Abstract: The subject of the research is scientific historiography of the problem associated with the use of the method in the interpretation of social and humanitarian knowledge. Particular attention is paid to the different views on the interpretation in the general scientific understanding in the literature, semiotics, art theory. The method of interpretation draws attention to the fact that, being recognized by the scientific method, it contains a special kind of a subjective component. The problem of interpretation is directly related to the semantic system. Particularly noteworthy polysemantic system. The use of interpretation in their area requires special scientific procedures.