SEMIÓTICA DA(S) CULTURA(S): QUESTÕES E CONCEITOS BÁSICOS

SEMIOTICS OF CULTURE(S): BASIC QUESTIONS AND CONCEPTS

Abstract

The article introduces some basic questions and concepts related to the semiotic study of culture and cultures. The first question “Is Semiotics necessary to life?” lead to recognise a double necessity of semiotics, intended at the same time as a quality proper to humankind and as a scientific knowledge necessary to reflect and become aware of our unperceived “cultural nature”. Secondly, the article suggests considering semiotic analysis not only as a form of intellectual knowledge but also as an action that aims to transform reality. This lead to define semiotician as a political subject. Thirdly, the article proposes some tools – e.g., the circular intellectual movement represented by analysis and catalisys – in order to manage the relations between parts and whole, micro and macro, order and chaos. The second part of the article tackle three key concepts for contemporary and future semiotics of culture(s): semiosphere(s), formation(s), translation(s). Starting from the structural paradoxes of the idea of semiosphere the article proposes a dynamic and glocal idea of culture(s) based on a relationalist approach. The idea of formation allows to map different types of semiotic relation: action/passion, process/system, substance/form. Finally, the article proposes to consider translation as key concept that allows to describe the deepest meaning-making mechanisms as well as some of the thorniest processes of actual cultural life.