2nd Article

2nd Article
Thwaites, T., Davis, L. & Mules, W. 1994. “Signs and Systems.” Tools for Cultural Studies: An Introduction, (pp. 25-43). Melbourne: MacMillan.

O’Shaugnessy, M. 1999. “Pictures.” Media and Society: An Introduction, (pp. 63-89). Melbourne: Oxford University Press.

Eunson, B. 2005. “ Non-verbal Communication.” Communicating in the 21st Century, (pp. 231-254). Queensland: John Wiley & Sons.

Objective Summary
This article is about how there are many concepts and ideologies relating to the sign process. The several main ideas are significations, commutation tests, codes and paradigms and syntagms. These concepts provide an understanding and a deeper meaning on how the sign process works.

Subjective Summary
This article was very easy to read and I understand all of the concepts regarding the sign process. The language used was very clear and precise. In order for the reader to fully comprehend the idea, the example of a cat was used in terms of how it sounded and the mental picture that by saying the word ‘cat’ produced. This article has increased my understanding for the structure of signs and its processes.

Five Quotes/Points and Their Subjective Analysis
1. “ The signifier is not the actual sounds heard, nor the actual graphic marks seen, but the mental impression of them.” (pg 28)

The point argues that the signifier of a sign is not the sign. A sign can be iconic, symbolic and indexical. According to Peirce (cited in O’ Shaugnessy 1999: 68), iconic signs are the literal image of a picture. Symbolic signs are what the signs stand for using language. Indexical signs are signs that indicate a certain thing. For example, smoke is an indexical sign representing fire. The signifier is not what is pronounced, it is the mental picture of the sign. The word ‘rose’ is the iconic sign. But, the signifier of the sign ‘rose’ indicates love, romance.







2. “If a sign gets its meaning from other signs, it works through a system of differences (from what it isn’t), rather than of identity (with itself).” (pg 32)

This point argues that a sign’s meaning is originated from other signs. Its identity is formed because it is different from other signs. For example, the sign ‘pot’ is different from the sign ‘dot’. The pronunciation and meaning of both two signs are different. Therefore, a sign derives its meaning from other signs because it is different from the meanings of the other signs. I do not fully agree with the point here, as it is a bit confusing. But, a sign derives its meanings depending on the sentence it is in.

3. “Even within any given code, any number of subsidiary codes may also be operating. These may overlap, or may be relatively separate from each other, even conflicting.” (pg 36)

A code is a system from which a word can be used and interpreted. The point explains that a same word can be interpreted in many different ways. For example, a nod means ‘yes’ in most cultures. But, it also means ‘no’ in other cultures like Greece and some parts of Bulgaria (Axtell 1998, cited in Eunson 2005: 235). Therefore, codes may overlap with each other, even though they may be contradictory or unconnected. This understanding and different interpretations are based on nonverbal communication.

see more on nonverbal communication: http://zzyx.ucsc.edu/~archer/intro.html

4. “ If any individual sign may have several possible meanings, the actual utterances in which a sign is used tend to narrow somewhat the field of probable meanings.” (pg 40)

This point is a bit hard to understand. However, the point that the author is making is that a sign by itself has many meanings. When used in different sentences and situations, the meanings are decreased and eventually one specific meaning will come out from the sign. For example, the sentence ‘The top is nice’ refers that the top is a piece of clothing. However, in the sentence ‘Judy cannot reach the top of the cupboard’ indicates that the top is referring to the outer surface of a cupboard. Hence, a sign’s possible meanings are “narrowed” down to a smaller number of meanings depending on how the sign is used.

5. “ Paradigms provide a plurality of possible meanings, while syntagms tend to narrow these down according to context.” (pg 40)

Paradigms are a set of signs, which are interchangeable. For example, the iconic sign of a dress + the symbolic sign of “Sarah Jessica Parker” + the iconic sign of a perfume bottle gives the ideology of elegance and stardom. But, what if the symbolic sign of “Sarah Jessica Parker” is interchanged with an iconic sign of an unknown model; the ideology would then be changed to elegance and accessibility. Syntagms are a set of signs, which are arranged in a certain way to give a certain meaning. The first example is a syntagm. Hence, this shows that it narrows the meaning of the signs down to just a few possible meanings. This point is very important, as it shows how different meanings can be interpreted through different arrangements. It is interesting to show that just by changing a word, the whole meaning or ideology of a sentence could change dramatically.







Question
Why are diagrams such as the second one on page 27 and the diagram on page 33 needed?
I personally do not think that diagrams such as these are needed. They do not help in any way to my understanding of this concept.