Necro-Semiotics Borislav Gueorguiev (New Bulgarian University) 10 th World Congress of Semiotics, A Coru ñ a, Spain, September, 22 nd – 27 th , 2009

Confusions with necrology

Degré zéro of necrology OBITUARY NOTICE With deep sorrow we are announcing the decease of [ the name of deceased, the year of birth, the year of death ] on March 7 th , 2009 Our sorrow is great… Last Adieu! R.I.P. The funeral service will take place at… From the mourners

OBITUARY NOTICE

With deep sorrow we are announcing the decease of [ the name of deceased, the year of birth, the year of death ] on March 7 th , 2009

Our sorrow is great…

Last Adieu!

R.I.P.

The funeral service will take place at…

From the mourners

Requisites of necrology Mournful frame Orthodox cross Genre of the announcement Ritual cliché The date of the decease The verb deceased The three names of the deceased Year of birth – year of decease Epitaph Some useful information about the funeral service The author(s) of the necrology

Mournful frame

Orthodox cross

Genre of the announcement

Ritual cliché

The date of the decease

The verb deceased

The three names of the deceased

Year of birth – year of decease

Epitaph

Some useful information about the funeral service

The author(s) of the necrology

Functions of necrology Notice for death/anniversary of death and about the funeral/commemorative service Epitaph New function: implicitly introduces also the lifestyle of the deceased : picture, ornaments, epitaph, decorations, including even the cemetery. The introducing of the lifestyle in the necrology can be interpreted as a intuitive deconstruction of the funeral traditions in Bulgaria.

Notice for death/anniversary of death and about the funeral/commemorative service

Epitaph

New function: implicitly introduces also the lifestyle of the deceased : picture, ornaments, epitaph, decorations, including even the cemetery.

The introducing of the lifestyle in the necrology can be interpreted as a intuitive deconstruction of the funeral traditions in Bulgaria.

Pragmatics of Necrology This intuitive deconstruction will be analyzed through the pragmatics of necrology, and more precisely – through the necrology, regarded as a holistic deictic sign.

This intuitive deconstruction will be analyzed through the pragmatics of necrology, and more precisely – through the necrology, regarded as a holistic deictic sign.

DEIXIS Essentially, deixis is concerned with the way languages encode or grammaticalize features of the context of utterances or speech events, and thus it also examines the ways in which the interpretation of an utterance depends on the analysis of its context.

Essentially, deixis is concerned with the way languages encode or grammaticalize features of the context of utterances or speech events, and thus it also examines the ways in which the interpretation of an utterance depends on the analysis of its context.

Categories of Deixis According to Levinson, 1983: Person deixis Spatial deixis Temporal deixis Discourse (or text) deixis Social deixis

According to Levinson, 1983:

Person deixis

Spatial deixis

Temporal deixis

Discourse (or text) deixis

Social deixis

2) Usual contexts: private & public space = spatial deixis

3) Unusual contexts: only in public spaces = destroyed spatial deixis

Main effect The palimpsest effect A palimpsest is a manuscript page from a scroll or book that has been scraped off and used again. The word "palimpsest" comes through Latin from Greek and meant "scraped (clean and used) again."

The palimpsest effect

A palimpsest is a manuscript page from a scroll or book that has been scraped off and used again. The word "palimpsest" comes through Latin from Greek and meant "scraped (clean and used) again."

Main feature of the our civilization Our civilization is based on the culture of palimpsests. Our (Euro-Atlantic) civilization IS a palimpsest. That means that we never entirely delete the past in all it’s representations (narratives, traditions, manuscripts, books, inscriptions, images, architecture, music, etc.)

Our civilization is based on the culture of palimpsests.

Our (Euro-Atlantic) civilization IS a palimpsest.

That means that we never entirely delete the past in all it’s representations (narratives, traditions, manuscripts, books, inscriptions, images, architecture, music, etc.)

