SEMIOTICS OVERVIEW What is it where did it

SEMIOTICS

OVERVIEW What is it, where did it come from, and who was responsible for it?

Overview of Semiotics What is “semiotics”? Derived from Greek word “semiotikos” meaning “interpreter of signs” The study of how meaning is constructed and understood through the communication of signs and symbols

Overview of Semiotics Historical Henry figures include: Stubbes John Locke Charles Peirce Ferdinand de Saussure

I) The Key Names of Semiology & Semiotics Comparative linguistics Philosophy of language Saussure Jackobson Hjelmslev 5 Peirce Barthes Prof. Anne-Flore MAMAN LARRAUFIE Eco Lévi-Strauss Greimas

Overview of Semiotics Henry In Stubbes 1670, he was the first to use the word in English Used to specify a specific branch of medical science responsible for the interpretation of signs.

Overview of semiotics John Locke In 1690, his publication, An Essay Concerning Human Understanding, identified semiotics as being one of the three total divisions of science. Explained it as “the doctrine of signs” founded on observation, not principle http: //www. xwisee. com | mark. spivey@xwisee. com

Overview of Semiotics Charles Peirce Abstracted from general semiotics the notion of it’s practical use by intelligent agents capable of learning by experience Charles Morris extended Peirce’s work beyond human communication to animal learning http: //www. xwisee. com | mark. spivey@xwisee. com

Overview of Semiotics Ferdinand de Saussure Focused on the “social” aspects of semiotics by connecting it to the social sciences Considered it complimentary to the scientific study of natural language known as “linguistics” http: //www. xwisee. com | mark. spivey@xwisee. com

Signs According to Ferdinand de Sausurre, the founder of semiotics, a sign is composed of: • The signifier – the form the sign takes • The signified – the concept the sign represents Chandler, Daniel. Semiotics for Beginners. http: //www. aber. ac. uk/media/Documents/S 4 B/semiotic. html

Meaning-Making • Humans seem to be driven by a desire to make meaning; we are meaningmakers • Signs take the form of words, images, sounds, odors, flavors, acts, or objects. • These have no intrinsic meaning; they become signs when we invest them with meaning.

According to Charles Sanders Pierce. . . • “We think only in signs. ” • “Nothing is a sign unless it is interpreted as a sign. ” • Anything can be a sign as long as someone interprets it as “signifying” something – referring to or standing in for something other than itself.

Ceci n’est pas une pipe The famous pipe. How people reproached me for it! And yet, could you stuff my pipe? No, it's just a representation, is it not? So if I had written on my picture "This is a pipe, " I'd have been lying! ~Rene Magritte

What one must paint is the image of resemblance -- if thought is to become visible to the world. ~Rene Magritte

The Arbitrary Nature of Language • “Central to Saussure‘s understanding of the linguistic sign is the arbitrary nature of the bond between signifier and signified. ” • A word is really just an arbitrary label that we’ve been taught to use to express a particular concept or idea.

Through the Looking. Glass, Chapter VI: Humpty Dumpty ~Lewis Carroll

“Don‘t stand chattering to yourself like that, ” Humpty Dumpty said, looking at her for the first time, “but tell me your name and your business. ” “My name is Alice, but——” “It‘s a stupid name enough!” Humpty Dumpty interrupted impatiently. “What does it mean? ” “Must a name mean something? ” Alice asked doubtfully. “Of course it must, ” Humpty Dumpty said with a short laugh: “my name means the shape I am—and a good handsome shape it is, too. With a name like yours, you might be any shape, almost. ”

“There are three hundred and sixty-four days when you might get un-birthday presents——” “Certainly, ” said Alice. “And only one for birthday presents, you know. There‘s glory for you!” “I don‘t know what you mean by ‘glory‘, ” Alice said. Humpty Dumpty smiled contemptuously. “Of course you don‘t—till I tell you. I meant ‘there‘s a nice knockdown argument for you!” “But ‘glory‘ doesn‘t mean ‘a nice knock-down argument‘, ” Alice objected. “When I use a word, ” Humpty Dumpty said, in rather a scornful tone, “it means just what I choose it to mean— neither more nor less. ”

The Arbitrary Nature of Language • “Central to Saussure‘s understanding of the linguistic sign is the arbitrary nature of the bond between signifier and signified. ” • A word is really just an arbitrary label that we’ve been taught to use to express a particular concept or idea.

Language and writing are two distinct systems of signs; the second exists for the sole purpose of representing the first. ~Ferdinand de Sausurre

According to Jacques Derrida. . . • Words and signs can never fully articulate what they mean. • They can only be defined in relation to other words, from which they differ. • Meaning is perpetually deferred through and endless chain of signifiers.

Spectrum of Meaning Experiment • Each word (sign) contains a relation between a material substance (signifier) and a mental concept (signified). • Each word also contains a relation between itself and a system of signs outside itself. • This leads us to explore the notion of connotation. . .

Denotation vs. Connotation • Denotation – the basic meaning of a word, independent of its emotional coloration or associations • Connotation – the emotional implications and associations that words may carry, as distinguished from their denotative meanings.

Connotations can be. . . (1) private and personal, the result of individual experience, (2) group (national, linguistic, etc. ), or (3) general universal, held by all or most people.

Signified Signifier Denotation Connotation

Think about a heart. Write down words/phrases/ideas associated with it

Blood Pump Red Muscle Life Emotions Feeling Strength Body Love Centre Organ Care Courage Sincerity Bravery Determination

But what are we actually thinking about?

Sort your words/phrases out into literal associations (actually referring to the heart) and connotations (referring to the idea of the heart – what the heart represents) Denotation Connotation

Heart Denotations Connotations

Heart Denotations e. g. muscle Connotations

Heart Denotations e. g. muscle Connotations e. g. love

Heart Denotations e. g. muscle Pump Blood Organ Body Connotations e. g. love

Heart Denotations e. g. muscle Pump Blood Organ Body Connotations e. g. love Valentines Feelings Romance Sweet

Spectacles/Glasses Denotations Connotations

Spectacles/Glasses Denotations Sight/Vision Optometry Eyes Long/short sighted Lenses Glass Connotations

Spectacles/Glasses Denotations Sight/Vision Optometry Eyes Long/short sighted Lenses Glass Connotations Intelligence Scientist Teacher ‘Boffin’ Physical weakness

Different Types of Signs • Match the two parts of each sign together – pair the signifier (physical image or sound) with the phrase that describes what is signified (the concept being represented) • Sort your sign pairs into groups – see if you can figure out what they have in common with each other – if you need a hint, I will tell you how many different groups you should make

Three Types of Signs • Icon – a sign that physically resembles what it stands for – a literal sign • Index – a sign which implies some other object or event – an implied sign • Symbol – a sign with a conventional or arbitrary relation to the signified – a learned sign