Month: September 2020 (Page 4 of 7)

Language is that of a living record. It speaks of generations, trends, culture, and lives alongside us through words and symbols. Language is an isolated facet of the broader idea of communication. It is the means by which we go about communicating. When broken down to its key components, Saussure remarks language as “sign”, “signified”, “signifier”. The sound, word, or image (signifier) when combined with the mental concept or meaning (signified evoked by the signifier), generates the object (sign). When thought of like this, “language” in regards to design becomes much clearer. It’s a designer’s goal to generate a universal sign. A feat made possible when looking at well-known logos such as Nike, Disney, and McDonald’s. A designer breaks the chain of signifiers as the viewer must navigate to the sign themselves (ie. apple with a bite mark means the brand “Apple”).

Language can convey the abstract in a way that communication can not. You may communicate directions through pointing, yet you can not say “2 days ago I tripped while running in that direction.” However, this does not mean communication is a “less” successful form of conveying information. As J. Abbot Miller and Ellen Lupton of Design Writing Research suggest, words can be given multiple meanings. When looking at roman numerals, lines drawn into the sand, or the number of diamonds on a playing card, each of these symbols can convey quantities. A concept that can also be applied to the design process. As mentioned earlier logos can become synonymous with a brand, product, or phrase when applying the same notion. It becomes a way for designers to develop there own “signifier + signified” formula, and by succession, their own “sign”. 

Ferdinand De Saussure breaks down our perception of language and refers to words as “sign”. Signs are made up of a signified and a signifier. A signified is the representation of the concept, the meaning or emotions associated with an object or image. A signifier is the object or image itself, the sound associated with it. Language is a form of communication unique to human beings because it has a written and a spoken form. It is also unique to different parts of the world. From the moment we are born we are surrounded by the spoken language coming from our parents. As we grow up, we learn to recognize those sounds and associate them with different meaning, and we learn to write these sounds. 

Language is something that is transmitted from generation to generation and it can evolve during each generation. Different words gain new meanings and other words change meaning all together. This change is something that people do not have control over. Symbols and iconography evolve the same way and together with language. Different icons have different meanings because of the signified associated with the signifier. New signified are created to express signifiers that already exist or vice-versa.

Language is a form of communication, but it is different from communication itself. Communication is not unique to human beings. Animals, plants, organisms, all have their own system of communication. For people, communication is the way that language is transmitted from one person to another. It can be verbal, non-verbal, written, visual, and body language. Because communication and language go hand in hand, designers are able to create work that can be interpreted universally (except for cultural diversities) around the globe.

Language is a form communication that varies differently between different cultures but all or most originated from the same place as well as variations of a specific language exist among those cultures. Like English, Russian, Spanish, Japanese, Chinese, sign language and British. These are just small examples of the different languages that exist among mankind. Language is not so different from communication at all as it’s a form communication but just the way we send it is different. With one can be spoken through the sounds we make with out mouths and the other can simply show an image that speaks or tells a thousands words. Its how designers in the field send out messages with universal symbols and colors. Even then the idea of language still plays a huge role in design when more needs to be said through the characters of any other language. Like symbols that we see when going to bathrooms, different money symbols, logos for companies, and more.

These are signs that are created and learned as time passes with all types of language. Over time some do change slightly but will always retain looks that are similar to the old ones so that they are easily recognized by anyone. A good example would be the stop sign. One that is universal and always the same. Another example is the numbering systems that Miller speaks about in his passage. “In the simplest form of tally, one notch is made for each item recorded: to count five sheep, a Shepard might take five scratches on a stick”. This is a form we still use even today on playing cards where we groups symbols on to a surface and its that amount that we see. 5 dots, or 4 clovers on a leaf, 3 lines in the dirt and more. with time these archaic numbering systems updated to just numbers or the roman numerals which started using more simple ideas. (Ex: X=10 V=5 VI=6 IV=4)

Like Saussure pointed out that we can never change or forget our language but only basically update and learn more. Expanding on what exists or altering it to something slightly new. Just how The standard English is different from American english, or how every language has a more broken version of it self called slang. How over time words that would mean one thing can mean more than one thing and all depending on the situation and how its used. (example: Soda and pop. pop is a sound of something popping but also another way to call a carbonate drink.) Languages are always expanding and changing with time and with each new generation to come.

Language is a system that i don’t believe is only limited to humans, it can be seen as a form of sounds and symbols that are used to communicate. If we go by Lupton-Millers writing, colors and images alone can be used as a form of communication, even if one doesn’t explain it too you in words, depending on how you grew up you can understand a message. Sausurre’s writing goes into detail on how language is can be psychological with our minds associating certain terms. How language shows how we can adapt to situations and environments, shown by how some symbols and tones have universal meanings and how we have terms and manners that we use depending on who we’re communicating with, or how it changes with time.

Design uses language to communicate a message with either text or visuals, often the usage of color is put into consideration because color has even become almost like a language. The usage of certain typefaces can change your designs meaning or the clarity, designers have to think about how it goes with the topic and if there is clarity, along with the text and how it is arranged. Even colors can completely can the tone or message you are trying to communicate as they have different meanings in certain areas and can also change the mood. There is also simplistic language that can also be used for things as simple as creating a map or a warning sign since they have symbols that have become universal and unchanging throughout time like numbers.

Keeping this in mind, universal symbols and archaic numbers shows how people throughout the world can communicate ideas in similar ways. However designers need to realize that there still a difference in formalities and meanings for some languages and to keep this in mind when creating a design. We need to be aware that we are in a time were it is easier to consume things from other areas of the world and now especially is a time where trends and language changes due to the increased exposure to different people and places. Design has been changing as well, old practices,movements and ideas are still used but they can be modified in order in be ‘modernized’ or for self-expression. Designers should keep in mind that language is constantly adapting and changing to times and places and to put this thought into the decisions they make with their use of language (font,color,symbols) since design has helped create universal languages they should be put to use.

