FloRida, 9/6

Studying Critical Media/Cultural Studies and taking an in depth look at it has always been extremely interesting. Most of the times I was confused by what all of the different theorist’s were saying. Being in CMC 300 so far, I have learned that even if I do not understand something right away, it can always be explained in a way that will connect with me. What really struck me this week was the connection between language, signs, and actual meaning. There is a statement from the de Saussure that says, “Language is a system of interdependent terms in which the value of each term results solely from the simultaneous presence of the others.” This just proves how everything is interconnected within a language system. Signs are included as part of language but they are what cause you to think why or how something happens, along with your take on the situation. Language is verbal, movement, gestures, signs and almost any form of communication possible. We can talk with words and people understand what we are saying but we can also use hand gestures or make facial expressions and people will also understand a feeling/emotion or something we want to do, as well. What really connected with me were the examples Dr. Rog used of the street billboards. When we first see a literal sign we only associate with one thing. Once there is another factor that is brought into the situation, that sign means something completely different. We learned in class that language not only gives us meaning but also creates difference. One part of the readings from this week that relates to this is where it states that, “The pleasure of the text is that moment when my body pursues its own ideas- for my body does not have the same ideas I do.”