| Elements of Semiology Contributor(s): Barthes, Roland (Author), Lavers, Annette (Translator), Smith, Colin (Translator) |
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ISBN: 0374521468 ISBN-13: 9780374521462 Publisher: Hill & Wang OUR PRICE: $15.30 Product Type: Paperback - Other Formats Published: April 1977 Annotation: "In his "Course in General Linguistics", first published in 1916, Saussure postulated the existence of a general science of signs, or Semiology, of which linguistics would form only one part. Semiology, therefore aims to take in any system of signs, whatever their substance and limits; images, gestures, musical sounds, objects, and the complex associations of all these, which form the content of ritual, convention or public entertainment: these constitute, if not "languages", at least systems of signification . . . The "Elements" here presented have as their sole aim the extraction from linguistics of analytical concepts which we think "a priori" to be sufficiently general to start semiological research on its way. In assembling them, it is not presupposed that they will remain intact during the course of research; nor that semiology will always be forced to follow the linguistic model closely. We are merely suggesting and elucidating a terminology in the hope that it may enable an initial (albeit provisional) order to be introduced into the heterogeneous mass of significant facts. In fact what we purport to do is furnish a principle of classification of the questions. These elements of semiology will therefore be grouped under four main headings borrowed from structural linguistics: I. "Language and Speech"; II. "Signified and Signifier"; III. "Syntagm and System;" IV. "Denotation and Connotation"."--Roland Barthes, from his Introduction |
| Additional Information |
| BISAC Categories: - Language Arts & Disciplines - Literary Criticism | Semiotics & Theory |
| Dewey: 302.2 |
| Physical Information: 0.3" H x 5.22" W x 8.07" (0.24 lbs) 112 pages |
| Descriptions, Reviews, Etc. |
| Publisher Description: In his Course in General Linguistics, first published in 1916, Saussure postulated the existence of a general science of signs, or Semiology, of which linguistics would form only one part. Semiology, therefore aims to take in any system of signs, whatever their substance and limits; images, gestures, musical sounds, objects, and the complex associations of all these, which form the content of ritual, convention or public entertainment: these constitute, if not languages, at least systems of signification . . . The Elements here presented have as their sole aim the extraction from linguistics of analytical concepts which we think a priori to be sufficiently general to start semiological research on its way. In assembling them, it is not presupposed that they will remain intact during the course of research; nor that semiology will always be forced to follow the linguistic model closely. We are merely suggesting and elucidating a terminology in the hope that it may enable an initial (albeit provisional) order to be introduced into the heterogeneous mass of significant facts. In fact what we purport to do is furnish a principle of classification of the questions. These elements of semiology will therefore be grouped under four main headings borrowed from structural linguistics: I. Language and Speech; II. Signified and Signifier; III. Syntagm and System; IV. Denotation and Connotation.--Roland Barthes, from his Introduction |
Contributor Bio(s): Barthes, Roland: - Roland Barthes (1915-1980) was a French cultural and literary critic, whose clever and lyrical writings on semiotics made structuralism one of the leading movements of the twentieth century. Barthes had a cult following and published seventeen books, including Camera Lucida, Mythologies, and A Lover's Discourse. |