社会符号学研究中的多模态化

Multimodalization in Social Semiotics

索绪尔对语言符号学的建立和对普通符号学的展望有其不可磨灭的贡献,但他的有些观点在符号学研究者中有不同反响。代表英美传统的皮尔斯发展了符号范畴,但他忽视了作为社会成员的人,因此仍不能摆脱形式主义的研究方法。随后的社会符号学发端于韩礼德的“语言是社会符号”的理论,关注的是特定于某一文化某一社团的符号实践。这一理论推动了多模态表达的研究,从而形成了多模态符号学。本文首先讨论多模态符号学和多媒体符号学的区别;进一步介绍具有媒体和模态双重特性的计算机符号学;对一些具体问题分别作了论述,如作为符号系统的符号资源、以屏幕代替书本的多模态符号的设计以及由话语参与者实现的连贯。最后指出,在人类进入社会符号学的多模态化的新世纪,对多模态识读能力的培养应引起重视。

Saussure＇ s linguistic semiotics has been an immense contribution to the development of general semiotics, but has met challenges from some researchers in this domain. Pierce, representing the British-American tradition has developed the notions of semiotic categories, but is tied to formal approach. Based on Halliday＇ s theory of language as social signs, social semiotics emphasizes the semiotic practices of a particular community of a particular culture, which pushes forward the study of muhimodal presentations, hence the muhimodal semiotics. This paper will first make a distinction between muhimodal semiotics and multimedia semiotics, the former based on the view that all discourses inherently possess the nature of muhimodality; then it goes on discussing the role of computer semotics, which possesses the characteristics of both media and mode. The paper also deals with some relevant problems, such as semiotic resources as semiotic system, the replacement of books with screens in the designing of muhimodal signs, and coherence realized by discourse par- ticipants. Finally, at the time when we are entering into a new era marked by muhimodal social semiotics, the nurturing of muhiliteracy should draw our attention.