Abstract
This paper discusses the meaning of tension based on Bakhtin and The Circle’s concepts of comprehension and evaluation, considering that the construction of the meanings occurs in the encounter of two opposite poles, as an electric spark (VOLOSHINOV, 2017 [1973]). The research questions are two: what is tension as a theoretical reflection? What are the possible tension points when considering comprehension and evaluation in the texts selected among the works of Bakhtin and The Circle? After the data collection phase in papers of a specialized journal, we noticed three works in which we verified a recurrence of the concepts analyzed. Theoretical definitions and reflections about the meaning of tension lead to two centers of circulation of clashing values. Concerning the outcome of this research, comprehension and evaluation (two centers of value) act as a double of each other in the preparation of an active response by a speaker.
Keywords:
Tension; Comprehension; Evaluation; Production of meanings