This comment on Valsiner’s (2003) theory of enablement appreciates the theory’s contribution to fill the lacuna of social representation theory in dealing with individual reasoning and behaviour through a mechanism of semiotic mediation. It is shown, however, that the experimental illustration of the theory falls slightly short of providing evidence for the claims. In re-interpreting the experi...

This paper introduces the concept of myth, a dominant image on which an organizing vision may be formulated. It is proposed that organizational myths can be used to evaluate the nature and outcomes of information technology use in particular operating contexts, by permitting an enframing or disclosure of critical contradictions and tensions arising in such contexts. An analytical schema, the se...

smaller vocal tract larger vocal tract Pitch and /s/ variation are not fundamentally and directly linked to gender or sex, but have a complex range of indexical links which can be called upon to perform a variety of affects and character types. Effect of sex on variation is indirect and mediated by affects, stances, persona styles, character types (Ochs 1992; Eckert 1989, 2008, 2014; Eckert & M...

12Abstract. Social action depends on the knowledge about all levels of emergent structure and this knowledge is not limited to but produced by the local binary interactions, thus requiring reflexivity and intentionality. This knowledge resides in the impersonal area of symbol systems and is produced by a metalanguage which carries the knowledge of emergent structure beyond local networks to the...

In this paper I examine relationships between multiple semiotic modes used to construct hierarchy, and I show the importance of going beyond our traditional notion of language to look at how social actors employ a range of semiotic resources in organizing and interpreting social relations. Using examples from Pohnpei, Micronesia, I show how notions of superior and inferior are compounded throug...

Information and Communication Technology has the potential of benefiting citizens, allowing access to knowledge, communication and collaboration, and thus promoting the process of constitution of a fairer society. The design of systems that make sense to the users’ community and that respect their diversity demands socio-technical views and an in-depth analysis of the involved parties. The auth...

The present study shows the results of six case studies referring to an intervention applied mathematical learning difficulties. Participants were 8 12 years old. considered mathematics as a language and it is theoretically based on Bronfenbrenner's bioecological model, Vygotsky's sociocultural theory Peircean semiotics. objective was work development academic skills associating with interactio...

With this essay the authors project global semiotics into the domain of ethics, or more properly what they propose to call ‘semioethics’, as they explore the priorities of semiotics today. Thanks to its biosemiosic bias, semiotics as it is now practiced internationally, that is, in conjunction with the sciences of culture together with the sciences of nature, not only evidences how body and min...

In this paper we propose an analysis of the metaphor "This surgeon is a butcher!” discussed in Grady, Oakley & Coulson 1999, introducing it into a mental space framework derived from blending theory and cognitive semiotics. We attempt to reconstruct the meaning of this metaphor, and hypothesize a general framework for analyzing metaphoric blends and other forms of expression that utilize blends...

Peirce’s semiotics can be effectively used for modeling different sorts of signs. In this paper it is argued that semantic signs, which are signs from the semantic point of view, are no exception. It turns out, however, that a proper modeling of semantic signs needs a better understanding of the concept of qualisigns, as well as, of the relation between Peirce’s categories and his theory of signs.