Semiotics: A Theoretical Introduction By Ferdinand De Saussure And Charles Sanders Pierce
Kepoen.com-Semiotics: A Theoretical Introduction By Ferdinand De Saussure And Charles Sanders Pierce-The discussion of semiotics cannot be separated from the fathers of semiotics, Ferdinand de Saussure and Charles Sanders Pierce, who developed this theory in the early 20th century. Semiotics derives from the Greek word "seme," which means the interpretation of signs, and some also argue that semiotics comes from the word "semeion," which means sign.
From these definitions, semiotics
can be described as the study of signs. In a broader sense, semiotics is a
study of codes, which are any systems that enable us to perceive certain
entities as signs or something meaningful. As a theory, semiotics can be
understood as a systematic study of sign production, interpretation, functioning,
and its benefits.
In this regard, semiotics experts
have their own definitions based on their respective fields. Ferdinand de
Saussure sees semiotics as a science that studies signs of life within society
that are comprehensible. Umberto Eco defines semiotics as anything related to
the meaningful interpretation of signs. Therefore, it can be concluded that
semiotics is a profound examination of signs.
The scientific and systematic
study of semiotics was developed in the 20th century by two scholars with
different educational backgrounds and thoughts: Ferdinand de Saussure
(1857-1913), a linguist from Europe who used the term "semiology,"
and Charles Sanders Pierce (1839-1914), an American philosopher who used the
term "semiotics."
However, in its development, the
term "semiotics" eventually became more widely used. These two
figures are now referred to as the fathers of modern semiotics. Pierce
considered the term semiotics synonymous with logic. According to him, logic
should study how people reason, and reasoning (according to Pierce's
fundamental theory hypothesis) is carried out through signs.
Signs enable a person to think,
interact with others, and attribute meaning to what is presented by the
universe. In developing his semiotic theory, Pierce created a general theory of
signs that can be applied to all kinds of signs, both in linguistics and in
social and cultural phenomena. Pierce also introduced the concept of triadic
relation, which consists of the representamen, object, and interpretant.
The representamen, also known as
a sign, is something that functions as a substitute for something else in a
specific way or capacity. This sign refers to something called the object or
referent. The position of the sign is as a representation of what it refers to,
and this representation can occur with the help of something called the ground.
Often, this ground is a code,
which is a trans-individual system of rules, although sometimes it is based on
an individual basis. After that, the sign is interpreted, which means it is
connected to its referent, and from the original sign, a new sign called the
interpretant is developed.
The concept of interpretant
should not be confused with the concept of interpretator, which refers to the
receiver of the sign. According to Pierce, the interpretant is what the sign
produces or can be referred to as the definition of the representamen. This
interpretant becomes a new sign that also has another interpretant, thus
resulting in an ongoing process of semiosis.
On the other hand, Ferdinand de
Saussure developed the foundations of general linguistic theory. Saussure's
distinctive theory lies in the fact that he considers language as a system of
signs, a connection of signs according to certain rules that allow language to
perform its essential function as a means of representation and communication.
Saussure used the term "semiology" to refer to the branch of study
that examines signs. Saussure defines a sign as a combination of a concept and
an acoustic image.
The discussion of speech flow
demonstrates that linguistic signs have two sides: the concept and the acoustic
image. When someone speaks in a language, it shows the existence of linguistic
sounds or words produced by articulatory organs.
These organs produce sounds
influenced by air vibrations, resulting in certain characteristics as an
acoustic image. Meanwhile, speech also has a concept, which is the meaning or
mental aspect behind the linguistic sounds. The word "horse" is a
sign that consists of the acoustic image "horse" and has the concept
of an animal called 'kuda' in the Indonesian language.
These two elements are
interconnected, and the presence of one necessitates the presence of the other.
Saussure replaced the term "concept" with the term
"signifier" and the term "acoustic image" with the term
"signified." Eco also states that according to Saussure, a sign is an
entity that has two sides: the signifier and the signified, or between the sign
vehicle and the meaning.
In addition to the aforementioned
dichotomy, Saussure also developed several other dichotomous concepts in his
linguistic studies, including the dichotomy of syntagmatic and paradigmatic,
diachronic and synchronic, as well as the concept of langue (a specific
language within a social group) and parole (individual speech in concrete
communication).
Nevertheless, the most important
dichotomy in semiotic studies is between the signifier (sign vehicle) and the
signified (meaning). The concepts of signifier and signified have influenced
many European semioticians who subsequently developed them into a broader sign
system.
Refence
Nyoman Kutha Rata, Teori,
Metode, dan Teknik Penelitian Sastra, Yogyakarta: Pustaka Pelajar, 2012.
Ferdinand de Saussure, Pengantar
Umum Linguistik, terj. Rahayu S. Hidayat, Yogyakarta: Gajah Mada University
Press, 1996.
Rh. Widada, Saussure untuk
Sastra: Sebuah Metode Kritik Sastra Struktural, Yogyakarta: Jalasutra, 2009.
Umberto Eco, Teori Semiotika,
terj. Inyiak Ridwan Muzir, Yogyakarta: Kreasi Wacana, 2009.
Aart van Zoest, “Interpretasi dan
Semiotika” dalam Panuti Sudjiman dan Aart van Zoest (ed.), Serba- serbi
Semiotika, Jakarta: Gramedia Pustaka Utama, 1996.
Kris Budiman, Semiotika
Visual: Konsep, Isu, dan Problem Ikonisitas, Yogyakarta: Jalasutra, 2011.
Ali Imron, Semiotika
al-Qur’an: Metode dan Aplikasi terhadap Kisah Yusuf, Yogyakarta: Teras, 2011.