Signs

Book chapter

Cobley, P. 2016. Signs. in: Jensen, K., Rothenbuhler, E., Pooley, J. and Craig, R. (ed.) The International Encyclopedia of Communication Theory and Philosophy Chichester John Wiley & Sons.
Chapter titleSigns
AuthorsCobley, P.
Abstract

This entry defines ‘sign’ and indicates some of its relations with ‘symbol’ as a synonym for ‘sign’ or as a sub-category of signs. It introduces a general definition of signs with a brief historical overview of the practice of understanding signs ‘as signs’ rather than merely using signs to indicate. It also uses some paradigm cases developed in the last hundred years for understanding signs: the linguistic sign as adumbrated by Saussure, the non-verbal sign as adapted in semiology by Roland Barthes, the multivalent sign envisaged by Peirce, the ‘symbolic form’ investigated by Cassirer and the sign distinguished from ‘object’ and ‘thing’ as proposed by Deely. The entry focuses on the way in which the investigation of signhood has been characterized by the different apprehensions of the relations subtending signs and contrasting approaches to what signs do.

Keywordssigns, symbols, forms
Book titleThe International Encyclopedia of Communication Theory and Philosophy
EditorsJensen, K., Rothenbuhler, E., Pooley, J. and Craig, R.
PublisherJohn Wiley & Sons
Place of publicationChichester
SeriesThe Wiley Blackwell-ICA International Encyclopedias of Communication
ISBN
Hardcover9781118290736
Publication dates
Print23 Oct 2016
Publication process dates
Deposited14 Jun 2016
Accepted21 May 2015
Output statusPublished
Additional information

Online ISBN: 9781118766804

Digital Object Identifier (DOI)https://doi.org/10.1002/9781118766804.wbiect139
LanguageEnglish
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