Isotopy (semiotics)

As isotopy ( level of understanding ) is called an attempt connections between sentences of a text ( text links ) under semantic aspects, ie according to the importance of addressing. Therefore, the Isotopieuntersuchung is an intermediate stage between coherence- based and a cohesion- oriented text analysis. This approach provides an answer to the fundamental question of text linguistics, namely making a full sequence to a text. It also provides a good introduction to a text interpretation as intuitive conclusions that we draw while reading, can be tied back to the text.

The basic idea for Isotopieuntersuchungen Algirdas Julien Greimas formulated in his 1966 published work " semantique structurale ".

Operation

Klasseme are the components of meaning ( Seme ) a word; they can be worked out with the method of linguistic semanalysis and presented in a table.

Through the principle of recurrence, that is, the repeated occurrence of a Klassems ( = a syntactically dominant Shem ), or the principle of substitution ( replacement ) s can be followed via the block boundaries, text links within the to be examined Text ( - section ).

Thus one determines such Seme as particularly important ( "dominant" ) that stand out in a text in that they occur more than once ( recurrence ).

By forming a Klassem, one can see a Isotopieebene to thereby narrow, such as a word is meant. A text can have multiple Isotopieebenen, which are next to each other or may be linked.

Since the isotopy (ie, the syntactic context of texts ) is examined independently of text cohesion, one can proceed with this method good texts whose grammatical structures and lexical fields were deliberately destroyed in order to alienate example, or expressionist poetry ( cf. Expressionism ).

Analysis example

Example sentence: " The tower shook and the farmer was gone. "

Possible Seme of the found words:

The example sentence alone can be a chess game situation or a scene from a fairy tale about representing, without further information remains to be seen which of the Seme ( chess figures on the one hand or building and living beings on the other) there is dominant. Only when one of these Seme is repeated, it becomes clear which is the Klassem.

Example block with following sentence: " The tower shook and the farmer was gone. He cried all the way. "

"Cried ": Seme would be for example, work, active, etc.

By the result set in which the farmer is connected to the Sem "alive", it is understood that probably not a game of chess is presented, so the Klassem not " pawn " means. The reader compiles the isotopy as " lively scene " and not as " chess game".

To determine Seme, there are semantic lexicons.

Isotopy in Humor

Punchlines often arise from the fact that the significance level is changed unexpectedly, which is also called Isotopiebruch.

Example

Man to pharmacist: "Do you have something for the common cold? " Pharmacist: ". No, only against"

After the first set is for the listener actually realize that the customer wants to have a remedy for a cold, the pharmacist interprets the customer's question but on a different level of meaning, namely that of Sym - or antipathy and responds according to what the audience amaze and thus can cheer.