NETWORK NONSENSE

So, as a class, and through Saussure, we've established that a sign is made up of both a signified and a signifier. Where the signifier is "the mark" and the signified is the "sound image". Also, we've clarified that a sign can't exist without the world and the source. Katie re-states this in her blog posting. The source because without a plethora of other signs, symbols, words, etc, then we can't know what the sign is to begin with. And without the world or network for the sign to exist in then one can't really know what the sign symbolizes and means.

This I feel has many confused, to a certain extent. The analogy of the purpose and the meaning of a rouke on a chess board has no meaning when it doesn't have its companion pieces to compare to, is a good example of network meaning. However, I feel many can't relate this to what goes on in our lives regularly. It's hard to understand that if we didn't have a network to work with then there can't be meaning in words like SEX or DRUNK. Because without the source or the network the word DRUNK would mean the same thing as the word FELKDJ. It would just seem to be nonsense.

To continue, the sub codes and the meanings of words themselves exist in the source as well as in people. Yes, people do have different sub codes and meanings for different words. Gage says this in his blog as well. However, there must be a network with in that language and for the meaning to truly be in. My example of this, and the only one that stays in my head, is thinking of an alien life form now landing in the middle of New York City. Knowing nothing of our source, network and objects in our system. How would he determine the meaning of our network when we try to explain it to him/her/it. Same as the coke bottle with an indigenous tribe in the movie "The Gods Must be Crazy".