Sémiotique générale

Teacher(s)

. SOMEBODY; Catellani Andrea; Christophe Christel;

Language

French

Content

The course begins with the semiotics stemming from F. de Saussure's linguistics - structural semiotics - and then, with the pragmatic current, focuses on the specific contexts of interaction, leading finally to C.S. Peirce's semiotics, which places interpretation at the centre of the functioning of the different types of signs and opens the way today to cognitive semiotics.
In doing so, the course addresses, discusses and confronts the essential notions of each of these currents and endeavours to account for the specific point of view taken by each of them: the meaning of the sign, the relation induced by it, the cognitive mechanisms it solicits and the interpretation of which it is the object and at the same time constitutes.
The course endeavours to illustrate each concept as well as possible and to do so frequently uses communicative devices that are part of our daily lives: interactive situations, press, websites, television programmes, advertisements, posters, etc. The different course materials allow the student to refer the concepts to their original scientific contexts.

Teaching methods

Lecture. Depending on the themes addressed, certain interactive processes are used.
The agenda of the sessions will be made available on the course website (student corner) as well as information on the material organisation of each session.

Evaluation methods

The evaluation focuses on the understanding and assimilation of the notions and theoretical frameworks of semiotics, in particular with a view to being able to mobilise them to describe in a rigorous manner the functioning of elementary semiotic devices.
January session: the exam is written, consisting of MCQs (multiple-choice questions) and an optional open question, which can influence the score by up to 2 points out of 20.
Second session (September): written exam, multiple choice questions (MCQs) and an optional open question, which can influence the score for max. 2 points out of 20. If the number of students is less than or equal to 30, the exam will be written with open questions.
More details on the examination will be given in the detailed course description on Student corner published during the term and will be the subject of oral presentations during the course.

Online resources

The Student corner page.

Bibliography

Ph. Verhaegen, Signe et communication, De Boeck, Bruxelles, 2010.

Teaching materials

• Ph. Verhaegen, Signe et communication, De Boeck, Bruxelles, 2010
• Documents et ressources via Student Corner (obligatoires ou pas, selon les information données par les enseignants).

Faculty or entity

COMU