Semiology: the Greek press loves it !

Lexia 11-12 LEx 11-12 Rivista di semiotica Journal of semiotics Worship Non è solo teologicamente che si pone la trascendenza, o nel foro interiore degli individui, ma anche, e forse soprattutto, nella comunicazione: è attraverso la parola, financo quella interiore, come pure attraverso i gesti, le posture, le espressioni del volto, che gli esseri umani proiettano nello spazio e nel tempo il simulacro di un essere superiore, o perlomeno di una superiore dimensione dell’esistenza, cui accedere solo in occasioni extra–ordinarie, e secondo percorsi accuratamente codificati. È poi sempre nella comunicazione, largamente intesa, che questi simulacri dell’“ontologicamente altro” sono condivisi e potenziati nell’afflato di un gruppo, di una comunità, di una fede. Il numero 11–12 di «Lexia» getta uno sguardo partecipe ma rigoroso sulle forme semiolinguistiche di questa interazione, caratteristica dell’umano attraverso i secoli e le culture. Contemporaneamente si interessa al destino di tali forme nell’epoca delle società secolarizzate, o di quelle in cui le vie tradizionali del sacro convivono e competono con nuovi modi di porre la trascendenza. Da un lato, dunque, ci si interroga su cosa siano (e su come siano) la preghiera, il rituale e il culto nelle religioni tradizionalmente intese. Dall’altro lato si investigano le metamorfosi di questa comunicazione nelle avventure postmoderne del sacro, quando il senso della trascendenza si tramuta in quello di una trascendenza del senso. Ne deriva un mosaico complesso di saggi e analisi, che spaziano dalla preghiera nelle Religioni del Libro sino ai culti civili, mediatici, consumistici, artistici delle società contemporanee. Culto / Worship Culto In copertina Busto di figura femminile in preghiera. ISSN 1720-5298 euro 35,00 ARACNE 11 ISBN 978-88-548-5105-4 11-12 CULTo WoRSHIP a cura di Massimo Leone Contributi di / Contributions by Mony Almalech, Luigi Berzano, Andrea Catellani, Eleonora Chiais, Anastasia Christodolou, Gianluca Cuozzo, Marcel Danesi, Antoaneta Dontcheva, Guido Ferraro, Francesco Garofalo, Carlo Genova, Daniela Ghidoli, Milena Hristova-Markova, Evangelos Kourdis, Eric Landowski, Massimo Leone, Eva Navarro Martínez, Andrea Papasidero, Jenny Ponzo, Michael Silverstein, Luisa Solis Zepeda, Simona Stano, György E. Szönyi, Davide Tatti, Dimitar Trendafilov, Ugo Volli, Reni Yankova. Corte S. Stefano delle Canne, centro storico di Lecce. |Lexia LEXIA. RIVISTA DI SEMIOTICA LEXIA. JOURNAL OF SEMIOTICS – Lexia Rivista di semiotica Direzione / Direction Ugo VOLLI Comitato di consulenza scientifica / Scientific committee Fernando ANDACHT Kristian BANKOV Pierre–Marie BEAUDE Denis BERTRAND Omar CALABRESE † Raúl DORRA Ruggero EUGENI Guido FERRARO José Enrique FINOL Bernard JACKSON Eric LANDOWSKI Giovanni MANETTI Diego MARCONI Gianfranco MARRONE José Maria PAZ GAGO Isabella PEZZINI Marina SBISÀ Frederik STJERNFELT Peeter TOROP Eero TARASTI Patrizia VIOLI Redazione / Editor Massimo Leone Editori associati di questo numero / Associated editors of this issue Pierluigi Cervelli, Alfredo Cid Jurado, Marco De Marinis, Nicola Dusi, Éder García Dussán, Armando Fumagalli, Gérard Imbert, Claudio Guerri, Stefano Jacoviello, Federico Montanari, Francesco Mazzucchelli, Fabián Gabriel Mossello, Maria Pia Pozzato, María Luisa Solís Zepeda, Simona Stano, María Juliana Vélez Sede legale / Registered Office CIRCE “Centro Interdipartimentale di Ricerche sulla Comunicazione” con sede amministrativa presso l’Università di Torino Dipartimento di Filosofia via Sant’Ottavio, 20 10124 Torino Info: [email protected] Registrazione presso il Tribunale di Torino n. 4 del 26 febbraio 2009 Amministrazione e abbonamenti / Administration and subscriptions Aracne editrice S.r.l. via Raffaele Garofalo, 133/A–B 00173 Roma [email protected] Skype Name: aracneeditrice www.aracneeditrice.it La rivista può essere acquistata nella sezione acquisti del sito www.aracneeditrice.it È vietata la riproduzione, anche parziale, con qualsiasi mezzo effettuata compresa la fotocopia, anche a uso interno o didattico, non autorizzata I edizione: giugno 2012 ISBN 978-88-548-5105-4 ISSN 1720-5298 Stampato per conto della Aracne editrice nel mese di giugno 2012 presso la tipografia « Ermes. Servizi Editoriali Integrati S.r.l. » di Ariccia (RM). « Lexia » adotta un