Structuralism is a metatheory relating to the construction of theories. Structuralism emerged in the twentieth century as a theory of reason, language, culture, and literature. Beyond these specifically structuralist theories, there is implicitly at least one theory...
Semiology Glossary
Subject, Subjectivity
One of the best ways to understand the meaning of this term is to look at the glacial image of Rene Descartes' Cogito Ergo Sum. When Descartes triumphantly declared himself against the skeptics in his Reflections on Primary Philosophy, the Self that made this...
Primacy of Subjectivity
The primacy of subjectivity is an assumption or position from which we start within our own consciousness or subjectivity. The meanings of words, for example, are above all the images and ideas that flow through our consciousness when we hear these words. This...
Sujet en proces
Sujet en proces is a French expression that Julia Kristeva, among other semioticians, used to denote the development of the plot.
Suture
Suture (or editing) is a term that most generally refers to the joining of two edges or surfaces, and in the semiotics of cinema - the editing of two different photos (two frames), in a way that forms a new story. Sometimes this term is used in a narrower sense to...
Symbol
A term often used to denote a conventional sign (for example, a sign based on a convention or established use). But this term also refers to many other types of signs. For Ferdinand de Saussure, a symbol is a sign in which the relationship between signifier and...
Symbolic Order(Register)
The symbolic order, also known as the register, is an expression used by Jacques Lacan, Julia Kristeva, and a number of other representatives of semiotics to highlight the social order as a symbolic arena in which human beings are involved and prevented from acting....
Synchronic vs. Diachronic
Synchronic means belonging to what is represented or simultaneous. Also what the transition of the time is considered irrelevant; diachronic, on the other hand, means belonging to that which changes over time. For example, if the US Congress is currently in session....
Synechdoche
A synecdoche is a type of trope or figure of speech in which a part of something is used to denote or symbolize the whole. For example, when a person says that "they were over the keyboard for the whole day", where the keyboard means the whole - a computer and on a...
Synechism
Synechism is a term used by Charles C. Peirce to denote the doctrine of permanence.
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Grammatology
Grammatology is a term introduced by Jacques Derrida to denote his general theory of writing. Although, using the word theory is inappropriate in this context Derrida himself is using it. He does it, as one of his main goals is to demonstrate that theory or science of...
Ground
Ground is a term proposed by Charles Sanders Peirce to define the meaning or meanings that something created to function as a sign vehicle has. Not all of the characteristics of a sign vehicle are essential to its function. For example, a STOP road sign would bear the...
Habit
In the context of Semiotics habit is defined as a predisposition to act in a specific manner in specific circumstances, especially when the agent is prompted or guided by specific motives. According to Charles Sanders Peirce, the meaning of the signs could be...
Haecceitas, Hecceity
Haecceity is a Latin neologism, formed as an abstract noun, derived from the demonstrative pronoun "haec(ce)" meaning "this(very)" or "these(very)". The neologism is formed based on the word haecceitas, which translates as "thisness". It is used to denote something...
Hermeneutic, Hermeneutics
The term Hermeneutic comes from Hermes, a Greek god that has ministered as a messenger of the other gods and was a hero. Often the term is used in a broad sense to denote art or a theory of interpretation of the sacred inscriptions. There is a certain tradition of...
Free Course in Semiology
A completely and truly free course on Semiology (Semiotics). Learn about the meaning of signs, how and why did the field emerged. What is the relationship between the street signs and the signs that we use every day - words.
