https://openlab.citytech.cuny.edu/langecomd3504fa2020-monday/category/assignment/

1 What is language?

It is a system that compouned by spoken or written sounds, symbols, and icons.

2 How it is different form communication in general?

The language is product from a long process of generations who molded the languages and components little by little, the language have roots and meanings that goes beyond what we can see immediately as the superficial meaning of the words that we use daily.

3 What role does language play in design?

The words can have multiple meanings. These meanings depend as we isolated them, which environment are deployed, the people who are the receptors, the need they are covering, a example of  these can be the word “illuminated” it is not the same to say: you illuminated pretty well the face of the model in that photography, or a good illuminated book. In one you refer to a technique of lights, in the other is a whole graphic style created in the medieval times. So, the use the proper language in design is a keystone to fast integrated teams of the people to convey in work effectively in projects. The designers must properly use the meaning of the words in their distinctive part of the system.  

4 How are symbols or iconographic related to language?

The base of the language started as attempt of humanity of translate the world that we observe to a simple and easy to use method. Firstly, representing the best that we can what we saw. This brings the firsts icons. Secondly, in the need of be more practical that icons turn into symbols that allow us to expand to more abstract ideas. Thirdly, in the pursuit of express more with less the use of words finally appeared.

5 How are signs, signifiers, and the signified employed in general communication?

The common use of the language focus the on the message itself. This is the main reason why the common language is practical and direct. That’s why signs, signifiers and the signified unite under the simplicity and easy to understand meaning that not implies a previous or profound knowledge of the words.

6 How are signs, signifiers, and the signified employed in graphic design?

The communication of the designer with our customers, clients or viewers is strongly a visual language. The language combines different visual elements to transmit message.

7 what facts or details from these texts provoke ideas for developing new designs strategies?

The fact that the base of our language was the visual, the attempt to capture what we saw thought different mediums, icons, and symbols. We the designers are the pinnacle of our species to keep evolving the language. If what we saw defined the language, the language determines the reach of our society, we are defining the language and the world for our future generations.  

8 what can archaic numbering system or rudimentary signage show us about language or the design process?

That a symbol can contain more a more meaning when visually is in the reality less complex. An example of this is the use of vertical lines to represent the number 1. Now, we can add 0 that represent 10, we no longer need ten vertical lines, another 0, now it is 100, and so on. The evolution of that is the potency, a simple 10³ can substitute a 1000 or a thousand of vertical lines. Then, we started the reign of complex mathematics where a simple letter can represent a gigantic number in a theorem.