Palimpsest function in the necrology case Shifting from spatial to discourse deixis: The extrapolation of necrologies refer to several changes in their usage: They are not more just a announcements for death/anniversary of death; They (and not only the grave stone) are place to putting an epitaph; They don’t show anymore only the sacred places for every human; They presuppose different kinds of lifestyles (religious, atheistic, fortunate, pover, etc.) = discourse deixis (refer to another narrative)

Shifting from spatial to discourse deixis:

The extrapolation of necrologies refer to several changes in their usage:

They are not more just a announcements for death/anniversary of death;

They (and not only the grave stone) are place to putting an epitaph;

They don’t show anymore only the sacred places for every human;

They presuppose different kinds of lifestyles (religious, atheistic, fortunate, pover, etc.) = discourse deixis (refer to another narrative)

The shifting from spatial to discourse deictic function generates some different forms of abuses, deviations, or even violation in the usage of necrology.

The shifting from spatial to discourse deictic function generates some different forms of abuses, deviations, or even violation in the usage of necrology.

Deviations of the norms (1) 44 years without… No cross. Picture in medallion Something looking like a crown of laurels .

44 years without…

No cross.

Picture in medallion

Something looking like a crown of laurels .

Deviations of the norms (2) Colored picture of the deceased. Too many flowers: do they refer to the cemetery and grave, or simply to a nice park? A very long epitaph. The most important part is practically unreadable.

Colored picture of the deceased.

Too many flowers: do they refer to the cemetery and grave, or simply to a nice park?

A very long epitaph.

The most important part is practically unreadable.

Deviations of the norms (3) Unusual for this genre garland which implies a wedding invitation, neither than a necrology. The cross has nothing to do with the orthodox tradition (the form of the cross, and esp. the rose). There is no picture, because this is a pattern.

Unusual for this genre garland which implies a wedding invitation, neither than a necrology.

The cross has nothing to do with the orthodox tradition (the form of the cross, and esp. the rose).

There is no picture, because this is a pattern.

Deviations of the norms (4) Instead of a kind of orthodox cross a medallion with Virgin Mary and the new born Jesus is put on the right. This medallion implies more Christmas, joy, than sadness.

Instead of a kind of orthodox cross a medallion with Virgin Mary and the new born Jesus is put on the right. This medallion implies more Christmas, joy, than sadness.

Deviations of the norms (5) Absence of mournful frame. Too many colors. Too many different kinds of flowers. Too many crosses. Certain catholic influence in the cross in the left of the pic (the hands which pray): the appropriate cross on the top is 100% orthodox.

Absence of mournful frame.

Too many colors.

Too many different kinds of flowers.

Too many crosses.

Certain catholic influence in the cross in the left of the pic (the hands which pray): the appropriate cross on the top is 100% orthodox.

Deviations of the norms (6) Explicit breaking of the tradition: no cross, no mournful frame, unusual pic of the deceased, no references who exactly was the deceased guy.

Explicit breaking of the tradition: no cross, no mournful frame, unusual pic of the deceased, no references who exactly was the deceased guy.

Violation of the norms OBITUARY NOTICE 1948-2008 60 years you have empoisoned the football, so let now you burn in hell ! Your dreams are now our reality – “A” professional league of Bulgaria!... From non-mournful 03.06.2008

OBITUARY NOTICE

1948-2008

60 years

you have empoisoned the football, so let now you burn in hell !

Your dreams are now our reality – “A” professional league of Bulgaria!...

From non-mournful

03.06.2008

Thank you!  You may see the unabridged version of this presentation at http://www.slideshare.net/Sophijski/necrosemiotics For further cooperation in the project URBAN PALIMPSESTS: E-mail: [email_address]

You may see the unabridged version of this presentation at

http://www.slideshare.net/Sophijski/necrosemiotics

For further cooperation in the project URBAN PALIMPSESTS:

E-mail: [email_address]