London Language

what's that sign?

Following the topic of nonverbal communication we discussed in class on Monday, in which we looked at examples of signs and how we interpret them, you will find it interesting to check out this quiz on the Forbes website mentioned before: What's that sign?  It's a very good exercise of how iconic, indexical and symbolic signs can combine to communicate meaning, and it's funny too. If anyone manages to get the 10 right, you're a genius :)

Mai

Rosa, Janis and Che

Apple put this picture on their website last week. Some surfers thought it was a nice tribute. Others were worried about appropriating Rosa Parks in a way that links her to Apple's marketing programme.

Apple - Rosa Parks page

We discussed this in class on Monday and also the Mercedes Benz ad which used Janis Joplin's song and which the Apple site reminded some people of.

We had an interesting discussion of the lyrics to Janis Joplin's song and how listeners arrive at an interpretation of it. Her introduction ('I'd like to do a song of great social and political import!') seemed quite relevant, as did the use of linguistic features usually associated with spiritual songs. The line in which she asked the lord to buy the next round was thought of as particularly important.

One student mentioned the photo of Che Guevara taken by Alberto Korda which has become one of the most widespread icons in the world regardless of whether the t-shirt wearer has any acquaintance with Guevara's life or his part in South American history.

The photographer, Alberto Korda, was happy to see widespread use of the image but he filed a suit against a vodka company who used it in an advertisement in 2000.

BBC - Alberto Korda

Billy