Customer Reviews

Theory of Semiotics

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The Italian Umberto Eco is a towering figure. A literary critic, novelist, and semiotician (studying symbols and symbol systems), he gained international recognition with "The Name of the Rose" (1980) in which he brought the study of semiotics to fiction. In this book, "Theory of Semiotics", he makes his contribution to the theoretical study of signs encompassing all cultural phenomena. His focus is on the development of a methodology of communication.

Like Roland Barthes, Eco starts from the foundations of semiotics in Saussure (Course in General Linguistics: who developed the idea of sign-systems and the sign/signified distinction, as well as the distinction between langue/parole - language and speech) and Claude Levi-Strauss (Structural Anthropology). Yet Eco surpasses this tradition to move into new territory, recognizing the limits to structuralism and Saussure's ideas. He recognizes, for example, that meaning is not merely governed by structure, but also interactively constructed by the reader/interpreter, who often inserts or fills-in missing meaning to construct a coherent picture.

Those interested in an introductory work to this fascinating field should be pointed to Eco's work "Semiotics and the Philosophy of Language" which is easier to start with.

I stepped off the edge of normal thinking and rose to new heights of awareness. I have appreciated Mr. Eco as an author of great books, but I see him now as Dr. Eco, the man who makes words speak new meaning. When I listen to people, friends, family, (yes and God forgive me, TV talking heads) I no longer hear what they say, I see they are trying to express ideas with words they do not control. I just wish I could control them, the words, as Dr. Eco does. An excellent read, and excellant study and a great way to build your mind. Thank you Dr. Eco, mille gracie, mille, mille gracie.

Eco's "Theory of Semiotics" may well be a book of valuable content but I doubt if I will ever struggle through it to the end. The so-called "typesetting" is beyond pathetic for a University Press. It looks as though it were typed on an old 1970's Selectric ball typewriter which was badly in need of alignment. The text was appallingly slugged into the pages by an unskilled typist and then photo-copied numerous times to assure that reading it would cause pain and suffering to the hapless reader. The text is bold and blotchy with hiccups in letter alignment that makes one wonder if this were a low-tech pirated rip-off instead of the real thing. I would very gladly return this book if they would replace it with a text file that I could format myself and make readable.

My apologies to Umberto because I am a fan of his work in semiotics but the dear folks at Indiana University Press and perhaps "General Editor" Thomas A. Sebeok, need a lesson in typography from Robert Bringhurst or a visit from nearby Miles Tinker for a sound flogging with a pica ruler.

Chris Lozos