A much-needed guide to the terms and models used in the semiotic approach. Over the past few decades, semiotics has increasingly gained in popularity and yet, to many, the very term remains an enigma. But, until now, there has never been a dictionary that simply expresses the terms and models. The Dictionary of Semiotics' entries are based on the theory evolved by the Paris School of semiotics founded by A.J. Greimas. This invaluable guide combines a wordbook with detailed explanation of theory and a host of practical illustrations-all accessible to students of all levels.
This book examines the progress to date in the many facets – conceptual, epistemological and methodological - of the field of legal semiotics. It reflects the fulfilment of the promise of legal semiotics when used to explore the law, its processes and interpretation. This study in Legal Semiotics brings together the theory, structure and practise of legal semiotics in an accessible style. The book introduces the concepts of legal semiotics and offers an insight in contemporary and future directions which the semiotics of law is going to take.
The theory of signifying (significs), formulated and introduced by Victoria Welby for the first time in 1890s, is at the basis of much of 20th-century linguistics, as well as in other language and communication sciences such as sociolinguistics, psycholinguistics, translation theory and semiotics. Indirectly, the origins of approaches, methods and categories elaborated by analytical philosophy, Wittgenstein himself, Anglo-American speech act theory, and pragmatics are largely found with Victoria Lady Welby. Indeed, it is no exaggeration to say that Welby is the ""founding mother"" of semiotics.
The Routledge Companion to Semiotics provides the ideal introduction to semiotics, containing engaging essays from an impressive range of international leaders in the field.
Topics:
the history, development, and uses of semiotics
key theorists, including Saussure, Peirce and Sebeok
crucial and contemporary topics such as biosemiotics, sociosemiotics and semioethics
the semiotics of media and culture, nature and cognition.
This is an invaluable reference guide for students of semiotics at all levels.