Sign systems were formed throughout the history of mankind. This was necessary not only for accumulated buildings to be passed from generation to generation - according to many anthropologists, the science of signs was originally born as a means of communication between people.
What is semiotics?
Semiotics is a branch of knowledge that studies signs and sign systems. It arose at the intersection of several disciplines - psychology, biology, cybernetics, literature, and also sociology. As part of semiotics, three broad areas of knowledge are distinguished . This is syntax, semantics, pragmatics. Syntactics studies the laws according to which various types of sign systems are arranged, methods of device by which various elements of the language are related. The subject of the study of semantics is the meaning - the relationship between the sign itself and its meaning. Pragmatics studies the relationship between those who use the language and the sign system itself. A sign is a certain material object (as well as an event or phenomenon) that is objectively used to replace another object, its property or the relationship between objects.
Secondary Modeling Systems
In addition to the main classes of sign systems, there are also secondary modeling systems. Otherwise, they are called "codes of culture." This category includes all types of cultural texts (excluding natural language), social activities, various behaviors, traditions, myths, religious beliefs. Cultural codes are formed in the same way as natural language. They operate on the basis of an agreement between members of the company. Agreements, or codes, are known to every member of the group.
The development of the psyche and mastery of the sign system
Mastery of various types of sign systems is also a critical factor for the development of higher mental functions. Semiotic systems allow the individual to master the social culture, historically established acceptable modes of behavior, social experience. In this case, the development of self-awareness also occurs. Starting with elementary sensations, over time it is formed into a series of skills of self-perception, drawing up a certain opinion about yourself, personal logic.
Encoding and decoding information
In psychology, various examples of sign systems are most often studied in the context of their correlation with cognitive processes. Much attention is paid to neurophysiological features. But often speech as a way of transmitting information, sharing knowledge is left by scientists aside. The coding process with the help of iconic systems of visual images is still a mystery to researchers. A mental image is encoded in the brain of the speaker in words. In the listener's brain, it is decoded. Those transformations that occur during this remain unexplored.
Sign Language Systems: Examples
Currently, linguistics is a dynamically developing branch of cognition. The linguistic method is used in many sciences - for example, in ethnography and psychoanalysis. There are six types of sign systems in total. These are natural systems, iconic, conventional, recording systems, verbal systems. dwell on each type in more detail.
Iconic systems
An example of iconic sign systems are architecture, ballet, music, non-verbal form of communication. They usually have a fairly strong emotional saturation, full of imaginative components that are part of the sign. The study of various examples of sign systems shows: a scientist should not only use objective methods, but also independently model a variety of examples of emotions, communicative situations.
Natural signs
These signs are found in nature and in everyday life. Usually these are certain things or natural phenomena that point to other objects. Otherwise, they are also called signs, signs. An example of sign systems related to the natural, can be signs of the weather, traces of animals. A classic illustration of this semiotic system is the sign of smoke, which indicates a fire.
Functional Signs
This type of character also applies to feature mark. However, unlike natural ones, the connection of a functional sign with the object that it designates is due to a certain function, the activity of people. For example, the home interior in the framework of semiotics is a text indicating the level of well-being of the owners of the house. A set of books on a bookshelf provides the viewer with information about the tastes of the library owner, the level of his mental and moral development. Also, actions can often be functional signs. For example, a classroom teacher swipes a finger over a list of students in a journal. This action is also a functional sign - it means that soon someone will be called to the board.
Covenant signs
This example of a sign system is otherwise called conditional. The name "conventional" comes from the Latin conventio - "agreement". Conventional signs serve to designate objects and phenomena of the surrounding world “by condition”. They themselves, as a rule, have very little in common with what they mean. Examples of sign systems related to conventional: traffic signal, indices, cartographic signs, symbols (emblems, emblems).
Verbal (speech) sign systems
This category includes all human languages. Each language has a historically established basis (the so-called "semiotic basis"). The main feature of human languages is that each of them is a multistructure and multi-level system. This system is capable of almost unlimited development. Sign system of speech is a rich means for storing, processing and further transfer of information.