This week’s readings was very difficult for me. I know Professor Matt warned us about the difficulty level being a bit high for this weeks readings, but I actually thought I would be able to handle it. I was wrong! Even though this reading was difficult for me, I feel that I did learn somethings from the text.

Language is human communication using words or symbols in a structured way. Communication is the sending or receiving of information. Both language and communication are very diverse concepts. However, communication can be limited if there is a language barrier. I think that communication isn’t easy if there is a difference in language. Someone that speaks French might not be able to fully understand what someone that speaks English is communicating. As stated in the text “Course of General Linguistics” by Ferdinand Be Saussure “The linguistic sign is arbitrary”. Language is conventional and arbitrary, words and symbols only have meaning as part of a structure or system.

Language has always used symbols and words to help communicate information. For instance cave drawings. Cave drawings are drawings of people, animals or even handprints that communicated messages and told stories to others that may visited the cave. Or the cuneiform which is one of the first ancient writing systems used in ancient civilizations. Language and the use of symbols have evolved together. Today we use things like emojis to communicate an emotion through technology. Designers have created legendary logos using symbols that communicate a message to the consumer. Without language design would be very limited and would lack the idea of universality. Just like design is apart of everything so is language. I think that without language and its diversity, designers wouldn’t be able to successfully create designs that are used all over the world.

Language is a method of human communication that is either spoken or written. We have several different types of languages all around the world. “Writing helps gives form to the spoken language” (Lupton Miller”). Its different from communication because depending on how you express yourself or the conversation you are having with someone else, it lets the other person know what your trying to say. If you dont communicate your point in a clear way, it will be difficult for someone else to understand. there are many different ways to communicate with one another. For example we can communicate through hand gestures, facial expressions, symbols, and even numbers. Language also plays a big role in design because there is always a message behind their work.

Symbols are related to language because we remember the name that refers to the image being shown. For example if we see an image of a tree, we automatically think of the name that we have associated it with. The thing is theres many different languages and the way we might interpret it in one country might not be the same way in another. We see symbols everywhere we go because it gives us direction and we automatically know what they mean. For example the road sign with a deer indicates deers tend to cross by often so we should be alert when driving. The Saussure reading says “I propose to retain the word sign [signe] to designate the “whole and to replace concept and sound-image respectively by [signifie] and signifier[signifiant]; the last two terms have the advantage of indicating the opposition that separates them from each other and from the whole of which they are parts”. From what I understood this text means that when we communicate we can either explain our point in parts or directly get to the point in a short amount of words. Im not sure whether I’m correct or not because I did have some difficulty understanding this article.

According to the facts and details from the text of the short essay by luton miller, back in the days they would create a symbol such as a stone with an “x” in the middle and that would signify a sheep and on the side of that they would draw 5 other smaller stones to let the person know they’ve counted 5 sheeps. So I believe this technique can bring up similar ideas to designers. Maybe it can spark up ideas such as design symbols that mean more than just an object.

There are many different languages around the world. To me language is a method to communicate with others. English, French, Chinese, Spanish, Russian, these are some examples of languages that humans use to communicate with each other. Animals also have their own language. Communication is different from language because communication is exchanging a conversation by interacting with one another in many different ways. Language plays a huge role in design. Designers use languages to send a message behind their work.

Languages are not limited to just words. “Language is limited by nothing in the choice of means, for apparently nothing would prevent the associating of any idea whatsoever with just any sequence of sounds.” (Saussure). Symbols and icons are also related to language because that is another way on how people communicate. For example, fast food restaurants have disability icons in parking lots, male and female icons for the restroom and more. When people see those icons, they understand what it means. Back in the old times around 8000 B.C., Sumerians used tokens as a counting technique. “A counting technique used by the Sumerians beginning around 8000 B.C. involved small “tokens” manufactured out of clay. (Miller) This example shows that tokens were used to record transactions, but we use money now.

Signs are an object people use to express a meaning, this includes graphic communication. For example stop signs, drivers use that to stop and check if any pedestrians are waiting to cross the road. Pedestrians use the stop signs on the road to check if any car is coming before crossing. This is a way people can communicate by just using signs. Archaic numbering started in ancient times, it has since evolved and expanded to what we have now.

Language is a system of communication among each other either through writing or verbally. Language lets us understand society as well as create our own way of living. I say this because we all speak a different language and we are all defined by it. According to  Sausurre’s “linguistic signs must be learned, like other styles of drawing, they are culturally specific.” In our cultures we are taught the significance of how to communicate within our society, the signs and symbols we must learn to incorporate in our daily lives, however this does not mean we can’t explore other languages around us and evolve as language evolves. Therefore according to Lupton-Miller “If we considered language in time, without the community of speakers—imagine an isolated individual living for several centuries—we probably would notice no change;”

Language in design is paying close attention to detail and understand how the elements in the design will speak to the viewer. In design, communication occurs through visual symbols, as opposed to verbal symbols, or words. Its is pretty much what we see instead of what we hear. A designers point of view can be expressed in their piece, however it could be interpreted very differently by anyone who is viewing the piece. Therefore it is very important for a designer to be straight to the point with what the message is, for example the designs of the male and female silhouettes as a representation of men and women bathrooms.

One key factor that designers should take in consideration when coming up with new ideas for new designs is the continuously change that language has and will go through. A designer must understand the forces that influence language to change over time and learn to address them accordingly. For example, the language we speak now is more alarming because of this whole issue with Covid-19. The language in designs should not alarm people but should inform of safety ways for them to take because as Sausurre’s said “for people are generally satisfied with the language they have received.”