Semiotics of culture: definition of the term, features, history of development

2024 Author: Henry Conors | [email protected]. Last modified: 2024-02-12 02:40

Semiotics of culture covers a wide range of definitions. It is assumed that the concept implies a number of studies in cultural studies that cognize culture from the point of view of semiotics, the science of signs. Semiotics and culture are two multilevel systems that regulate and maintain human relations. Culture seeks to obtain new signs and texts, store them and pass them on through generations. To better understand the history of the semiotics of culture, it is necessary to know the meaning of these concepts, as well as what they include.

Semiotics

Semiotics is a term that is widely used in the work of many language researchers. The concept means the science of signs and systems of signs. Therefore, speaking of culture as a sign system, it is necessary to speak of the text as the first source of signs. The semiotics of culture and the concept of text are strongly linked. Without written monuments, the science of signs would not have appeared.

Semiotics was developed in Ancient Greece. Manyphilosophical schools have tried to find a suitable definition to explain the relationship between various linguistic phenomena. Greek semiotics has become closer to medicine than to language.

The term itself was introduced only in the 17th century by Locke, who believes that the main goal of science is a thorough identification of the nature of signs. This science subsequently becomes part of ethics, logic and even physics in his works. This means that semiotics is a logical science in which everything is clearly structured. That is why later science reflects two aspects - logical and linguistic, which are very similar in nature, but cover different areas of human activity.

The logical direction of semiotics

The logical direction both in the semiotics of Russian culture and in foreign culture appears two centuries after Locke's theories. This concept was most widely revealed by Charles Pierce in his writings. He worked for a long time, analyzed the nature of the concept of "semiotics", so he was able to derive a position on signs, called "semiosis", and also structured and proposed a classification of signs. Iconic, indexical and symbolic signs appeared in the semiotics of culture. Later, Charles Morris, based on Peirce's findings, identified three stages, levels of measurement, which outline the nature of relations in a likely sign dimension - syntactics, semantics, pragmatics.

After a period, the scientist understands that, in unity with other sciences, semiotics would show itself much wider and brighter, which is why he seriouslyaffirms its inseparability. Science and signs are interconnected, therefore they cannot live without each other.

Morris, despite his ardent desire to infuse semiotics into the circle of other sciences, nevertheless admitted that it could very well become a metascience later, and it would not need the help of others.

Linguistic direction

The logical direction of the semiotics of culture is not a very broad concept, since the subject of research is a separate sign that does not belong to others. The linguistic direction specializes in the study of not only one sign, but the language in general, since it is it that is the way to transmit information through sign systems.

This direction became known to the world thanks to the work of Ferdinand de Saussure. In his book A Course in General Linguistics, he clarified a number of guidelines that are of great importance for all the humanities, and not just for the semiotics of culture. Language and culture also play an important role in linguistics.

Sign and symbol

Semiotics as a science has two basic concepts - a sign and a symbol. They are central and paramount.

The concept of a sign is equated to some material object. In certain situations, a value is assigned to an object, which can be of any nature. It can be a real or non-existent thing, some kind of phenomenon, action, object, or even something abstract.

The sign is able to adapt and mean one, two or many concepts, and it can easily replace an object or phenomenon. It is for this reason that the concept of sign volume appears. Depending on how many objects the sign represents, it can increase in volume or, conversely, decrease.

Studying the semiotics of culture briefly, one may come across the concept of "the concept of a sign", which means a set of certain knowledge about the object of designation and its relationship with other similar objects.

Natural Signs

Objects and phenomena are called natural signs in the semiotics of culture. An object that carries a certain amount of information can become a sign. Natural signs are called signs-signs in another way, because, as a rule, they denote some kind of object. To most clearly understand the sign, you need to be able to see the information in it, to understand that this is a sign of some object.

Natural signs are almost impossible to systematize and group, so they do not have a clear classification. It takes a lot of thought, strength, and practice to create it.

