Semiotics Vesa Matteo Piludu University of Helsinki, semiotic

Semiotics The term, which was spelled semeiotics (Greek: σημειωτικός, semeiotikos, an interpreter of signs) was first used in English by Henry Stubbes (1670, p. 75) in a very precise sense to denote the branch of medical science relating to the interpretation of signs Plato and Aristotle both explored the relationship between signs and the world, and Augustine considered the nature of the sign within a conventional system. Umberto Eco, in his Semiotics and philosophy of language, has argued that semiotic theories are implicit in the work of most, perhaps all, major thinkers. Semiotics, semiotic studies, or semiology is the study of sign processes (semiosis), or signification and communication, signs and symbols, both individually and grouped into sign systems. It includes the study of how meaning is constructed and understood.

Semantics and Syntactics Semantics: Relation between signs and the things they refer to, their denotata. (icon and meaning) Syntactics: Relation of signs to each other in formal structures (systems of symbols, web of signification)

Meaning process Pierce Triadic system and Saussure Dyadic system

Signs Shop

Anthroposemiotics, Sociosemiotics and Biosemiotics This discipline is frequently seen as having important anthropological dimensions (humanistic) But … it is relevant also for social studies (communication, sociology, political studies) … And the communication of information in living organisms is covered in biosemiotics or zoosemiosis

Semiotics in Europe In Italy … semiotics is strongly connected to language, communication, cultural and religious studies (Umberto Eco, Omar Calabrese, Augusto Ponzio, Massimo Leone … and many others) In Bulgaria semiotics is linked with advertizing studies (New Bulgarian University os Sofia, Kristian Bankov) In Lithuania there is the relevant Greimas Institute Estonia (Tartu) is an important center for Cultural Semiotic (Juri Lotman) and Biosemiotics (Kalevi Kull)

Semiotics in Helsinki In Helsinki semiotics is strongly connected with art research and cultural studies and with logic and philosophy Musical Semiotic (Eero Tarasti) Existential Semiotics (Eero Tarasti) Semiotic of Arts and Literature (Harri Veivo, Massimo Berruti, Tomi Huttunen) Methodology and communication (Merja Bauters) Philosophical Semiotic (Pierce studies, Mats Bergman, Ahti-Veikko Pietarinen) Cultural Semiotics (Tomi Huttunen, Vesa Matteo Piludu) Dario Martinelli (zoosemiotics)

Semiotic in Finland Rovaniemi (Media) Tampere (Theatre) Turku Imatra Network University of Semiotics Virastokatu 1 (Cultural Centre) 55100 IMATRA tel. +358 20 617 6700, +358 20 617 6639 http://www.semiotics.fi/en/

Semiotic communication Social and cultural Contexts Adresser (sender of message) Message (communicative act based on a system of signs and on a code) Code (language, visual, musical code…) Sign or signs Meaning of the sign Adressee (receiver of the message) Communication I – he/she, I-I (self reflection), we-they (ethnic), mass communication (media) The communication defines not only the signs and their role, but also the identities of the adresser and the adressee (Lotman, Bachtin)

Roman Jakobson and art semiotics Semiotics, conceived of by Roman Jakobson, has 6 components: 1. Addressor (artist) 2. Addressee (viewer) 3. Message 4. Code 5. Medium of communication 6. Context

Semiosphere - artistic production in a communicative frameworkd Cultural contest (Finnish National romanticism) Artistic contest (Musical romanticism) Sender (Sibelius) Message (Kullervo) Receivers (public, nationalists, Web of symbols commissioners, (Myths, vocal music Finnish-Swedish, symphonic music) scholars, other musicians) Code (Music) Reaction (Symphonic Poem) (positive indifferent negative protest)

Juri Lotman and the resistance of symbols Difference between the symbol (signifier) and the meaning of the symbol (significans) Certain symbols have an enormous capacity of resistance (conservative power of symbols) The same symbol can have different meanings in different cultural contests (cultural relativism) If the cultural contest changes, the interpretation of the symbol could changes (symbolic dynamic)

Myths and arts Symbols and Myths are very relevant for artists And are central concepts in semiotics Semiotics of art could analyze the relevance of symbols and myths in different artistic works