Recommend me a beginners text about semiotics

[DotCommunist]

having just read Umberto Eco's focaults pendulum I'm interested. Have his text on semiotics on the List, was wondering if anyone could recommend a text that is suitable for an introduction to the ideas.

 

[the button]

having just read Umberto Eco's focaults pendulum I'm interested. Have his text on semiotics on the List, was wondering if anyone could recommend a text that is suitable for an introduction to the ideas.

You can't go wrong with Eco himself, IMO. Maybe his book of essays "Travels in hyperreality" would be a good one to start with, cos it's semiotics in action, rather than theory.

 

[DotCommunist]

You can't go wrong with Eco himself, IMO. Maybe his book of essays "Travels in hyperreality" would be a good one to start with, cos it's semiotics in action, rather than theory.

cheers, i'll seek it out.

 

[the button]

cheers, i'll seek it out.

It's a fairly regular feature in 2nd-hand/charity shops cos it's quite old and (IIRC) was published in paperback when Eco was at the height of his "Name of the rose"-associated fame -- and was presumably bought by a people expecting more of the same.

In fact, I've just checked out Abe Books, and you can get it for 62p (plus P&P).

 

[Hocus Eye.]

There is this online source that looks quite interesting:-

http://www.aber.ac.uk/media/Documents/S4B/sem01.html

 

[mozzy]

having just read Umberto Eco's focaults pendulum I'm interested. Have his text on semiotics on the List, was wondering if anyone could recommend a text that is suitable for an introduction to the ideas.

Wow, that's one of my favourite books - i need to reread that as it's been a good few years since I read it! The link which Hocus Eye has recommended is fantastic - cheers! My favourite is Jaques Derrida's "Writing and Difference" - it is not too bad for beginners. I also recommend Micheal Foucault's "The Order of Things" and "Archeology of Knowledge" - have fun!

 

[Udo Erasmus]

There is a comic book Semiology for Beginners or Semiotics for Beginners that is quite useful. An academic called Catherine Belsey has written a lot of very readable and accesible introduction to modern critical theory that include stuff on semiotics, off the top of my head the only title I can think of is Critical Practice

Turning to original texts, Roland Barthes Mythologies is pretty accesible.

 

[revol68]

having just read Umberto Eco's focaults pendulum I'm interested. Have his text on semiotics on the List, was wondering if anyone could recommend a text that is suitable for an introduction to the ideas.

I gave up on that book after a 150 pages of him being rather bluntly ramming sixty signfiers into each paragraph. I mean that fucking ooh soo subtle commentary on modernity in the exhibition of cars and aviation from the 20th century made me want to shot the cunt.

Does it get any better, does he ever get round to moving on the plot?

 

[revol68]

Oh and as Udo said Barthes Mythologies is good stuff, especially the essays on Heprburn and the language of cleaning products.

 

[Santino]

The Pursuit of Signs by Jonathan Culler is worth a look.

 

[DotCommunist]

I gave up on that book after a 150 pages of him being rather bluntly ramming sixty signfiers into each paragraph. I mean that fucking ooh soo subtle commentary on modernity in the exhibition of cars and aviation from the 20th century made me want to shot the cunt.

Does it get any better, does he ever get round to moving on the plot?

The plot revolves entirely around three blokes cooking up a hermetic mythology of secret societities and stuff. Being a person who loves number theorising and gnarly mysteries of the old world I fucking loved it.


Well worth sticking with imo, it's enjoyably bonkers and very twisty.

 

[revol68]

The plot revolves entirely around three blokes cooking up a hermetic mythology of secret societities and stuff. Being a person who loves number theorising and gnarly mysteries of the old world I fucking loved it.


Well worth sticking with imo, it's enjoyably bonkers and very twisty.

Yeah but does Eco ever stop trying to cram 500 levels of symbolism into each paragraph and get on with drivng the plot forward or does he atleast get anymore subtle?

 

[DotCommunist]

Yeah but does Eco ever stop trying to cram 500 levels of symbolism into each paragraph and get on with drivng the plot forward or does he atleast get anymore subtle?

yes. But the plot is layer upon layer of symbolism

 

[revol68]

yes. But the plot is layer upon layer of symbolism

Yeah I got that much, but there is layer after layer relevant to the plot and then there is Eco wanking lyrical about modernity vis a vis cars and palnes in a mueseum.

 

[trashpony]

I have to say I'd read Belsey and Barthes over more Eco any day

 

[DotCommunist]

Yeah I got that much, but there is layer after layer relevant to the plot and then there is Eco wanking lyrical about modernity vis a vis cars and palnes in a mueseum.

let me put it thusly. It's Dan Brown if he had a clue about writing and historical conspiracy theories. At it's heart is a murder mystery and a look at the lives and attitudes of three italian blokes. No it is not plot driven, but with this sort of book you have to 'low it and indulge the author. He's not doing A B C payoff, and who is to say that ABC method is superior? Certainly Tolkien wasn't such a writer, he wanted you to get texture as well as plot. IYSWIM

 

[revol68]

let me put it thusly. It's Dan Brown if he had a clue about writing and historical conspiracy theories. At it's heart is a murder mystery and a look at the lives and attitudes of three italian blokes. No it is not plot driven, but with this sort of book you have to 'low it and indulge the author. He's not doing A B C payoff, and who is to say that ABC method is superior? Certainly Tolkien wasn't such a writer, he wanted you to get texture as well as plot. IYSWIM

yes I got his texture, unfortunately it was less a fantastically ribbed for my pleasure ride and more like swimming through treacle.

I bought Eco's shit on the back of reading Q and I have to say Q shits all over it as does 54.

p.s. Tolkein is a boring reactionary cunt.

 

[DotCommunist]

we'll not agree on writing, clearly.

 

[Orang Utan]

having just read umberto eco's focaults pendulum i'm interested. Have his text on semiotics on the list, was wondering if anyone could recommend a text that is suitable for an introduction to the ideas.

for sure.
SMTX IZ WILD! LOL! WTF?

 

[electrogirl]

for sure.
SMTX IZ WILD! LOL! WTF?

 

[DotCommunist]

for sure.
SMTX IZ WILD! LOL! WTF?

actually text spk as a socio-ideolect is quite interesting, imo, it is from the same family and yet very different to l33t

 

[Santino]

actually text spk as a socio-ideolect is quite interesting, imo, it is from the same family and yet very different to l33t

lolwut

 

[phildwyer]

My favourite is Jaques Derrida's "Writing and Difference" - it is not too bad for beginners.

Horheehorheehor... tres amusant mon brave.