brookes77, Macherey

The two readings this week complement each other well. In the first reading for this week and in class we talked about signifiers, signified, and signs. An example of this was the gas station sign that just had the credit car “visa”. This was a sign that the gas station had a visa credit card sign on a billboard without blatantly stating that they take visa credit cards at the gas station; but everyone understands that. Another example of this would be a symbol of a person on a wheel chair at a restaurant, store, etc. Everyone would know after seeing the picture that the restaurant or store was wheel chair accessible. This would just be understood; it is a sign that without stating the point using words. Signs have a lot to do with silence. In the second reading for the week. When Macherey states “ Speech eventually has nothing more to tell us; we investigate the silence, for silence, that is doing the speaking”; (17). This quote shows how silence says more then words. In our culture this has become the “fast route” the signs such as this handicap sign and the visa symbol are both symbols of language, but with signs/symbols such as these we have created silence and when we see the signs we have a cultural understanding without having to speak. I tied the two readings for the week together because when I think of signs I think of silence and both of these terms were relevant in the readings for this week.
“ By speech, silence becomes the centre and principle of expression, its vanishing point. Speech eventually has nothing more to tell us: we investigate the silence, for it is the silence that is doing the speaking.” (17) This is very significant because the quote is explaining that silence is the vanishing point of speech, it holds the basis and significance of what one is speaking about. Silence holds the most value in language. With speech one can sugar coat stuff, beat around the bush, but silence. When talking to someone they who is upset they can fake it all they want yet you can tell by expressions which are signs and silence that they are not doing well, with out even saying anything.
“ Is what I am really saying what I am not saying”. (17) Silence is the most powerful tool one can use, silence can signify what you want to say with out saying it.