Ivan Bystrina
Codes and change of code
Werner Enninger
Change of code with regard to clothing.
Twenty six hypothosis pairs
Ingeborg Weber-Kellermann and Annegret Hofius
Code change in use
Itamar Even-Zohar
Code change and meaning depletion
Siegfried Kanngießer and Jürgen Kriz
Sign dynamics and perception codes.
First part: the perception psychological basics of semiotic processes
Enclosure
Ingrid Lempp
Surfaces. The meaning of surface characterising textures.
Projects
H. Walter Schmitz
Victoria Lady Welby and the consequences
Hans-Jürgen Eikmeyer and Hannes Rieser
Word semantics
Gerhard Strauß and Gisela Zifonun
Word related comprehension problems
Literary report
Peter Stockinger
The "Parisian School" of Semiotics
Codes and the change of codes
Ivan Bystrina, Free University Berlin
Summary. In the first part of this paper the concept of code is built up in
four steps (system/structure - information - invariants - codes). Codes are
understood as relatively invariant systems of rules regulating information
processes. In the second part a mode of the different code layers is outlined:
On the phylogenetically earlier primary or hypolinguistic codes (the genetic
code, the intraorganic and perception codes) are superimposed secondary, i.e.
linguistic or sign codes, thereby forming the basis for tertiary, i.e.
hyperlinguistic or text codes. In the third part the problem of constancy and
change of codes is discussed, and a list of categories and problems concerning
cultural codes is outlined. It is assumed that the invariants of tertiary codes
have developed as imprintings in especially sensitive phases of the evolution
of man.
Change of code with regard to clothing.
Twenty six hypothosis pairs
Werner Enninger, University of Essen
Summary. This paper posits three basic premises concerning the semiotic quality
of clothing and advances twenty-six pairs of synchronic-diachronic hypotheses
on the constitution and reconstitution of clothing codes. It is argued that the
clothing varieties of a culture (e. g. uniform, folk costume, and fashion) are
constituted and reconstituted by different socio-cultural factors.
Synchronically, the clothing repertoire of a culture is therefore
inhomogeneous. Diachronically, each variety exhibits specific types of changes
that are characterized in the paper.
Code change in use
Ingeborg Weber-Kellermann and Annegret Hofius, University of
Marburg
Summary. In Part 1 of this paper, the authors analyze the code behind central
European customs of flax harvest in the 19th century, documented in Mannhardt's
corpus of rural rituals (1875). In Part 2, they describe the results of an
empirical study about the customs of Christmas celebrations in central European
families and their development from 1880 to 1980. According to the authors, the
study reveals methodological limits in the structural analysis of folk customs,
which can be traced to the differences between codes and cultural symbols.
Code change and meaning depletion
Itamar Even-Zohar, Tel-Aviv University
Summary. This paper investigates the relation between means and functions or
between sign-carriers and their meanings in various types of discourse. Code
change is conceived as resulting from the fact that functions may move from one
carrier to another and that carriers may find new functions. While literary
theory has frequently emphasized the process of accumulation of functions in
given literary sign-carriers, the present paper concentrates on the opposite
process of decumulation or depletion. This process is contrasted with
desemantization, de-iconization, de-referentialization, automatization, and
redundancy. Contrary to the position of Sklovskij, it is argued that depletion
must be understood as a necessary correlate of accumulation. As is shown with
reference to other studies of the author, depletion provides instruments for
the organization of discourse.
Sign dynamics and perception codes.
First part: the perception psychological basics of semiotic
processes
Siegfried Kanngießer and Jürgen Kriz, University of
Osnabrück
Summary. Part 1 of this article discusses a conception of semiotics according
to which all explanations of sign-processes must be based on an explanation of
the mechanisms of sign use. These mechanisms are determined by the sign-user's
capacity of perception. Part 2 analyzes the structure of perception. The
existence of alternative ways of perception is taken as evidence for the
hypothesis that there are perceptual codes which can change. Part 3 studies the
dynamic processes that lead to transformations of perceptual codes.
