hmmmm.... Interesting point, but I think it could be tweaked.
For example, do words mean something other than themselves? Hmmmm.... I don't think so. Words "mean" what they mean. What they do is point to something other than themselves, via the denotative meaning, and in that sense, they symbolize that referenced object (idea).
However, words also have other types of meaning. Yes, there is the 'dictionary' meaning of a word, i.e. what the real world it references, aka the denotative meaning, but there is also connotative meaning, pragmatic meaning, collocative meaning, thematic meaning, etc. Text analysis deals with these sorts of different 'meanings'.
But aside from that, I realize that you are right. Words are indeed symbols.
However, I would emphasize in the context of what I wrote, aka symbolism in scripture, that its valid to distinguish between symbolic language i.e. fire is a symbol of truth vs literal language "i.e. Jesus walked into the town"
Side note: Interesting discussion on words / symbols posted at an Indian university website
Hmmmm.... Interesting point.
Do words mean something other than themselves? Hmmmm.... I don't think so. Words "mean" what they mean. What they do is point to something other than themselves.
The meanings of words have a variety of aspects, or what we could call different meanings. There is the 'dictionary' meaning of a word, i.e. what the real world it references, aka the denotative meaning, but there is also connotative meaning, pragmatic meaning, collocative meaning, thematic meaning, etc. Text analysis deals with these sorts of different 'meanings'.
interesting discussion on words / symbols posted at an Indian university website