The Semiology of Silhouettes and related terms: Semiology or Semiotics
© the various contributors

CONTENTS

• 4 Sep 02 - by Alex Wolodtschenko
• 24 Sep 02 - by Mahes Visvalingam

- Forum on the Semiology of silhouettes: general note -The Semiology  or Semiotics of Silhouettes
- What is better?
The Semiotics (in English language space) is a same term as Semiology(in Franch language space). I think the semiotics is better and general (e.g. Noth 1990, Handbook of Semiotics).

As Alex pointed out, Noth (1995, p 14) reports that in 1969, the initiators of the International Association of Semiotic Studies (IASS) decided that the semiotic should comprise the research within the traditions of semiology and semiotics.  Noth and Sebeok (one of the initiators) note that some researchers continue to make a distinction.  Sebeok (p 9) notes that semiotics was an analogic cretion on pragmatics, syntactics, and especially semantics and that the initiators named their journal Semiotica to steer a middle course.

I see our discussions proceeding through two stages - an initial exploratory stage involving all those who are interested.  This stage need not be formal or unduly scholarly.  Often useful insights come from unexpected quarters and may initially seem like Zen koans.  When we have explored different points of view, we can then move on to more rigorous analyses of the structure of terms and their meanings.   I thought that we could distinguish between these two stages with -logy (a general discourse) and -ics (the discipline).  Those who visit the discussion forum would then be able to distinguish easily between pages with the initial thoughts of individuals and those presenting final conclusions as reached by groups.   Exposure to the process and not just the outcomes will be educational for students. 

I attach some dictionary definitions on usages, which seem to allow such pragmatic use of suffixes

Noth Winfried (1995) Handbook of Semiotics, Indiana University Press, Bloomington.
Sebeok, T A (1971) Terminological Note, in Morris, C (1971) Writings on the General Theory of Signs, Mouton, The Hague,