General Semiotics

Teacher(s)

Catellani Andrea; Christophe Christel;

Language

French

Prerequisites

The prerequisite(s) for this Teaching Unit (Unité d’enseignement – UE) for the programmes/courses that offer this Teaching Unit are specified at the end of this sheet.

Content

To study the meaning of the sign, the relationships it induces, the cognitive mechanisms it calls upon and the interpretations of which it is the object and at the same time constitutes, the course considers the vocabulary and concepts of semiotics according to three objectives: a theoretical objective (to understand and articulate the theoretical concepts of semiotics); a methodological objective (to build analytical grids applicable to different sign systems such as a text, an image, an advertisement, a video game, etc.); a practical objective (to apply these grids to describe and interpret a sign system). ); a practical objective (to apply these grids to describe and interpret a sign system).
The following concepts (non-exhaustive list) will be studied, put into perspective and applied: langage / langue / parole (Saussure), signifier, signified and referent (Barthes), interpretant and the semiotic process (Peirce), scheme of communication (Jakobson), utterance and enunciation (Benveniste), connotation and denotation (Barthes), syntagm / paradigm / paradigmatic variation (Jakobson), code and message (Todorov), contiguity and substitution (Jakobson), abduction (Peirce), relevant communication (Sperber & Wilson), conceptual metaphor (Lakoff & Johnson), "embrayeurs" (Jakobson), directions of adjustement (Searle), speech acts (Austin), etc.

Teaching methods

Theoretical presentations, discussions with students (participation encouraged), case studies, and large-group analysis exercises constitute the main methods of the course. Additional readings will be suggested throughout the course.

Evaluation methods

January session: the 20-point exam is divided into two parts: a MCQ (multiple-choice question) section for 17 points; an open-ended question for 3 points.
September session: the exam is written only (it is held only once). The exam consists of multiple-choice questions (MCQs) for 17 points, and an open-ended question (3 points). If the number of students is less than or equal to 30, the exam will be written with open-ended questions only.

Online resources

Page on Moodle.

Bibliography

Bien qu’il en actualise les concepts, les méthodes et les exemples, le cours s’appuie sur l’ouvrage suivant : Verhaegen, P. (2010). Signe et communication. De Boeck Supérieur. La lecture est recommandée mais non obligatoire.

Teaching materials

• Documents et slides mis à disposition sur le site du cours

Faculty or entity

> ESPO