Final answer:
The field that studies the meaning of words and phrases within cultural contexts is semantics, often tied to linguistics and anthropology. It investigates language's reflection of culture and history, and is crucial for contextual analysis.
Step-by-step explanation:
The study of the meaning of words, phrases, and sentences in particular cultural contexts is known as semantics within the field of linguistics, which sometimes overlaps with anthropology when considering cultural factors in language. This field investigates how language and symbols reflect cultural or historical meanings that might elude the majority of readers. By dissecting these nuances, we enhance our comprehension of texts within their socio-cultural, historical, and political frameworks. French philosopher Paul Ricoeur's discourse theory highlights the interpretative nature of understanding texts, further suggesting the boundless possibilities of meaning that arise from language use within different cultural situations.
Understanding how language relates to culture involves recognizing the symbolic systems in place within a society and exploring linguistic relativity, the concept that language differences mirror divergent environmental, historical, and sociocultural conditions. This perspective is vital when conducting contextual analysis in fields such as art history, where iconography is interpreted through the historical context of the image's creation.