Functional signs

Functional signs are signs that are constantly used by a person, that is, they are always active. For an object to become such a sign, it must have a connection with it, as well as be a constant part of human activity.

Functional symbols can also be tokens. The only difference between them and natural ones is that the latter denote some objective aspects of the object, while the former denote the functions that they constantly perform in life.person. Signs like these are essential to make life easier because they do both functional and iconic work.

Iconic

Iconic signs are very different from others that exist in the semiotics of culture. They are images that have a real resemblance to the subject of the image. They are fundamentally created identical to the designated things, their appearance is very similar to real objects.

Symbols express culture, as they denote not only the subject, but also the ideas and principles inherent in it from the very beginning.

The symbol is specific: it has two levels, where the first (external) is the appearance, the image of the object, and the second (internal) has a symbolic meaning, as it means the content of the object.

Conventional signs

They denote objects that people have agreed to call this sign, and appeared only with the aim of carrying a sign function. Other functions are not inherent in them.

Conventional signs express themselves through signals and indices. Signals warn or alert a person, and indices conditionally designate some objects or processes. The processes or situations depicted by the index should be compact so that they can be easily imagined.

In the semiotics of culture, there are both separate conventional signs and their systems, which can be different in nature.

Verbal sign systems

Verbal sign systems are usually called the natural languages of mankind. This is a very important part thatplays a pivotal role in life. There are also artificial languages, but they are not directly related to verbal sign systems.

Natural language is a historically established system, which is a necessary basis for the development of all areas, especially culture. Also, the system is in constant development, which indicates its openness to outside interventions. Culture directly develops along with natural language, so problems with natural language dynamics will immediately affect the cultural development of society.

Text and semiotics

Writing is the basis for semiotics. Initially, she expressed herself only through pictography. Later, ideography appears, which implies that a certain meaning is embedded in the images. Also, the letter becomes more schematic, hieroglyphs appear.

The last stage in the development of writing implies the appearance of writing as such, that is, an alphabet with a specific set of necessary characters that no longer denote phrases or words, but sounds.

When writing develops, certain rules appear for structuring signs in speech and writing. That is why a literary language arises, where all norms are taken into account.

Ferdinand de Saussure also strives to improve writing in every possible way, therefore he provides the public with the position that the basis of any language is a word, which is considered an arbitrarily chosen sign. He also introduced the concepts of "denoted" and "denoting". The first one isthe content of the word, what is displayed in it, and the second is considered the form, that is, its sound and spelling. Another important point was the conclusion that the signs in the language form a semiotic system.

Semiotics of culture and the concept of Lotman's text is an original program in semiotics, which has received wide distribution and mass recognition. It was a special theoretical basis, which was aimed at a thorough study of the aspects of culture and semiotics in unity. It appeared in the XX century, namely in the 60-80s.

Lotman deduced the concept of the text, considering it completely neutral in relation to literature. This helped to process segments of culture, to analyze it itself. The early process of analysis was long and exhausting and involved a semiotic analysis of literature.

Semiotics of culture and semiotics of text are inseparable, identical processes.

The main part of the structure of analysis is the word, natural language and culture, which create for a person the conditions of life, but not biological, but social. Culture is a certain area, a large text that can and should be comprehended with the help of semiotics.

Articles on semiotics of culture

"The Fashion System" is a book written by Roland Barthes. In his creation, he reveals an idea that he had previously raised in a previous collection of articles (published in 1957). Fashion in Barth's understanding is a certain system of signs, which is able to regulate many other systems in the semiotics of culture. The structure of thisThe work, unlike its predecessor, is built in a research format and has a more formal, clear text organization.

Roland Barthes wanted to convey the idea that fashion can influence a person as a symbol, as well as a code, which is an indispensable part of the system. Fashion is a structure of signs that are able to reunite with the signifier and the signified, and this system carries not only a set of signs, but also value orientations. Clothing is part of the fashion system and has a connotational meaning. This system easily penetrates the world of mass media and introduces its value system.