Semiology the study of signs amp symbols also known as the study of meaning Language can have meaning in two ways 1what it says encoded sign Semantics 2 what it does in context action Pragmatics ID: 1003167
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1. Chapter 2Meaning as Sign
2. Semiology = the study of signs & symbols(also known as: the study of meaning)Language can have meaning in two ways: 1-what it says – encoded sign – (Semantics) 2- what it does in context – action – (Pragmatics)
3. The linguistic signHuman’s unique capacity to create ‘signs’ to communicate.Sign = signifier + signified 1- Signifier: sound or word (e.g. rose) 2- Signified: concept or object or ideaSign ‘refers to the relationship between the two’ Clip
4. The linguistic sign is ‘arbitrary’Arbitrary: subject to individual will, preference, or judgment - not to lawsi.e. there is no direct relation bet the signifier and signified.e.g. ‘table’ for both English and German speakers
5. The meaning of signs1- Denotative: the meaning that refers to a definable reality and can be looked up in a dictionary.- e.g. ‘rose’ in poem refers to real object found in gardens.2- Connotative: associations -of the word –that are evoked in the mind of the reader- usually ‘abstract’ concepts - e.g. (‘rose’ connotes beauty- innocence- love..) 3- Iconic: the image created by the sign - e.g. ‘onomatopoeia’ (whack - smack) - the recurrent ‘s’ sound in poem ‘crushing image’ Thus type of meaning depends on the context
6. Cultural EncodingsCode: Language (either written, spoken, sign language...)- ( can also refer to part of language ‘word’)Code cannot be separated from its meaning.How does a ‘code’ get a ‘meaning’? Every culture associates specific ‘meanings’ to their code- e.g. differences in the sign ‘table’ in English and PolishCultural encodings can also change over time in the same language. - e.g. German sign for ‘happiness’ - ‘soul’ ‘mind’ in Russian
7. Speech communityDiscourse communityCultural literacy: the body of knowledge that is shared by all members of a given culture. / subject to change over time ‘poem’ Example of culturally informed icons: Onomatopoeia : words that link objects to sounds / i.e. words that imitate sound/ e.g. ‘bash-mash-smash-crash’
8. Semantic CohesionIn any language, Semantic cohesion is established by:1- cohesive devices (co-text)2- prior text (community’s memory/ connections)3- metaphors (e.g. shooting down someone’s argument)
9. The non-arbitrary nature of signsSigns have no natural connection with the outside world arbitraryNative speakers do not feel that words are arbitrary signs natural (feel its non-arbitrary) Why?Reason of the Naturalization of culturally created signs their motivated nature.Motivated by the desire of language users to communicate and influence others.The linguistic sign is therefore a ‘motivated’ sign.
10. SYMBOLS
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15. Overtime, ‘signs’ become:1- naturalized2- conventionalized (following an accepted standard/ general agreement)Symbols: Signs are Taken out of their original context (lose their denotative and/or connotative meaning) and used as a symbolic shorthand/ example of conventionalized signs.The recurrence of ;symbols’ shapes the memory of their users.
16. Symbol: a thing that represents something else, usually sth physical that represents sth more abstract.They help us communicate thoughts & feelingsTypes: visual (heart) / written (an image, setting..in book)What it represents depends on context surrounding it.Clip (symbols & symbolism)/ symbols
17. StereotypesIs a belief that all members of a specific group share similar traits and tend to behave in a same way.A type of ‘symbolic language’Frozen signs in a cultureUsually promotes negative themes in a cultureClip (mute)
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