![]() It is the nature of the relationships between signs and the things they stand for that give us the confidence to assert that signs bear a dependable relationship to the "real" things in the world that they refer to. A few signs that we encounter may represent one of these types purely, but most signs that we humans deal with are hybrids, exhibiting some aspect of icon, index, and/or symbol. Peirce, whom we should rightly regard as the father and patron saint of semiotics, signs can be divided into three types: icon, index, and symbol. ![]() Semiotics is the branch of philosophical inquiry that studies signs and how they communicate meaning. But they illustrate a problem for transportation authorities the world over: how do you convey, succinctly and clearly, important information to motorists who may be whizzing by at high speed and need to know of hazards or features of the road? To examine the problem, let's first zoom out all the way and talk about what a sign is in the most general sense: a perceptible indication of some other thing. What is common to both of our interpretations of these signs is that we're greatly overthinking them. Our experience tells us that they do exist, so why cast doubt on something known to be true while I'm flying down the highway? I'm a linguist and when I see "GUSTY WINDS MAY EXIST" I think that's not really in question. When he sees the "ICE MAY EXIST" sign, it sends him down a thought pathway along the lines of yes, and water ice may exist in a number of different crystalline phases, which is of course not pertinent to the purpose of the sign. Right: Jim Argo via Oklahoma Historical Society. ![]() ![]() Here are a couple of examples you've probably seen some yourself. We both find them problematic, though perhaps not for the same reasons. A friend and I were talking recently about roadside warning signs that include the word exist. ![]()
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |