Lecture 03 Semiotics IS 246 Multimedia Information Prof

Today’s Agenda • Review of Last Time – Towards a New Understanding of Communication

What and How Do We Communicate? • What “gifts” do we give each other?

Beyond the Conduit Metaphor • Reddy – Identification of the Conduit Metaphor – Suggestion

The Conduit Metaphor • Language functions like a conduit, transferring thoughts bodily from one

Toolmakers’ Paradigm IS 246 - FALL 2004. 09. 08 - SLIDE 7

Comparing Models • Conduit Metaphor – Repertoire Members (i. e. , perceptions, thoughts, or

Iser on the Literary Work • Literary work has two poles – Artistic •

Iser on the Reading Process • Phenomenology of reading process similar to phenomenology of

Roland Barthes • Death of the Author – Who is the “I” that writes?

Foundations of Semiotics • Ferdinand de Saussure Course in General Linguistics (1906 -1911) •

Language and Linguistics • The object of study of linguistics is language (langue) not

Linguistic Sign • Sign, Signified, Signifier – The linguistic sign is the unity of

Linguistic Sign • “The linguistic sign unites, not a thing and a name, but

Linguistic Signs and Language • The sign is arbitrary • A multiplicity of signs

From Signification to Values • “[. . . ] to consider a term as

Linguistic Values • Values are composed of – A dissimilar thing that can be

Syntagmatic and Associative Relations • “In discourse, on the one hand, words acquire relations

Syntagmatic and Associative Relations Associative (Paradigmatic) Axis C’’’ C’ A IS 246 - FALL

Differences • “Everything that has been said up to this point boils down to

Discussion Questions (Saussure) • Alison Billings on Saussure – How can the methods used

Discussion Questions (Saussure) • Gökçe Kınayoğlu on Saussure – While formulating Semiotics, Saussure intentionally

Discussion Questions (Saussure) • Gökçe Kınayoğlu on Saussure – If we accept that “thought

Discussion Questions (Saussure) • Gökçe Kınayoğlu on Saussure – Where does the meaning reside?

Discussion Questions (Saussure) • Gökçe Kınayoğlu on Saussure – What are the instances at

Discussion Questions (Saussure) • Prof. Davis on Saussure – How could signs (which are

Readings for Next Week • Monday 09/13 (Narrative and Narration) – Textbook • David

Slides: 33

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Lecture 03: Semiotics IS 246 Multimedia Information Prof. Marc Davis UC Berkeley SIMS Monday and Wednesday 2: 00 pm – 3: 30 pm Fall 2004 http: //www. sims. berkeley. edu/academics/courses/is 246/f 04/ IS 246 - FALL 2004. 09. 08 - SLIDE 1

Today’s Agenda • Review of Last Time – Towards a New Understanding of Communication – Iser on The Reading Process – Barthes on “Author” and “Text” • Foundations of Semiotics • Discussion Questions • Action Items for Next Time IS 246 - FALL 2004. 09. 08 - SLIDE 2

What and How Do We Communicate? • What “gifts” do we give each other? • What do we do with these gifts? • How does this gift exchange bring us together (or not)? IS 246 - FALL 2004. 09. 08 - SLIDE 4

Beyond the Conduit Metaphor • Reddy – Identification of the Conduit Metaphor – Suggestion of alternate Toolmakers’ Paradigm • Iser – The reading process as a primary example of the Toolmakers’ Paradigm – Phenomenology of the reading process • Barthes – New conceptions of “author” and “text” IS 246 - FALL 2004. 09. 08 - SLIDE 5

The Conduit Metaphor • Language functions like a conduit, transferring thoughts bodily from one person to another • In writing and speaking, people insert their thoughts or feelings in the words • Words accomplish the transfer by containing the thoughts or feelings and conveying them to others • In listening or reading, people extract the thoughts and feelings once again from the words IS 246 - FALL 2004. 09. 08 - SLIDE 6

