Brief introduction to semiotics and the field of linguistics

1. History of European Linguistics
VUB-BNU Summer School
“European Languages, culture and educational
systems”
Dr. Kamakshi Rajagopal

2. Structure of the session
Some theory:
Language as a system of signs (45min)
Break (15min)
Group exercise (30min): groups of 6, laptops?
Plenary presentation and discussion (30min)

3. Why Study Language?
• Instrument for
communication
• Instrument for our
learning
• Insight into our
culture
• Insight into our brain

4. Semiotics = Study of Signs
a + b = a - b
x ≥ y
∞ π
:-) :-( ;-)
¬ (A∧B) = ¬A∨¬B

5. Language
as a System of Signs
to convey
Meaning

6. Ferdinand De Saussure (1857-1913)
• A Sign is a Concept (signifié)
conveyed by a Form
(signifiant)
• Arbitrary
TREE ARBRE
BOOM

7. Ferdinand De Saussure (1857-1913)
• Language
– Langue (abstract)
– Parole (utterances)
• Synchronic vs diachronic analysis
• Syntagma (relations of succession)
vs
Paradigma (relations of
substitutability)

8. Example
• The child catches the ball
• The children catch the ball
lights a lamp
The child catches the ball
A woman
PARADIGMA
SYNTAGMA

9. Levels of structure
• Phonology: cat /kæt/ vs bat /bæt/
• Morphology: plural cat-s ; children
3rd person sings
• Syntax: The cat, The woman sings
• Semantics: The cat vs the bat

10. After de Saussure
- Only structure, no meaning > generative
grammar
- Meaning drives structure > functionalism

11. Generative grammar
• Rule-based
• Well-formed sentences
• Semantics?
“Colourless green ideas sleep furiously”
Adj Adj N V Adv
NP VP
S

12. Functionalism
• Meaning is the primary driver of form in
language
• Language can be used to perform certain
functions
In Europe, two schools of thought:
• Prague School  Jakobson
• Copenhagen School  Halliday

13. Roman Jakobson (1896-1982)
Six functions of language
• Referential function
• Expressive function
• Conative function
• Poetic function
• Phatic function
• Metalingual function

14. Sender
Channel
Context
Message Receiver
Code
Reference
Expressive ConativePoetic
Phatic
Metalingual
“Hey, Wow!”
“Hello?”
“John…”
Louisa is talking to John who is at Rock Werchter. Upon hearing a song over the
telephone, Louisa says:
“Hey, Wow!!! That song is by Stromae … Papaoutai… Is it ”Papa, ou t’es…”
or “Papa, ou tu es”? …….Hello? John, can you hear me?”
“Papa, ou t’es” or “Papa, ou tu es””
Papaoutai
“That song is by Stromae”

15. Systemic Functional Grammar
Michael Halliday
(1925)

16. Pragmatics
• Intention of the speaker
• Speech Acts
– Locutionary act: the utterance itself
“It is cold here.”
– Illocutionary act: the intended result of the speaker
Request to close the door
– Perlocutionary act: the effect of the illocutionary act
The door is closed

17. Exercises: Language in ads
• What are the signs used? (form and concept)
• How is language used in the ad?
• What effect is reached?
• Is it a good ad?

18. References
• About de Saussure
Baskin, W. (trans.) (1974). De Saussure, F. Course in General Linguistics, Glasgow: Fontana
• Roman Jakobson
Jakobson, J. (1962-1987). The Selected Writings of Roman Jakobson, The Hague and Berlin:
Mouton.
• M.A.K. Halliday
Halliday, M.A.K. (1994). An introduction to functional grammar. London: E. Arnold.
• Chomsky
Chomsky, N. (1985). Syntactic Structures. Reprint. Berlin and New York, 1985.