sistema di doppio referaggio anonimo « Lexia » is a double-blind peer–reviewed journal Lexia. Rivista di semiotica, – Culto Lexia. Journal of Semiotics, – Worship a cura di edited by Massimo Leone Contributi di Mony Almalech Luigi Berzano Andrea Castellani Eleonora Chiais Anastasia Christodoulou Gianluca Cuozzo Marcel Danesi Antoaneta Dontcheva Guido Ferraro Francesco Galofaro Carlo Genova Daniela Ghidoli Milena Hristova-Markova Evangelos Kourdis Eric Landowski Massimo Leone Eva Navarro Martínez Andrea Papasidero Jenny Ponzo Michael Silverstein María Luisa Solís Zepeda Simona Stano Gyorgy E. Szönyi Davide Tatti Dimitar Trendafilov Ugo Volli Reni Yankova Copyright © MMXII ARACNE editrice S.r.l. www.aracneeditrice.it [email protected] via Raffaele Garofalo, /A–B  Roma ()   ---- I diritti di traduzione, di memorizzazione elettronica, di riproduzione e di adattamento anche parziale, con qualsiasi mezzo, sono riservati per tutti i Paesi. Non sono assolutamente consentite le fotocopie senza il permesso scritto dell’Editore. I edizione: giugno  Indice  Prefazione / Preface Massimo Leone Parte I Il senso del culto nella religione Part I The meaning of worship in religion . Prospettive semiotiche / Semiotic perspectives  Culto, preghiera, tefillàh Ugo Volli  Shikata na gai ou Encore un pas pour devenir sémioticien! Eric Landowski  Il rito senza parole e il cadavere che sempre racconta: pratiche di destrutturazione semiotica nella tradizione tibetana Guido Ferraro  From the Hieroglyphic Monad to Angel Magic. Semiotic Aspects of John Dee’s Esotericism György E. Szönyi  Hablar a Dios María Luisa Solís Zepeda   Indice  L’initiation à la prière dans le Chemin de la vie éternelle du jésuite Antoine Sucquet (): un parcours entre image et texte Andrea Catellani  What Does “Psalm” Mean in Hebrew? Mony Almalech  Being in Order. Ritual and Habit in Charles S. Peirce’s Philosophy Reni Yankova . La prospettiva interdisciplinare / The interdisciplinary perspective  Il rito ovvero la questione dell’origine Sergio Ubbiali  Dal cult al culto: l’irritazione della vicarious religion Luigi Berzano  Mediare le religioni africane: il caso del Pentecostalismo Cecilia Pennacini  Il senso della preghiera nella prospettiva delle pratiche sociali Carlo Genova  La morfologia della preghiera nell’agiografia medievale Marco Papasidero Parte II Il senso del culto al di là della religione Part II The meaning of worship beyond religion . Culti civili / Civil Worship Indice   The Eucharistic Chiastic Trope in American “Civil Religion”: Ritual Interdiscursivity and the Production of Cultural Intertexts Michael Silverstein  A Ritual to Deal with an Unspeakable Trauma: the Case of the Mothers of the Plaza de Mayo Cristina Demaria Anna Maria Lorusso  L’istituzione cultuale del Reich. Echi contemporanei del Bokassa di Herzog Paolo Heritier  I discorsi del Presidente Napolitano sull’unità nazionale come professione di fede: per uno studio semiotico della religione civile Jenny Ponzo  Being a Politician and the Culture of Amazing your Dinner Guests Ivo Velinov . Culti mediali / Media worship  Anthropo–sémiotique de l’efficacité rituelle: rites religieux, rites séculaires et rites spectaculaires José Enrique Finol  Il mondo di Steve Jobs: tra visioni distopiche e indulgenze tecnologiche Gianluca Cuozzo  Per una ritualità della morte senza il corpo Eleonora Chiais  Facebook, santuario virtuale di gocce di vita reale Daniela Ghidoli  Indice  Semiology: the Greek Press Loves It Evangelos Kourdis . Culti & consumo / Consumption worship  The Role of Irony in Ritualistic Teen Talk Marcel Danesi  From Earth to Altar, through the Supermarket. The Offerings of Food to the Buddha between Thai Tradition and Modernity Simona Stano  Rituals of Consumption: a Semiotic Approach for a Typology of Nightlife Milena Hristova–Markova Dimitar Trendafilov . Arti del culto / Worship arts  Appunti sul secondo movimento della terza sinfonia di Górecki Francesco Galofaro  All That Fall: Ritual and Myth in Samuel Beckett’s Drama and Prose Antoaneta Doncheva  Reading the City as a Poetic Ritual Eva Navarro Martínez  Raja Yoga and Semiotic Analysis. An interview with Anthony Strano, a ‘Contemporary Yogi’ Anastasia Christodoulou  Lo spazio della preghiera. Sacro contemporaneo Davide Tatti Lexia. Rivista di semiotica, 11–12 Culto ISBN 978-88-548-5105-4 DOI 