Sign Systems
This semiotic category includes sign systems that arise on the basis of previous groups - verbal, dance, music. Signed recording systems are secondary to these groups. They arose with the advent of writing. Without recording systems, the cognitive evolution of man would be impossible.
Semiotic experiences in history
The ancient Greek scientist Plato divided all sounds into categories of fast, huge, thin and round. MV Lomonosov was of the opinion that the frequent repetition of the letter “A” in written or spoken language contributes to the depiction of greatness, depth and height. The letters "E" and "Yu" help portray affection, small objects, tenderness. These views were set forth in his work, A Brief Guide to Eloquence.
Researcher I.N. Gorelov conducted an interesting experiment. The subjects were asked to characterize fantastic animals called “Mamlyn” and “Zhavaruga”. All of the participants in the experiment considered the "mother" to be a kind, meek and roundish creature. Zhavaruga was categorized as wild, prickly, and evil.
Tongue Volapuk
On the planet there are a huge number of languages, many dead languages - those that are out of use. Despite this, there are still those who enthusiastically invent new ones. Examples of artificial sign systems are the well-known Esperanto language, which was preceded by volapyuk, universalglot, Catholic lingua, solresol and many others. One of the most difficult is ifquil, created on the basis of ancient symbols. Artificial languages were created by personalities engaged in various fields. These were not always those who worked in the professions of the sign system.
One of the strangest artificial languages is volapuk. The idea of his invention first came to mind by a German priest named Martin Schleyer. The worshiper claimed that the idea of creating an artificial language was proposed to him by the Lord himself in a dream. The goal of creating Volapuk was to simplify communication - Schleyer tried to create a simple and universal language. As a basis, he took European languages - Latin, English and German. The priest tried to create words from only one syllable.
At first, the public did not show much interest in this artificial language. However, a community was soon created that began to disseminate information about the new language. As a result, at the peak of its popularity, it totaled more than one hundred thousand carriers.
The Volapuk language seemed strange to many Europeans. The roots of words from different European dialects contained in it made it recognizable, but quite funny. Until today, the word "volapyuk" means nonsense, gibberish. Despite this, Volapuk was popular until the time the Nazis came to power in Germany.
Esperanto and other languages
However, when talking about artificial languages, they primarily recall a language called Esperanto. It was created at the end of the XIX century and thrives to the present day - hundreds of thousands of people around the world own it.
Esperanto is not accidentally gaining popularity - it is a very simple language that contains only 16 grammar rules. It is noteworthy that they do not have a single exception. Esperanto words contain the roots of various European languages, as well as Slavic. It is especially clear to the Americans.
Over time, so that the phrase “artificial languages” did not have a negative connotation, they began to be called “planned”. Only the languages that have a sufficient number of speakers receive the direct status of languages. If only its creator and a couple of friends speak the artificial language, then it is called a “linguistic project”.
By the way, Esperanto, despite its wide distribution, was not the first of the planned languages. The first was created by an abbess named Hildegard of Bingen. It was called Lingua Ignota ("unknown speech"). The abbess claimed that he was sent down to her from heaven. This language had its own written language and a dictionary in which thousands of concepts were deciphered. Artificial languages were created in the countries of the East. For example, "bala ibalan." It was invented by Sheikh Muhieddin, using Persian, Arabic and Turkish as the basis.
Binary system
Most of the artificial languages were created on the basis of existing ones, therefore a binary sign system using numbers is not a means of communication. In it, as you know, information is recorded using two digits - 0 and 1. Once upon a time there were computers and with a more complex system - ternary. But binary is the most convenient for digital technology. In binary sign systems, 1 and 0 indicate the presence or absence of a signal.
Solresol: an unusual idea of a musician
At the beginning of the nineteenth century, the musician Francois Sydre from France shared an unusual idea with society: he invented an artificial language called solresol. His words, of which there were more than two and a half thousand, were recorded using notes. It's hard to believe, but the idea, which at first was just a musical intellectual game, became popular. The language of solresol has gained fame among contemporaries, because notes are international symbols.