Sign
A sign is an
The philosophical study of signs and symbols is called semiotics; this includes the study of semiosis, which is the way in which signs (in the semiotic sense) operate.
Nature
Types
The word sign has a variety of meanings in English, including:
- Sun signs in astrology
- Sign or signing, in communication: communicating via hand gestures, such as in sign language.
- Gang signal
- Sign, in Tracking (hunting): also known as Spoor (animal); trace evidence left on the ground after passage.
- A signboard.
- A sign, in common use, is an indication that a previously observed event is about to occur again
- Sign, in divination and religion: an omen, an event or occurrence believed to foretell the future
- Sign, in ontology and spirituality: a coincidence or surprising event thought to reveal divine will; see synchronicity
- Sign (linguistics): a combination of a concept and a sound-image described by Ferdinand de Saussure
- In transpositions.
- signed number representation
- Sign, in biology: an indication of some living thing's presence
- symptom, which is subjective
- Sign (semiotics): the basic unit of meaning
- Information sign: a notice that instructs, advises, informs or warns people
- cross walksign
- Sign, in a writing system: a basic unit. Similar terms which are more specific are character, letter or grapheme
- Commercial signage, including flashing signs, such as on a retail store, factory, or theatre
- Signature, in history: a handwritten depiction observed on a document to show authorship and will
- For marketing or advocacy purposes, a signage refers to the collective use of signs to convey a message.
Christianity
Books II and III of DDC enumerate all kinds of signs and explain how to interpret them. Signs are divided into natural (naturalia) and conventional (data); the latter is divided into animal (bestiae) and human (homines); the latter is divided into non-words (cetera) and words (verba); the latter is divided into spoken words (voces) and written words (litterae); the latter is divided into unknown signs (signa ignota) and ambiguous signs (signa ambigua); both the former and the latter are divided respectively into particular signs (signa propria) and figurative signs (signa translata), among which the unknown figurative signs belong to the pagans. In addition to exegetical knowledge (Quintilian, Institutio Oratoria 1.4.1-3 and 1.8.1-21) which follows the order of reading (lectio), textual criticism (emendatio), explanation (enarratio), and judgment (iudicium), one needs to know the original language (Hebrew and Greek) and broad background information on Scripture (DDC 2.9.14-2.40.60).
Augustine's understanding of signs includes several hermeneutical presuppositions as important factors. First, the interpreter should proceed with humility, because only a humble person can grasp the truth of Scripture (DDC 2.41.62). Second, the interpreter must have a spirit of active inquiry and should not hesitate to learn and use pagan education for the purpose of leading to Christian learning, because all truth is God's truth (DDC 2.40.60-2.42.63). Third, the heart of interpreter should be founded, rooted, and built up in love which is the final goal of the entire Scriptures (DDC 2.42.63).
The sign does not function as its own goal, but its purpose lies in its role as a signification (res significans, DDC 3.9.13). God gave signs as a means to reveal himself; Christians need to exercise hermeneutical principles in order to understand that divine revelation. Even if the Scriptural text is obscure, it has meaningful benefits. For the obscure text prevents us from falling into pride, triggers our intelligence (DDC 2.6.7), tempers our faith in the history of revelation (DDC 3.8.12), and refines our mind to be suitable to the holy mysteries (DDC 4.8.22). When interpreting signs, the literal meaning should first be sought, and then the figurative meaning (DDC 3.10.14-3.23.33). Augustine suggests the hermeneutical principle that the obscure Scriptural verse is interpreted with the help of plain and simple verses, which formed the doctrine of "scriptura scripturae interpres" (Scripture is the Interpreter of Scripture) in the Reformation Era. Moreover, he introduces the seven rules of Tyconius the Donatist to interpret the obscure meaning of the Bible, which demonstrates his understanding that all truth belongs to God (DDC 3.3.42-3.37.56). In order to apply Augustine's hermeneutics of the sign appropriately in modern times, every division of theology must be involved and interdisciplinary approaches must be taken.[3]
See also
- Asemic writing
- Roland Barthes
- Commercial signage
- Mary Douglas
- Semiotic theory of Charles Sanders Peirce
- Icon
- Icon (computing)
- Ideogram
- Interpretation of dreams
- Edmund Leach
- Claude Lévi-Strauss
- List of symbols
- Logotype
- Map-territory relation– view that an abstraction derived from something, or a reaction to it, is not the thing itself.
- Sorites paradox
- Theseus' paradox
- Identity of indiscernibles
- National symbol
- Neon sign
- Religious symbolism
- Representation
- Ferdinand de Saussure
- Semiotics
- Signing (disambiguation)
- Structuralism
- Symbol
- Synchronicity
- Traffic sign
- Universal language
References
- ^ New Oxford American Dictionary
- ^ semiotics at the Encyclopædia Britannica
- ^ Woo, B. Hoon (2013). "Augustine's Hermeneutics and Homiletics in De doctrina christiana". Journal of Christian Philosophy. 17: 103–106.
External links
- The dictionary definition of sign at Wiktionary