How did Paul Ricoeur connect language, action, and interpretation?

Paul Ricoeur connected language, action, and interpretation by applying the principles of hermeneutics—the theory of interpretation—to the study of human social life.1

In his work, particularly Hermeneutics and the Human Sciences: Essays on Language, Action, and Interpretation, Ricoeur argued that human actions are essentially meaningful phenomena, functioning as expressions of ideas and feelings. He proposed that understanding these actions is more akin to interpreting a text or a painting than to the causal analysis used in the natural sciences.1

By framing human action as a "text" to be read, Ricoeur bridged the gap between linguistic analysis and social behavior. He emphasized that social science must be an interpretive endeavor, focusing on the meaning behind human expressions rather than solely on causal explanations. This approach allows for a deeper understanding of human life by treating social acts as meaningful expressions that require interpretation to be fully grasped.1