The Multiple Meanings of Landscape

Abstract

The word landscape has multiple meanings in common language. It refers to a tract of land as well to its visual appearance. It used to denote a territory as well as historical and geographical regions and refers to an area shaped in a characteristic way by the people living in it. Landscape as scenery had an important influence on imagination and artistic presentation. Subtle differences exist between languages, which sometimes make translations confusing. Adjectives are used to describe more precisely the meaning in a given context. The distinction between natural and cultural landscapes has been important in the development of different approaches. Many other specifications, such as rural and urban landscape, countryside and picturesque landscape, add to the complexity. Formal definitions were made by conventions, such as the cultural landscapes in the UNESCO World Heritage Convention and the definition given by the European Landscape Convention. In particular, the latter initiated rethinking landscape policy and stimulated transdisciplinary approaches to landscape in an international perspective. NR - 69 PU - SPRINGER PI - DORDRECHT PA - PO BOX 17, 3300 AA DORDRECHT, NETHERLANDS