Semiotics and linguistics

by Yishai Tobin

This book will try to show the connection between semiotics and liguistics as sign-oriented disciplines, in what may perhaps have been the direction originally envisioned by the Saussurian Sign Revolution. It begins with a bit of history and theory (and perhaps a bit of the theory of history) and then proceeds to present some sign-oriented analyses for various grammatical and lexical problems such as the dual number, the differences between "if" versus "whether", "also" versus "too" and the alternative synthetic and periphrastic strategies of comparatives and superlative formation in modern English. In the course of these analyses the reader will see what signs are and how they function within systems, contexts and texts. The connection between semiotics and linguistics will become clearer as the authors trace two converse complementary semiotic going from "sign to text" and then from "text to sign". Semiotically and linguistically speaking, the authors view the "sign as text" as well as "text as sign".

289 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1990