Week 2 - Sign, Icon, Index, Symbol

Question 1

Rough Definition of Language

Answer 1

SYSTEM of HUMAN COMMUNICATION based on speech sounds used as ARBITRARY SYMBOLS

Question 2

SIGN definition

Answer 2

Sign = a RELATION between TWO OBJECTS such that ONE STANDS FOR/CALLS TO MIND the OTHER

SIGNIFIER ———- stands for ———- SIGNIFIED

signifies: stands for something else

egs !

• whistle of boiled kettle
• runny nose
• $5 note
• storm clouds
• portrait of queen in govt office

Question 3

PEIRCE’s 3 way sign distinctions

Answer 3

• icon
• index
• symbol

trichtonomy classifies signs in terms of the NATURE of the RELATION between SIGNIFIER and SIGNIFIED

Question 4

ICON

ICONIC signs

Answer 4

sign FIT TO SIGNIFY by virtue of RESEMBLANCE between sign and what stands for.
- BY VIRTUE OF FORM ALONE

1. IMAGIC icons: resemblance between WHOLE sign and its object
2. DIAGRAMMATIC icons: RELATIVE POSITION of the PARTS of sign reflects STRUCTURE of the object

Question 5

INDEX

INDEXICAL signs

Answer 5

sign FIT TO SIGNIFY by virtue of real MATERIAL (CAUSE-EFFECT) RELATION between sign and what it stands for

• smoke indicate fire
• footprints indicate someone passed by
• open door indicate someone home

medical practitioners use indexical signs!
- feeling tired
- feeling itchy
- dizziness, etc......
 symptoms POINT TO diagnosis

Question 6

SYMBOL

SYMBOLIC sign

Answer 6

sign FIT TO SIGNIFY only by virtue of some AGREEMENT it does signify
- ARBITRARY
- CONVENTIONAL
(depend on users of sign)

EG. STOP SIGNS !
arbitrary: RED. OCTAGONAL. the word ‘STOP’
> none of these resemble/physically connected to Stopping
> just an agreement/social convention

WORDS are symbolic
(differ between langs and stuff. diff people agree on diff word “symbols” for same thing
dog, hond, perro)

• except onomatopiea, to a degree iconic)

Question 7

Iconic aspects of language

Answer 7

onomatopoeia/sound symbolism
- if form itself resembles sound referred 
    > moo
    > splash
    > tweet

BUT still symbolic
eg. kwaak-kwaak, ribbit ribbit, gangor gangor

AND

2. we can lengthen stressed syllable of GRADABLE ADJECTIVES
   - thats biiiiiiiig
3. Reduplication: copying part of a word and extending it - interpreted as some kind of repetition of object/action/quality
   GILBERTESE
   ika - fish
   ikaika - lots of fish

Question 8

mixed signs

Answer 8

• reduplication icon and symbol
• what a reduplication means depends on convention by speakers of lang
• what physical features of an object we choose to rep in an icon = partly convention