10.4399/978885485105424 pag. 479–495 (giugno 2012) Semiology The Greek Press Loves It E K  : Semiologia: la stampa greca l’adora. : Given how broadly the concept of worship is defined in the practices of different semiotic systems in official culture and everyday life, Semiology, as a term but also as a science, can also become an object of worship. The Greek press, especially, has an immense adoration for this relatively new scientific field, but also for Semiology as an ambiguous term applicable to everyday life, and often uses it to make its sayings more prestigious. The article shows that the Greek mass media’s adoration for Semiology is based on three main aspects: the term’s modernity (sociological parameter), its ambiguous content (academic parameter), and the Greek people’s need to innovate and create myths (mythological parameter). : Semiology; worship; Greek press; interpretation; translation. . Introduction We are used to connecting worship to religious sentiment or to the utmost love we may feel for another. But worship can apply to other forms of human activity as well. Thus, we can be fans of a cultural event, for instance a performance at the ancient theatre of Epidaurus or at the Teatro alla Scala. We can be fans of an international organization promoting human values, such as the fight against poverty, or the protection of human life or the ecosystem. We can be fans of sports events, such as the Olympic Games or the World Cup. But we can also adore and feel awe for the sciences, such as medicine, architecture and chemistry, or the arts, for instance painting, sculpture or cooking. Given how broadly the concept of worship is defined in the practices of different meaning systems in official culture and everyday   Evangelos Kourdis life, semiology , as a term but also as a science, can also become the object of worship. The Greek press, especially, has an immense adoration for this relatively new scientific field, but also for semiology as an ambiguous term applicable to everyday life, and often uses it to make their sayings more prestigious. Greek journalists adore the term semiology, which they use to explain social, particularly political, behaviours, elevating it to a superscience with interpretative and/or translational dimensions. From the articles studied in various domains, it has become evident that journalists prefer to use this term in political articles. This is probably due to the positive connotations of the term, which will be mentioned in the next sections. In culture–related articles, where this term is also met, the term is used denotatively. The question that arises is if the Greek public understands semiology as intended by Greek journalists. . The value of the sign in Greek culture It was not through the views of Ferdinand de Saussure and Charles Sanders Peirce that the concept of the sign was first introduced to Greece. In Ancient Greek, semeion (σημείον) (Hofmann, : ) meant a distinctive mark, a token. The verb semaino (σημαίνω) meant to indicate by means of a sign, to denote, to announce, to proclaim. The marker by means of which a grave was known was called a sema (σήμα). Someone not worth acknowledging was called asemantos (ασήμαντος). He who gives a sign or signal was known as a semantor (σημάντωρ), a leader. Semeion was however primarily used in Ancient Greek to mean a sign sent by the gods. One such type was the Diosemia, namely an omen (bad, as a rule) sent by Zeus in the form of thunder, lightning or other weather phenomena. Renowned theoreticians such as Parmenides and Heraclitus had already studied the concept of the sign in ancient times. For Parmenides, the signifier was also a signified, thus making it a complete and perfect unit in itself. However, Plato, in his work Cratylus, was the first to . In our study, we will be using the terms semiology and semiological instead of the internationally predominant semiotics and semiotic, since it is the former set of terms that the Greek press makes use of. Semiology  provide a systematic analysis of the problematics of semiosis. Bringing into question the natural relationship between the signifier and the sign, Plato introduced the concept of the arbitrariness of the sign, on which one of the founders of modern semiology, Ferdinand de Saussure, was to base his theory twenty–four centuries