ESPN12, 9/3

I never quite realized how much theory was behind the concept of language. I found it so interesting that there where so many terms for language. Many of the ideas were all ideas I had thought of before, I just never knew there was actual terms, or that any of the ideas had a “signifier” attached to them. I found myself looking back and realizing how I had recently but the terms to use. For instance, I found myself thinking back to the term parole just the other day when I burnt my hand on a stove. I immediately screamed, ahhh, I then thought back the term and realized I chose what to say in order to show I was in pain. I think the choosing process in such an incident is unconscious but there of course are times when you really think about what words you are going to say. As we continue to try and understand language and meaning I came across another term, if I understood correctly, I think I was able to apply to my weekend. The term difference, a word I have used my whole life for different meanings, was used to help me understand the theory behind language. When I was watching football I was able to see that I could recognize it was football, because of what it is not, basketball. I never quite realized how we apply meaning to something by knowing what it is not, but it does indeed make sense. In addition to the mentioned terms, I will never look at words such as “self service” in the same way again. Such a word demonstrates the true essence of an empty signifier. An empty signifier is word that really means nothing, makes much sense, is made to sound better than it really is, and such words will never be looked at the same through my eyes. As I drove past a gas station just the other day, I saw the sign for self service and I immediately thought back to CMC 300. It is quite interesting how just seeing a word can make us associate it with a item or a time, similar to the way we process language.