Toolmakers’ Paradigm IS 246 - FALL 2004. 09. 08 - SLIDE 7

Comparing Models • Conduit Metaphor – Repertoire Members (i. e. , perceptions, thoughts, or feelings) can migrate from one mind to another – Communication is a largely effort free act of unpacking the meaning in words (i. e. , the sender’s RMs in the Signals) – Communication does not involve the RMs of the receiver of the message IS 246 - FALL 2004 • Toolmakers Paradigm – Only Signals can pass between human beings, not RMs – Communication requires active engagement of both parties and often breaks down and needs repair – The meanings of signals are not contained within them, but made out of the constructive interaction between the signals and the RMs of the receiver 2004. 09. 08 - SLIDE 8

Iser on the Literary Work • Literary work has two poles – Artistic • Text created by the author • Reddy’s signals – Text (1) • Metaphor of “stars” – Esthetic • Realization accomplished by the reader • Reddy’s Repertoire Members – Text (2) • Metaphor of “constellations” • Literary work comes to life in the interaction between text and reader – Virtual dimension – Gaps IS 246 - FALL 2004. 09. 08 - SLIDE 10

Iser on the Reading Process • Phenomenology of reading process similar to phenomenology of perception – Anticipation – Retrospection – Gestalt – Illusion-building/Illusion-breaking • Interaction with repertoire (familiar) • Alien associations (unfamiliar) • Text(1) and Text(2) IS 246 - FALL 2004. 09. 08 - SLIDE 11

Roland Barthes • Death of the Author – Who is the “I” that writes? – The reader constructs the author by means of the text • From Work to Text – Method: “The text is experienced only in an activity of production. ” – Plurality: “The text is plural. ” – Filiation: The author returns to his/her text as a guest – Text is a social space which coincides only with a practice of writing IS 246 - FALL 2004. 09. 08 - SLIDE 13

Foundations of Semiotics • Ferdinand de Saussure Course in General Linguistics (1906 -1911) • One of the founders of modern linguistics – Established the structural study of language, emphasizing the arbitrary relationship of the signifier to signified and the diacritical nature of signs – Distinguished synchronic linguistics (studying language at a given moment) from diachronic linguistics (studying the changing state of a language over time) • Creation of “semiology” the study of sign systems • Hugely influential on modern literary and media theory IS 246 - FALL 2004. 09. 08 - SLIDE 15

Language and Linguistics • The object of study of linguistics is language (langue) not human speech (langage) • Linguistic study can be divided up into – Diachronic linguistics • How a system of values relates to and changes over time – Synchronic linguistics • How a system of values works per se (at a point in time) • Linguistics is not just a subset of the general study of signs (semiology) but is its template IS 246 - FALL 2004. 09. 08 - SLIDE 16

Linguistic Sign • Sign, Signified, Signifier – The linguistic sign is the unity of the signifier (a sound-image) and the signified (a concept) Concept Sound-Image IS 246 - FALL 2004. 09. 08 - SLIDE 17

Linguistic Sign • “The linguistic sign unites, not a thing and a name, but a concept and a sound-image. The latter is not the material sound, a purely physical thing, but the psychological imprint of the sound, the impression that it makes on our senses. The sound-image is sensory, and if I happen to call it "material, " it is only in that sense, and by way of opposing it to the other term of the association, the concept, which is generally more abstract. ” (p. 66) IS 246 - FALL 2004. 09. 08 - SLIDE 18

Linguistic Signs and Language • The sign is arbitrary • A multiplicity of signs is necessary to form any language • Language is an over-complex system • Language exhibits a collective inertia toward innovation IS 246 - FALL 2004. 09. 08 - SLIDE 19

From Signification to Values • “[. . . ] to consider a term as simply the union of a certain sound with a certain concept is grossly misleading. To define it in this way would isolate the term from its system; it would mean assuming that one can start from the terms and construct the system by adding them together when, on the contrary, it is from the interdependent whole that one must start and through analysis obtain its elements. ” (p. 113). • “Language is a system of interdependent terms in which the value of each term results solely from the simultaneous presence of the others [. . . ]. ” (p. 114) IS 246 - FALL 2004. 09. 08 - SLIDE 20

Linguistic Values • Values are composed of – A dissimilar thing that can be exchanged for the thing of which the value is to be determined – Similar things that can be compared with the thing of which the value is to be determined Signified Signifier IS 246 - FALL 2004. 09. 08 - SLIDE 21

