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Language and Thought1Language and ThoughtLanguage and Thought22Language and ThoughtLanguage and ThoughtSemioticsSemiotics––The study of signs and The study of signs and symbols of all kinds, what they symbols of all kinds, what they mean, and how they relate to the mean, and how they relate to the things or ideas they refer to.things or ideas they refer to.Linguistic relativityLinguistic relativityand and linguistic linguistic determinismdeterminism––Culture (through Culture (through language) affects the way we think.language) affects the way we think.SemioticsSemioticsThe Theory of SignsThe Theory of SignsLanguage and Thought244Two Theories of the SignTwo Theories of the SignFerdinand de Ferdinand de SaussureSaussure((1857-1913)55SaussureSaussure’’s Theory of the Signs Theory of the SignSign = Linguistic form + MeaningSign = Linguistic form + Meaning‘‘The word The word catcat’’= [k= [khhææt] + t] + 66SignificationSignification‘‘The word The word catcat’’= [k= [khhææt] +t] +SIGN = SIGNIFIER SIGNIFIED SIGN = SIGNIFIER SIGNIFIEDLanguage and Thought377Signs are ArbitrarySigns are Arbitrary––WaterWater––WasserWasser––EauEau––ShuiShui/li://li:/––““litlit””in French = in French = bedbed––Question marker in Question marker in RussianRussian––““meadow,meadow,””““side sheltered from side sheltered from the wind,the wind,””oror““proper name Leeproper name Lee””in Englishin English88Two Theories of the SignTwo Theories of the SignCharles Sanders Charles Sanders PeircePeirce(1839(1839--1914)1914)99PeircePeirce’’s Theory of the Signs Theory of the SignInterpretant RepresentamenObjectLanguage and Thought41010Types of SignTypes of SignSymbolic signSymbolic sign––The representamen is connected to its The representamen is connected to its object by an arbitrary rule.object by an arbitrary rule.IconicIconic––The representamen is connected to its The representamen is connected to its object by virtue of physical similarity.object by virtue of physical similarity.IndexicalIndexical––The representamen is connected to its The representamen is connected to its object by spatioobject by spatio--temporal contiguity.temporal contiguity.1111Symbolic Signs (cf. Saussure)Symbolic Signs (cf. Saussure)––WaterWater––WasserWasser––EauEau––ShuiShui/li://li:/––““litlit””in French = in French = bedbed––Question marker in Question marker in RussianRussian––““meadow,meadow,””““side side sheltered from the sheltered from the wind,wind,””or or ““proper proper name Leename Lee””in in EnglishEnglish1212Iconic SignsIconic SignsThe moan of doves in immemorial The moan of doves in immemorial elms, elms, And murmuring of innumerable bees.And murmuring of innumerable bees.Tennyson Tennyson The PrincessThe PrincessLanguage and Thought51313Iconic SignsIconic SignsThe The mmoaoannof doves in iof doves in immmmeemmorial orial elelmms, s, And And mmururmmuring of iuring of innnnuummerable bees.erable bees.Tennyson Tennyson The PrincessThe Princess1414OnomatopoeiaOnomatopoeia––[[kakkakoodudldududldu]]––[[kikiRikikikiRiki] German] German––[kokoRiko] French[kokoRiko] French––[kukuku] Spanish[kukuku] Spanish––[miauw][miauw]––[miauw] German[miauw] German––[meauw] Chinese[meauw] Chinese––[niauw] Japanese[niauw] Japanese1515Iconic SignsIconic SignsWhich is heavy? Which is light?Which is heavy? Which is light?Lat Lat ––LoatLoatFoon Foon ––FeenFeenMobe Mobe ––MeebMeebToos Toos ––TaceTaceFleen Fleen ––FlenFlenSeeg Seeg ––SleegSleegPoas Poas ––PoatPoatToos Toos ––ToodToodLanguage and Thought61616Which is Iconic?Which is Iconic?We flew from San Francisco to New York We flew from San Francisco to New York via Chicago.via Chicago.We flew from San Francisco to Chicago We flew from San Francisco to Chicago and then on to New York.and then on to New York.1717Indexical SignsIndexical Signs1818Indexical SignsIndexical SignsDeicticsDeictics––ThisThis, , herehere, , nownow, , tomorrowtomorrowPersonal pronounsPersonal pronouns––II, , youyou, , wewe, , hehe, , sheshe, , theytheyTensesTenses––She ranShe ran, , sheshe’’ll runll run, , sheshe’’s runnings runningMoodMood––She might runShe might run, , she shouldnshe shouldn’’t runt runLanguage and Thought71919Indexical MeaningsIndexical MeaningsA man was rowing a boat carrying his wife A man was rowing a boat carrying his wife and his mother.and his mother.His mother, who was sitting in the front of His mother, who was sitting in the front of the boat, asked him, the boat, asked him, ““If the boat were to If the boat were to capsize and your wife and I were capsize and your wife and I were drowning, who would you save?drowning, who would you save?””The man replied with one word that made The man replied with one word that made his mother and his wife both very happy.his mother and his wife both very happy.How did the man reply?How did the man reply?2020Indexical Signs and Social MeaningIndexical Signs and Social MeaningLanguage form can also index Language form can also index ……––GenderGender––Social classSocial class––Occupational groupOccupational group––Geographical originGeographical origin––Other social characteristicsOther social characteristics2121Indexing GenderIndexing GenderLanguage and Thought82222Indexing GenderIndexing GenderHow do these linguistic forms index How do these linguistic forms index gender?gender?––Lexical choice (vocabulary)Lexical choice (vocabulary)––Speech actsSpeech acts––Forms of addressForms of address––MorphologyMorphology––GrammarGrammar––IntonationIntonation2323Indexing GenderIndexing GenderListen to Listen to ““Transgender Voice TherapyTransgender Voice Therapy””––All Things Considered, April 13, 2001All Things Considered, April 13, 2001··The The numbers are hard to estimate but as many as numbers are hard to estimate but as many as 25,000 or even more transgender people live 25,000 or even more transgender people live in the United States. For those males in the United States. For those males redefining themselves as women the voice


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UW-Madison ENGLISH 336 - Language and Thought

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