Month: September 2020 (Page 3 of 6)

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.

        According to the authors Ferdinand and Lupton-Miller some people believe that language is only a naming process. Ferdinand further went on to say that the linguistic sign unites a concept and a sound image which is the psychological impression that is a mental picture captured in our minds. The words we speak are made up of letter sounds. Language has many characteristics. It is one of the systems of expression and deemed as the most complicated of all. It is different from communication in general because language is inherited from generation to generation based on traditions. Language plays a very important role in design because graphics and symbols were used to recreate what was being said. Graphics were drawn using sticks, stones, beads and much more. Without language we would not be able to communicate with each other.

        Word symbols are a part of the creation of language. It is not entirely made up of random choices and is the principle that links the signifier and the signified. Signifiers and the signified are a part of the sign system. They are components used to create statements. The signifier is the component used to create the graphic and the signified is the thought process and concept in graphic communication. It is stated that “the linguistic sign is arbitrary and has two characteristics since the beginning of time.”

        The fact that language is universal and has many components, makes it possible to create different forms of language. I can create new designs using the present technologies to create design that shows the ongoing progress of the different aspects of communication. The archaic numbering system shows us that language and the design process are connected because the language consists of people counting and the design process is the thought process of creating what is being said. The design of the numbering system has evolved over the years based on cultures. There are different principles when it comes to the numbering system such as ordering and grouping. The principle of ordering consists of one on one correlation between symbols and the objects that are being counted. While the principle of grouping puts groups of signs in smaller categories.

We have used forms of language for centuries. We use it to communicate with others daily in order to conduct some form of business to move around in our world. In the first text, it says that language is “a naming-process only—a list of words, each corresponding to the thing that it names.” It does state that there is something already wrong with it. It does not state that pictures could be used as well to define language and assumes that ideas are already in people’s brain when saying the words that make the language. Back then in the old days, they used to draw pictures to tell what is something, defined in their language. Obviously, it has evolved now into more advanced stages, but it was the way of communication, I think when it does come to communication though, it is the way it is carried out that makes a difference.

Communicating with one another is easy. When we design for others, it communicates many things. It can be simplicity, comfort, boldness, movement, and so on, We design to solve certain problems. Maybe we do not realize it, but we have to learn what needs to be good communication before we start drafting what needs to be the “language”. In an excerpt from Lupton Miller’s text, it talks about using tally marks to define what to count — what to score. Before we got to that, it was needed to know what has to be communicated first. If I am counting how many rocks are in my hand and I want to keep a marking of how much is there, now I have to decide on a probable solution — a designed solution. If I did not know language yet, I might point or use my fingers as a score in order to keep count. Now I have communicated to myself how much is in my hand. If I wanted to tell someone how much rocks is in my hand without them counting as well, I can show them my fingers and say in many ways than one that “this much” is how many rocks are in my hand. Now through the communication, we have used a certain language attained by the thought process and ideation phase in order to draft out a designed solution. I can use my fingers as language to communicate to others how much is something to keep a score. This is what I have seen language being developed to over the course of time.

When we go out into the world, we see signs everyday. There are simple signs and there are complex signs. These all derived from something and somewhere. Before the idea pops into our brain to speak and use language to communicate what is there, someone did that for us back then. The icons had to be drafted first, knowing that in order to communicate with each other, icons had to match the language needed to make the phonetic sounds we hear today. Things had to be written as an alphabet in whichever language in order to make the best sense of what needed to be said. Language and graphical communication go hand-in-hand and come in different forms. However our brain processes it is the solution we make to what they started with. The design elements have derived from centuries of trial and error in my opinion. But without this trial and error, we would not understand how these icons work. We got to thank our ever-evolving history for that one.

 language are signs or symbols associated mostly on the spectrum of understanding are now considered as a system for design , there are many forms of language that it is considered different from communication. Language plays a huge different role in design , if we’re doing a design without any language or communication, then it’s a meaningless design with no backstory. By adding language in  our design it gives a huge emphasis on the meaning of our work. With design it would play the role of client and designer, without the language the communication between the client and the designer would plummet down the drain. Symbols and icons are in ways communicating  between one another through a literary or pictorial icon without it there would be  language and communication barrier with the sender and the person receiving the message.  It also states in the article with the course of general linguistics that having a multiple set of icons and symbols gives a clear communication of what we consider a language , with design it would do the same, just having a single of picture and just few set of words won’t be enough, it would require more information with many set of symbol and language to give clear communication on the design. The one that stands to me for the strategy of design is to mix language and symbol together to give a proper design. With the symbol itself it is not usually clear without its message. Lumpton Miller describes the use of combination with text and symbol to give the design a third meaning. In the end I believe both the use of  archaic numbering systems or rudimentary signage has been commonly used in the past and present, but it seems to be quite essential for design today just like icons and symbols they also play a role in design are creatively used for many purposes of design. While not commonly used in design , it is a great addition to the design process and in a way makes certain designs much more distinguishable compared to others.

