Semiotics Test 1 Flashcards
Sign
A sign is something that stands for something else in some respect or capacity. A sign refers to the referent
Two types of referents
Concrete: the animal designated by the word cat
Abstract: bright light to signify “idea”
Image concept
The image concept is created by the signifier. 3 types: 1) Superordinate 2) Prototypical 3) Subordinate
Semiotic method
Synchronic - study at a given point in time, usually the present
Diachronic - changes in form and meaning over time
Denotation
Basic Meaning. main denotative signification is implied but it is expanded by connotative structures
Connotation
Not basic meanings. the core of semiotics. Connotative signification is very often culturally motivated.
Culture
system of connotative meanings that create an associative macro-code that allows people to interact purposefully and think about the universe in a specific manner (knowledge, belief, art, morals, customs etc.).
Both restrictive and liberating
1) impose fixed systems of signification
2) provide resources to seek/create new meanings
Culture influences every aspect of life (attitudes, beliefs, world views and even the manner in which one perceives the world)
Semiosphere
the region (not necessarily physical) that sustains social life that sustains knowledge - making and representational activities. Culture as a system of signs, can be reshaped by humans
Semiosis
capacity to produce and understand signs
Codes
Sign systems (language/music/dress/gestures are all codes)
1) Intellectual code (not very flexible)
2) Social code (flexible)
3) Food code (flexible)
Iconicity
Resemble what they are representing: photographs, portraits, maps, Roman numerals, etc.
Onomatopoeic visual iconic signs - slash/bang/drip
Indexicality (3 types)
Most typical: pointing index finger, used to point out and locate things and events. Words like here/there/up/down can also be indexes
Spatial - spatial locations of things/people
Temporal - relations now/before/etc.
Personal - participants taking part in an action/situation; I/she/the one, etc.
Symbolic
a symbol stands for somthing in a conventional manner. It is always arbitrary - no immediate relationship between X and Y
Modes of representation to create a sign or text
Iconic, indexical and symbolic
Body signs (non verbal semiotics)
2/3 signs produced by body 700,000 -+ physical signs 1,000 +- postures 5,000 +- hand gestures 250,000 +- facial expressions
body signs are also code of how one (often semiopheres) perceives ones body. there are much more than physical attitudes as they tend to regulate social situations (winks, hand gestures, postures)
Non verbal signs
usually have a social function of regulating self-other relations
Body signs are all codes of how one (often semiopheres) perceives one’s body
more than physical attitudes as they tend to regulate social situations (winks, hand gestures, posters)
Mostly not natural and are based on historically relevant conventions
2 main types of body signs
Witting –> intentional; humans
Unwitting –> unintentional: animals/humans
Usually signs in most animals are innate and are the product of internal and/or external stimuli
1) survival
2) social interaction
3) pragmatic activities
facial expressions
witting and unwitting in humans
cross cultural
face purveyor of selfhood/persona permeates the semiospheres
reason why we have so many expressions that reinforce the perception that the face is a sign representing the entire person:
1) we argued face to face
2) dont show your face around here
3) he’s just another pretty face
4) he lost face
this underlines the function of portrature: often a signifier of the self
non verbal signs are processed differently than from word. - smiling staring, clenching fists - processed in lower and more primitive areas
spoken language is processed in the cerebral cortex
Eye contact
not unique to human species. Dog-direct stare used as a threat.
usually in animals - eye contact is unwitting
in humans - contact patterns transcend biological processes reflecting cultural meanings and social interactions
Body Language
communication with gestures, postures
they can be witting, unwitting or both
scientific study of body language = kinesics
kinesics codes regulate how people behave in certain social situations - stomach noise, coughing
powerful in courtship displays
Touch
Tactile code - handshaking
tactile and haptic code - the study of touch in general
haptic code - patting on arm, shoulder, linking, intimacy
lip touching - tactile behaviour that is a mystery. known as erotic here but not universal (rub noses)
Patting someone on the arm/hugging/holding hands, etc.
Great variation of tactile/hapti codes across cultures. Reason unknown, perhaps conditioned by how one’s skin is perceived relative to one’s Body
different zones of privacy and personal/work norms / behaviours used that would be deemed inappropriate in some work environments than others
Usually, but not necessarily regulated by semiosphere
kissing not always erotic. Not even lip touching is always erotic.
Erotic kissing evolutionary and cultural phenomenon?
Mock sucking/mock feeding? (erogenous zones)
Not present in all cultures
Gesture
Use of hands, arms, and to a lesser extent other parts of the body. some cross-cultural similarities but also many differences
Head gestures for yes and no may have opposite meanings in different cultures
kids use gestures - different languages.
many semioticians see gestures as more fundamental way of communicating that vocal language (origin of communication?)
Humans tend to see much more than what is there when “interpreting” animal signs
Clever Hans - German talking horse - would react not to a question but to inadvertent “body language” of owner/questioner
gestures used in speech iconic gesticulants metaphoric gesticulants beat gestiuclant cohesive gesticulants deictic gesticulants
Gestures & Language
Illustrators: illustrate vocal utterances
Emblems: Directly translate words/phrases
Affect display: emotional meanings
regulators: Monitor and maintain control over someone else’s speech
adaptors: satisfy some need (often an unconscious moment)
Dancing functions
Aesthetic: expressing moods, telling a story
Ritual: serving a function
social: community function of belonging
Courtship: sexual, intimate
Visual Signs
images are coded culturally
mental pictures produced will very likely be the same amongst people belonging in the same semiosphere
prototypical image
is what I primarily produced to represent a mental image in a given culture. In our semiosphere: i.e. equilateral triangle ; household cat
Impediment Schema
mental outline which relates a physical experience to often better express/ understand a nonphysical experience
i.e: get over a cold: get through a difficult time: steer clear of debts, etc.
Colour
Ability to perceive colour is culturally based.
Not all cultures see all variations of colour (hue) and thus do not distinguish colours as other people may
Use of colour in connotative ways
red carpet: into the red: red tap: blues (music): to be blue (sad) etc.
Colour also conveys mood, feeling, atmosphere (warm, soft, cold, harsh)
colour also have strong culturally specific connotations
yellow - nobility
yellow - cowardice
Visual representation
visual signifiers
point, lines and shapes
there straight lines = endless possibilities
react different to lines that are modulated differently
lines can also coney texture
Basic geometric forms are imbued with symbolism across the world:
square: earths surface in antiquity
triangle: trinity, perfection, balance
circle: perfection
cross addition, Christian symbol
Signature multiplication, indicating prohibition, something forbidden
