Jens Kirk, Dept. of Languages and Culture Literary Theory and Methodology Session Four: Structuralism

Jens Kirk, Dept. of Languages and Culture Literary Theory and Methodology Agenda Jakobson’s model of communication Jakobson’s model of communication Test Test Structuralism: Key concepts Structuralism: Key concepts Examples Examples

Jens Kirk, Dept. of Languages and Culture Literary Theory and Methodology Jakobson’s Six Factors of Verbal Communication context Addressermessageaddressee contact code

Jens Kirk, Dept. of Languages and Culture Literary Theory and Methodology Jakobson’s Six Functions of Verbal Communication Referential Emotivepoeticconative phaticmetalingual

Jens Kirk, Dept. of Languages and Culture Literary Theory and Methodology Test Plan a three course meal for Friday (don’t forget the drink) Plan a three course meal for Friday (don’t forget the drink)

Jens Kirk, Dept. of Languages and Culture Literary Theory and Methodology Test Analyse: Analyse: The cat sat on the mat The cat sat on the mat

Jens Kirk, Dept. of Languages and Culture Literary Theory and Methodology Structuralism: Key concepts Langue Langue System System Rules Rules Code Code Paradigmatic relations Paradigmatic relations Parole Parole Practice Practice Event Event Text Text Syntagmatic relations Syntagmatic relations

Jens Kirk, Dept. of Languages and Culture Literary Theory and Methodology Structuralism: key concepts Text and writing, not work Text and writing, not work Subject positions, not author Subject positions, not author Reading, not reader Reading, not reader Intertextuality Intertextuality

Jens Kirk, Dept. of Languages and Culture Literary Theory and Methodology Structuralism: key concepts Signs, signifiers, and signifieds Signs, signifiers, and signifieds The sign is arbitrary The sign is arbitrary The signifier is linear The signifier is linear

Jens Kirk, Dept. of Languages and Culture Literary Theory and Methodology The sign Signifier Signified

Jens Kirk, Dept. of Languages and Culture Literary Theory and Methodology The sign Signifier: cat, /kæt/ Signified:

Jens Kirk, Dept. of Languages and Culture Literary Theory and Methodology The sign Signifier: cat, /kæt/ Signified:

Jens Kirk, Dept. of Languages and Culture Literary Theory and Methodology The arbitrary sign The relation between signifier and signified is arbitrary, i.e. conventional The relation between signifier and signified is arbitrary, i.e. conventional Meaning arises from the difference between the elements of the system: cat, dog, mouse, cow, etc. Meaning arises from the difference between the elements of the system: cat, dog, mouse, cow, etc. Intertextuality Intertextuality

Jens Kirk, Dept. of Languages and Culture Literary Theory and Methodology Motivated signs? The case of onomatopoeia bow-wow (or woof-woof) in English, bow-wow (or woof-woof) in English, wau-wau in German, wau-wau in German, uau-uau in Interlingua, uau-uau in Interlingua, ouah-ouah in French, ouah-ouah in French, gaf-gaf in Russian, gaf-gaf in Russian, hav-hav in Hebrew, hav-hav in Hebrew, wan-wan, bau-bau, or kyan-kyan in Japanese, wan-wan, bau-bau, or kyan-kyan in Japanese, guau-guau in Spanish, guau-guau in Spanish, bau-bau in Italian, bau-bau in Italian, vov-vov in Danish, vov-vov in Danish, waf waf in Dutch, waf waf in Dutch, wou wou in Cantonese, wou wou in Cantonese, hau-hau in Finnish and Polish, hau-hau in Finnish and Polish, haf-haf in Czech, haf-haf in Czech, guk guk in Indonesian, guk guk in Indonesian, meong meong in Korean. meong meong in Korean.

Jens Kirk, Dept. of Languages and Culture Literary Theory and Methodology The signifier is linear The signifier is auditory in nature The signifier is auditory in nature Spoken signifiers unfold in time one after another: a temporal line of audible, phonetic signs Spoken signifiers unfold in time one after another: a temporal line of audible, phonetic signs Written signifiers unfold in space one after another: A spatial line of visible, graphic signs Written signifiers unfold in space one after another: A spatial line of visible, graphic signs

Jens Kirk, Dept. of Languages and Culture Literary Theory and Methodology A contrast: painting A contrast: painting

Jens Kirk, Dept. of Languages and Culture Literary Theory and Methodology Literature, arbitrarity, and linearity Poetry Poetry Concrete poetry or emblem poems Concrete poetry or emblem poems Typographical experiments Typographical experiments

Jens Kirk, Dept. of Languages and Culture Literary Theory and Methodology Literature, arbitrarity, and linearity (Plath, ”Daddy”) You do not do, you do not do Any more, black shoe In which I have lived like a foot For thirty years, poor and white, Barely daring to breathe or Achoo. Daddy, I have had to kill you. You died before I had time-- Marble-heavy, a bag full of God, Ghastly statue with one gray toe Big as a Frisco seal And a head in the freakish Atlantic Where it pours bean green over blue In the waters off beautiful Nauset. I used to pray to recover you. Ach, du. … You do not do, you do not do Any more, black shoe In which I have lived like a foot For thirty years, poor and white, Barely daring to breathe or Achoo. Daddy, I have had to kill you. You died before I had time-- Marble-heavy, a bag full of God, Ghastly statue with one gray toe Big as a Frisco seal And a head in the freakish Atlantic Where it pours bean green over blue In the waters off beautiful Nauset. I used to pray to recover you. Ach, du. …

Jens Kirk, Dept. of Languages and Culture Literary Theory and Methodology George Herbert ( ) cur f w d dis and p A sed iend rought eath ease ain. bles fr b br and ag