Syntagmatic and Associative Relations • “In discourse, on the one hand, words acquire relations based on the linear nature of language because they are chained together. [. . . ] Combinations supported by linearity are syntagms. The syntagm is always composed of two or more consecutive units [. . . ]. In the syntagm a term acquires its value only because it stands in opposition to everything that precedes or follows it, or to both. Outside discourse, on the other hand, words acquire relations of a different kind. Those that have something in common are associated in memory, resulting groups are marked by diverse relations. [. . . ] We see that the co-ordinations formed outside discourse differ strikingly from those formed inside discourse. Those formed outside discourse are not supported by linearity. Their seat is in the brain; they are a part of the inner storehouse that makes up the language of each speaker. They are associative relations. ” (p. 123). IS 246 - FALL 2004. 09. 08 - SLIDE 22

Syntagmatic and Associative Relations Associative (Paradigmatic) Axis C’’’ C’ A IS 246 - FALL 2004 B C D E Syntagmatic Axis 2004. 09. 08 - SLIDE 23

Differences • “Everything that has been said up to this point boils down to this: in language there are only differences. Even more important: a difference generally implies positive terms between which the difference is set up; but in language there are only differences without positive terms. ” (p. 120). • “In reality the idea evokes not a form but a whole latent system that makes possible the oppositions necessary for the formation of the sign. By itself the sign would have no signification. ” (p. 130). IS 246 - FALL 2004. 09. 08 - SLIDE 24

Discussion Questions (Saussure) • Alison Billings on Saussure – How can the methods used to create meaning (comparison and associative relationships) for arbitrary language signs transfer to image based communications? – Are images arbitrary signifiers or do the have specific meanings? IS 246 - FALL 2004. 09. 08 - SLIDE 26

Discussion Questions (Saussure) • Gökçe Kınayoğlu on Saussure – While formulating Semiotics, Saussure intentionally steers away from Semantics (Study of meaning), also clearly distinguishes the value-laden symbol from the neutral sign. Are all signs value-free? (ex. “God”) IS 246 - FALL 2004. 09. 08 - SLIDE 27

Discussion Questions (Saussure) • Gökçe Kınayoğlu on Saussure – If we accept that “thought is fluid and chaotic before language” (p 112), can we speak of the existence of the “signified”? Linguistically speaking, are concepts nothing but illusory shadows formed around their sound-images? IS 246 - FALL 2004. 09. 08 - SLIDE 28

Discussion Questions (Saussure) • Gökçe Kınayoğlu on Saussure – Where does the meaning reside? Is it totally explainable within the “atomic” structure of the sign? What is the comparative role of syntax and grammar in the structure of language and the construction of meaning? IS 246 - FALL 2004. 09. 08 - SLIDE 29

Discussion Questions (Saussure) • Gökçe Kınayoğlu on Saussure – What are the instances at which language evolves? Can we agree with Saussure that there exists single homogenous “states of equilibrium” of a language shared by all its speakers? Is it possible to capture, or artificially induce the evolution process of a language? Can a language be artificially constructed/planned (ex. Esperanto)? IS 246 - FALL 2004. 09. 08 - SLIDE 30

Discussion Questions (Saussure) • Prof. Davis on Saussure – How could signs (which are not positive units) be represented and manipulated computationally? – How might Saussure’s ideas about linguistic signs apply to media such as video, photography, and music? IS 246 - FALL 2004. 09. 08 - SLIDE 31

Readings for Next Week • Monday 09/13 (Narrative and Narration) – Textbook • David Bordwell and Kristin Thompson: Film Art: An Introduction. Mc. Graw Hill, New York, 2003. Pages: 47 -105. • Megan, Cecilia, Vijay • Wednesday 09/15 (Mise-en-scene and Cinematography) – Textbook • David Bordwell and Kristin Thompson: Film Art: An Introduction. Mc. Graw Hill, New York, 2003. Pages: 175 -184 & 207 -293. • Jeff, Brooke, Nick IS 246 - FALL 2004. 09. 08 - SLIDE 33