Sign systems are the systems uniting the monotonous symbols created for transfer of certain messages which help with communication process. A division of science the semiotics studies sign systems, their development and functioning. The most widespread example of a sign system – language.
Language – the system of signs
There are many types of sign systems which are studied by science under the name semiotics. The circle of the phenomena investigated by semiotics includes the sign speech, sea semaphores, road signs and many other phenomena, but among them the most widespread and the most deeply studied is language. Usually people perceive language as the generation of human culture uniting society and being an outer sheath of thinking without which understanding of thoughts of the person is impossible. But, in addition, language is also the system of the certain signs interacting with each other, agreed by rules of syntax.
In order that any phenomenon could be considered as a sign system, it has to have a certain set of character which replaces function of a subject, point to it, but do not coincide with its material characteristic. These signs have to be material, that is available to perception. The main function of the sign – transfer of value. As the word – the main unit of language – meets all these requirements, language is a sign system.
But the semiotics relates to language a little differently, than to other sign systems, marking out its specific features. First, unlike other systems of symbols, language develops independently, spontaneously. In spite of the fact that mankind generally or its separate groups take part in development of language, it is formed naturally, but does not change by the certain rules adopted as a result of the contract.
There are artificial languages created intentionally for communication, but, being used by people for this purpose, they begin to develop and be improved spontaneously.
Secondly, all other sign systems which differ in artificial creation were created on the basis of a natural language, that is are secondary. Besides, language performs several functions at once and possesses much more difficult and many-tier relations between signs.
Language – the only sign system by means of which there is a training of the person in other similar systems.
Aspects of language as systems of signs
The semiotics learns language under three main aspects: semantic, syntactic and pragmatical. Semantics researches value of signs, that is their contents which are understood as any objects (subject value) or the phenomena (conceptual value) in consciousness of people. In the sign system of language this value is virtual, it does not belong to a specific situation and does not designate the concrete phenomenon, and in the speech the sign, that is a word, becomes real. The syntax studies rules of a combination of signs among themselves. Any language is not a chaotic character set. Words are combined among themselves by certain rules, their arrangement affects final value. Rules of creation of phrases and offers among themselves are called syntactic. The pragmatics investigates ways of use of language in certain situations: as the value of a word sign changes depending on time, the place of its use, those who use them. The pragmatical aspect of semiotics considers not only the maintenance of language, but also its registration.