–de Saussure
In our class discussion on semiotics last Thursday, I found it interesting that the dichotomy of the “word” was not so much as even alluded to. Then again, does it make a difference? In language, the physical sound can be divided from the associating thought as long as a written symbol takes its place- therefore; the signifier can be either the utterance of a word, or the written form of a word. For example, none of my current argument happens to be in the form of a physical sound, yet my points are clearly understood by other people because the same thoughts in language that are represented by sound, can also be represented through writing.
Here is where things started to get complicated for me. Some languages do no use a series of different letters that equate to different sounds and can be combined to make words and represent thoughts (like the English language). Chinese, for example, uses a single symbol for every different word or thought. In today’s internet language, emoticons can be thought of along very similar terms. A “smilie” face
1 comment:
I wanted to reply to this post and give my opinion on why I believe it is almost always based on a previous experience.
The smiley face does have a meaning in which most people understand as someone being happy or in a good mood. But any one person could relate this particular symbol to a previous experience they may have had.
For example, the smiley reminds me of my friend "bob" because he would always use it at the end of every sentence he would write.
Or another example >3, which means love. Not everyone knows this particular symbol means love but those who do may relate it to something that reminds them of this symbol, perhaps someone they love.
As Americans, we have no clue what particular symbols mean in Chinese. When the Chinese see them, they are able to relate it to something just as we do with our words. Perhaps the Chinese have a different symbol for being happy of in a good mood, and when they see :) they just automatically see a colon and a parenthesis.
Even with the Exxon symbol, it symbolizes gas, but for some it may remind them of a time they stopped at Exxon.
So you see just because the smiley has an underlying meaning that someone is happy or in a good mood, it could also remind them of other things as well.
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