Signs - An Introduction to Semiotics, 2nd Ed 2001.pdf

AnIntroduction toSemiotics
THOMAS A. SEBEOK
Signs: Introduction An to
Semiotics
Second Edition
UNIVERSITYOFTOR ONTOPRESS
TorontoBuf faloLondon
© UniversityofToron to Press Incorpo rated
FirstEdition 1994, reprinted 1999
SecondEdition 2001
TorontoBuffalo London
Printed in Canada
ISBN0-8020-3634-1 (cloth)
ISBN0-8020-8472-9 (paper)
Print n o acid-freepaper
TorontoStudies inSemiotics munication
Editors:Marcel Dane si,Umberto Eco, Paul Perro n,Peter Schultz,
ThomasA. Sebeok
NationalLibrary ofCanada Ca taloguingin Publication Data
Sebeok,Thomas A., 1920-
Signs:an introduction tosemiotics
2nded.
(Torontostudies insemio ticsa munication)
Includesbibliographical references andindex.
ISBN0-8020-3634-1 (bound) ISBN 0-8020-8472-9 (pbk.)
. and symbols. . II. Se ries.
C2001-901772-3
UniversityofTo ronto Press acknowledges thefinancial assistance to its pub­
lishingprogram of the Canada Council for th e Artsand the Ontario Arts
Council.
UniversityofToronto Press acknowledges the financial support for its publish­
ingactivities ofthe Gover nmentof Canada through the BookP ublishing
IndustryDevelopment Program (BPIDP).
Contents
Prefacetoth e Second Edition ix
Foreword:Thoma sA. Sebeok andSemiot icsMarcel Danesi xi
1
otions 3
TheOb jectofSe miotics4
DefiningtheSign 5
StructuralPrope rties6
SemiosisandRepr esentation8
Typesof Signs 8
munica tion11
2
TheStudy of Signs 25
A BiologicalAp proachtothe Stu dyof-Sig ns2 7
Messages31
TheSign 32
Signsand'Re ality'36
3
SixSpeci esof Signs 39
GeneralFea turesofSign s39
Six peSciesofSi gns42
Signal 44
VI Contents
Symptom46
Icon50
Index53
Symbol55
Name 59
Onthe Being, Behavi ng,and Bec omingofSi gns61
4
SymptomSigns 65
TheMea ningofSym ptom66
ThePeir cean View70
Symptomsand the Me dicalOrig insofSemi otics72
InterpretingSymp toms