What is language? And how is it different from communication in general?

According to Ferdinand De Saussure, “language is the most complex and universal of all systems of expression”. There are a lot of reasons why this is different from any other form of communication. First of all, it was inherited to us from past generations. Language is something that evolves and is constantly changing with the passage of time. And lastly, language cannot exist apart from the social fact.

What role does language play in design?

Language plays a huge role in the design industry. For us, designers, is impossible to design without language. We use it to communicate our ideas to the world… The client will send us a brief, we have to read that in order to understand what the project is about, after that we will start sketching our ideas and depending on the project we will create the final design. Language and design cannot be separated.

How are symbols or iconography related to language?  

Symbols and icons are forms of writing communication, they help us to communicate ideas with our peers. Over the years they have developed a meaning that most of us understand. For that reason I would say that symbols and icons are closely related to language. 

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

 According to the reading, the linguistic sign is the psychological entity formed by concept and sound-image. Signs, signifiers, and signified are the most complex and universal systems of expressions. These are constantly employed in general and graphic communication, a sign is something that cannot be changed because it was inherited from past generations, for that reason we have to adapt ourselves to this rules of communication. 

What facts or details from these texts provoke ideas for developing new design strategies?

The thing that stood out to me the most was the fact that not everyone will understand certain things the same way as us, therefore we have to be very careful when selecting symbols, icons, or words. I would say that a good strategy should include researching the meaning of our words properly so that people don’t get confuse.

What can archaic numbering systems or rudimentary signage show us about language or the design process?

Archaic numbering systems and rudimentary signage is something that has been with us for decades. All of them took the form of a word, we can say that the visual imagery is attached associated with a word, therefore it is very important to consider that as part of the design process. We can say that in some cases, there is no need to write; we can just use imagery to depict our ideas. The design speaks for itself.

After reading the excerpts it expresses that language is comprised of a system, of spoken or written sounds, symbols, including the use of words in a fundamental and conventional way. It is stated in the reading that language is not arbitrary but contains a form of logic. This mean that language is not random it is comprise of a whole reasoning and thought process that goes beyond what meets the eye. Throughout the ages language has work hand in hand with time to depict the transformation and shift. Language is both traditional and conventional, each word has meaning and components that is a part of the system. With each word developing its meaning exclusively from its distinction from the system. Every single word could mean something or anything. As a result, it causes “a shift in the relationship between the signified and the signifier” as expressed in the readings. Language is radically incapable of shielding itself against the forces that change the relationship between the signified and the signifier from one moment to the next. This is among the arbitrary existence that has created. Over time language transform, became clear, universal and used daily by all.

Nevertheless, the Lupton-Miller readings express how communication came about. In these essays, it indicates the relationship between language, writing, numbers, hieroglyphs, and dreams. With the combination of language, it created a new shift. Changing how language is being perceived. Thus, creating communication. Communication is conveyed as the exchange of a given message or information from one individual to the next, either spoken or unspoken. Mostly focusing on the message itself. While many would believe that language is communication and that there is no difference. Since we are conversing with one another over the same median.  However, they are not the same the big difference is language is a tool that contains a system between two or more people who are interacting.  Communication is the message of the experience that we witness.

As designers we use visual language to communicate with our users. This is where language and visual elements are combined to help users understand and comprehend visible signs and elements. In other words it is the use of visual symbols rather than verbal symbols. In the short essay “Modern Hieroglyphics” we see how these icons and symbols were used to bring across the given message.  Many icons and symbols took the form of the given word and this created a mean of communication. It became standardize across the world as an automatic visual language that we all understand. One icon can correspond to a word or phrase. As  result, there was no need to always write or speak things out a simple image will do the trick. In language symbols work hand in hand to convey linguistic and social meaning.  Using linguistic as unit like words. This relation opens a channel that gives designers a more greater field to explore, mix, match and combine things. For examples in logo creation an icon or symbol can be used as a brand image.  Posters, flyers and other print media no longer be heavily text based. This makes graphic communication more easier, understandable and not complex. It makes art speaks where words can’t.

In conclusion, the design process expresses how language transgress from verbal to nonverbal. We once started out as speaking out everything, followed by writing. Which was very graphic, classified as visual representation. To the rise of symbols and icons to speak as a universal language. In the archaic number system, it depicts the evolution of the number system from being ambiguous. With random tally marks, to counters, to abacus, to a standard notion of 0’s and 1’s.  This is the same process language, went through, with many new paths created and the traditional ways slowly disappearing.