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Semiotics/Hermeneutics Mar 13/06 Outline 1. 2. 3. 4. Intro/Review Semiotics: Definitions General Approach Barthes’ Mythologies Approach • • • 5. 6....
Author: Helen Martin
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Semiotics/Hermeneutics Mar 13/06

Outline 1. 2. 3. 4.

Intro/Review Semiotics: Definitions General Approach Barthes’ Mythologies Approach • • •

5. 6. 7. 8.

2nd level meanings (mythology) Interpretive stances De-naturalizing myths

Semiotics in Market Research Hermeneutics – Old and New Text and Context Summary 1

1. Intro/Review: -

Questions?

-

Interviewing texts -

Moving from manifest to latent Interpreting texts in context

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2. Semiotics: Definitions Semiotics = -

“The science of signs” (semiology) Analysis of signs in texts to determine the various levels of meaning relative to larger structures in society

Æ Spawned a critical tradition of textual analysis

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3. Other Key Terms Sign = Something that stands for something else stands in for a deeper meaning); comprised of signifier and signified. Signifier = the thing that stands in for a deeper meaning (its form) Signified = that deeper meaning which the signifier stands in for (its content)

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Denotative meaning = manifest (surface) meaning e.g. rose is a type of flower

Connotative meaning = Associated (non-surface or latent) meaning or meanings e.g. red rose can imply passionate love

Polysemy = A quality of signs that they can be interpreted in many way; multiple meanings (denotative and connotative) e.g. red rose as a flower, passionate love, but also the Tudor 5 dynasty (War of the Roses)

The meanings of signs are… Denotative

Connotative

Surface

Deeper

Manifest

Latent

Dictionary

Symbolic

Prose

Poetry

Text-oriented

Context-oriented

Fixed/Stable

Dynamic/Changing

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Exercise: Signs, Signifiers and Signified Individually with paper and pen: -

Identify 3-5 signs in your everyday life Identify the signifier and signified components of those signs

Discuss in pairs: -

Other possible signification for those signs Relation of those signs to larger themes in society…

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4. General Approach of Semiotics -

Interpretive (as opposed to objective) Unstructured (as opposed to specific questions) Contextual (as opposed to static) ÆA reading of key signs and relationships among sings and larger context

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Strengths: -

Meaningful: -

-

Exposes the hidden meanings “beneath the apparent ordinariness of everyday life and its manifestations”

Critical Flexible

Weaknesses: -

Arbitrary/Personal -

Your interpretation might not be reliable or valid to others

Æ Credibility,meaningfulness and value must be argued!

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THINK BREAK What have I learned? What’s a bit muddy? What would I ask? 10

QUESTION: What’s the semiotics of this photo?

Individually with paper and pen (for your journal…). 11

5. Roland Barthes’ Mythologies Approach = Critical “Readings” of popular culture as symbolic “texts” tied to structures of society… - Meta-language/Mythology - Critical stance - Stripping away “naturalism” ÆAny one on what he is trying to say… 12

Meta-language/Myths: 1. Signifier

2. Signified

Language 3. Sign I SIGNIFIER

II SIGNIFIED

Myth III SIGN

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E.g. Canadian Flag Maple Leaf

Language

Canadian nationhood

Canadian Flag CANADIAN FLAG AS SIGN OF NATIONHOOD

CELEBRATION OF UNTROUBLED UNITY 40 YEARS LATER

Myth RECOVERED FLAG THAT FIRST FLEW OVER PEACE TOWER AS SIGN OF UNITY

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Other Possibilities for Myths

Signifier

Signified CBC as a promoter of national consciousness/unity.

RECOVERED FLAG

Paul Martin’s family legacy – connection with funeral flag re-flown in 2005.

Etc.

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Critical Stance to Mythology -

Barthes describes three ways to approach this process of mythologizing of signs: -

-

-

Creator, e.g. Journalist Mythologist, e.g. Critic Reader, e.g. General Public

People choose to take different roles in relation to the creation of mythical meanings which support the status quo of uneven power and wealth relationships Barthes advocates a critical role as “mythologist”

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Three Stances Towards Mythology Role

Semiological Focus

Moral Stance

Occupations

Creator

Filling in the “empty” Cynical – signifier support status quo

Journalist (advertising, film director, etc.)

Mythologist

Emptying the signifier; considering other possible significations

Critical – question status quo culturally (avantgarde) or politically (revolutionist)

Critic (student, critical Journalist, cultural revolutionary)

Reader

Accepting the filled signifier

Naïve – support status quo (without considering alternatives)

Just about anyone else…

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Stripping Away “Naturalism” in Mythology -

Myths are made to seem natural in some of the following ways: -

Inoculation Privation of History Identification Tautology Neither-Norism Quantification of Quality Statement of Fact 18

THINK BREAK What have I learned? What’s a bit muddy? What would I ask? 19

6. Semiotics in Market Research -

E.g. “What does a brand name mean to consumers?” Better understanding of symbolic meaning conveyed in advertising/marketing focus on the interrelation of the: -

-

Object (e.g. can of peas) Sign or sensory imagery (e.g.Jolly Green Giant”) Interpretation of meaning derived (e.g. Peas are cheerful and fresh) What are the deeper meanings conveyed through this three-way combination…

Used in brand and copy testing -

Specifically a semiotic analysis of words in focus group transcripts 20

Exercise: Focus Groups with Semiotic focus on Can of Peas Individually with paper and pen: -

-

How would you set up the groups to get a discussion going suitable for semiotic analysis How might you do the semiotics analysis of transcripts

Discuss in pairs: -

Other possible signification for those signs Relation of those signs to larger themes in society… 21

7. Hermeneutics Originally: - Meant an approach to discovering the truth inherent in the text itself - Applied to theological study of “sacred scripture” -

E.g. “Jesus is the chosen one” has proof within the New Testament parables and prophesy in the Old Testament, or

-

E.g. “There is no God but Allah, Mohamed is is prophet”

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Hermeneutics (New) = “bringing out the meanings of a text from the perspective of the author” -

Key to modern qualitative textual analysis Attention to the social and historical contexts “Verstehen” -

Subjective “understanding” E.g. “Will in the World” E.g. Corporate Documents

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Placing Hermeneutics/Semiotics/Content Analysis… Objective Truth

Content Analysis Old Hermeneutics Text

Semiotics

Context

New Hermeneutics Subjective Meaning 24

Semiotics’ effect on textual analysis in Cultural Studies and Political Economy… Objective Truth Content Analysis

Political Economy

Old Hermeneutics Semiotics

Text

Context

New Hermeneutics Cultural Studies Subjective Meaning 25

Reception Analysis -

To what degree are audiences/readers active in what they see or hear? -

-

Content analysis suggests passivity Old hermeneutics suggests unambiguous activity Semiotics suggests either passive readers or active critics (ambiguity of meaning depending on role)

Preferred readings (passivity) v. Negotiated readings (activity) 26

THINK BREAK What have I learned? What’s a bit muddy? What would I ask? 27

Summary 1. 2. 3.

Semiotics: Definitions General Approach Barthes’ Mythologies Approach • • •

4. 5. 6.

2nd level meanings (mythology) Interpretive stances De-naturalizing myths

Semiotics in Market Research Hermeneutics – Old and New Text and Context

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Tutorial Discussion: -

Two presentations each of -

-

Garfinkel Foucault

Follow-up Discussion

Semiotics Prep: -

4 students per group will prepare to present at next week’s groups: -

Conversational analysis Discourse analysis

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