{"id":7154,"date":"2024-01-10T08:00:00","date_gmt":"2024-01-10T08:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.raziemah.com\/blog\/?p=7154"},"modified":"2023-12-30T14:28:29","modified_gmt":"2023-12-30T14:28:29","slug":"looking-at-michael-tomasellos-book-2008-origins-of-human-communication-part-7-of-12","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.raziemah.com\/blog\/?p=7154","title":{"rendered":"Looking at Michael Tomasello’s Book (2008) “Origins of Human Communication” (Part 7 of 12)"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

0134 What about language?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In order to approach the topic of language, I must provide a little background in natural signs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

According to Peirce, there are three types on natural sign.  They are distinguished by the categorical qualities of their sign object.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Here is a picture.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

0135 The icon<\/em> refers to the whole<\/em> by depicting a part.  The part may represent the whole.  The hand-talk word, [SNAKE], is a wiggling hand moving forward.  The image should be fairly recognizable.  Pantomime exercises icons.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The index<\/em> points in the direction of the reference<\/em>.  The hand-talk word, [THERE], can also be [ME] or [YOU].  The referent is real, but may depend on the ongoing situation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The symbol<\/em> is real in so far as it is supported by convention and habit<\/em>. The implication?  As iconic and indexal manual-brachial gestures<\/em> are routinized, they become more and more distinct from one another.  They become more and more as symbols<\/em>.  Symbols are real when they are easily distinguished from one another and readily interpreted by convention and habit.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

0136 Now, I ask, “Do symbols constitute language?”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Yes, symbols are responsible because each symbol in a finite order<\/em> is distinct from any other symbol.  A finite set of symbols<\/em> constitutes a symbolic order<\/em> (from one point of view) or a system of differences<\/em> (from another point of view). <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The term, “symbolic order”, emphasizes the order within the set<\/em>.  Order allows symbolic operations among distinct members, sort of like the formalization of conventions<\/em>. Formalization allows the construction of complex concepts<\/em>.  The three-level interscope<\/em> is an example of a purely relational structure that formalizes a symbolic construction<\/em>. For language, these operations<\/em> are called “grammar”.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The term, “system of differences”, emphasizes the fact that each symbol is different from any other symbol<\/em>.  Difference speeds up the recognition of each symbol.  At the turn of the last century, a scientific linguist, Ferdinand de Saussure, recognizes this trait in spoken languages.  He technically defines spoken language as two arbitrarily related systems of differences, parole<\/em> (speech) and langue<\/em> (the mental processing that occurs in response to talk).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This is sort of confusing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Who would imagine that language consists in two systems of differences, composed of symbols?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

0137 Symbols, by themselves, do not necessarily represent anything real.  What do I mean by the term, “real”?  The scholastics use the Latin term, “ens reale<\/em>“, meaning mind-independent being<\/em>.  Icons and indexes picture and point to ens reale<\/em>.  Symbols are ens rationis,<\/em> or mind-dependent beings<\/em>.  Symbols are testimonials to conventions, laws and traditions.  In short, symbols are ens rationis,<\/em> even though they may conventionalize very real habits of action.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Icons and indexes are natural signs.  They touch base with ens reale<\/em>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Symbols are natural signs that facilitate ens rationis<\/em>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

0138 Perhaps, “language” smells like… well… a funky, yet fragrant, perfume named, “Symbolize My Icons and Indexes”.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

One cannot picture or point to the smell.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But, the scent clings to every icon and index.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Language evolves in the milieu of hand talk.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Language evolves as the icons and indexes of hand talk<\/em> operate as symbols in a system of differences<\/em>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

0134 What about language? In order to approach the topic of language, I must provide a little background in natural signs. According to Peirce, there are three types on natural sign.  They are distinguished by the categorical qualities of their sign object.   Here is a picture. 0135 The icon refers to the whole by depicting a part.  The part may represent […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[417],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-7154","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-book-review"],"yoast_head":"\nLooking at Michael Tomasello's Book (2008) "Origins of Human Communication" (Part 7 of 12) - An Archaeology of the Fall<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Razie Mah reviews book from semiotic point of view.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.raziemah.com\/blog\/?p=7154\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Looking at Michael Tomasello's Book (2008) "Origins of Human Communication" (Part 7 of 12) - 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