later. Aristotle, too, studied the nature of the sign. For Aristotle, the one exclusive sign of thorough knowledge was the power of teaching. Students of Aristotle, such as Theophrastus, also devoted time to the sign. Theophrastus wrote On Signs, a book that could be described as a combination of the science and traditions of the period. In Greek Orthodox culture, semeion is synonymous with miracle. The Book of Gospels was written in Greek, and in Christian tradition semeion (or miracle) usually denotes an act by God that is irreconcilable or which does away with natural causality. . Historical elements of semiology in Greece Cobley (: ), in his research in the semiotics of mass media, states that ‘the English word is a translation of French sémiologie, coined by Ferdinand de Saussure in  and intended as the designation for a discipline devoted to studying “the life of signs as part of social life”. [. . . ] Semiology was apparently to be confined to the study of public institutional signs, particularly those in which the relation between form and meaning was arbitrary’. But is the relation between the form of semiology and its meaning arbitrary as well? Semiology appeared in Greece as a wave of scientific thought in the early seventies. This new field caused an uproar amongst many academics in Greece. In the middle nineties, Lagopoulos (:) argued that ‘semiotics will continue to be characterized over time by a tendency towards a systematic scientific discourse and by a marked interest in the social and ideological conditions underlying semiotic systems’. Indeed, semiology was given scientific status, and since it was considered capable of analysing social behaviours, it began to be used in the study of explicit and particularly implicit ideology. In Greece, the term semiology (in Greek σημειολογία) has prevailed over the term semiotics (in Greek σημειωτική), which has fewer references. We think that this term has been chosen semiotically mainly  Evangelos Kourdis due to its Greek origin: Semiology = sign (in Greek σημείο) + logos (in Greek λόγος). Sciences ending in –logy (–λογία –logia), such as philology, archaeology, papyrology, astrology, cryptology, cardiology, and so on, are approached with particular respect and awe in modern Greece, as are notions such as culture, technology and medicine. Greek journalists use the terms semiology and semiological as a vehicle for message transfer and decoding. The terms are also used by people appearing in the media as authorities in their field, e.g. academics, economists, etc., who usually fail to explain the content of these terms. The use of the term semiology has inspired awe in the Greek public, since it assumes, based on the term’s morphology, on its use in the media and on the people who use it, that semiology is an appealing, intriguing, indeterminate science — although many scientists do not consider it a science because its scientific terrain is very blurry. . Semiology in the Greek press: tentative thoughts and remarks Semiology does not have a defined content in Greece. This is because of two opposing forces: on the one hand the academic community, which for decades has been negotiating the term’s content — and, in my opinion, the scope of the term’s content too — and on the other hand everyday life and the Greek press, which has defined semiology using different, not necessarily scientific, terms. There has therefore evolved, as regards the term semiology, an antithetical relationship between two different meaning systems: the academic (through literature) and the everyday (through the press). A first glance at the term semiology in the Greek press shows that the terms interpretation and translation play a key part. Although Lagopoulos () notes that in Greece, after , ‘semiotics is considered a given, not as something to be interpreted’, I think the content of the term semiology has remained unknown to the average reader of the Greek press until now. It seems that semiology is often used by . There is a similar phenomenon in the Bulgarian press, the difference being that Bulgarian journalists use the term ‘semantics’ instead of ‘semiology’. . For instance, for Saussure semiology is a discipline or science, for Morris a theory, for Sebeok a doctrine (Cobley, : ). Semiology  Greek journalists today as a form of interpretation, but not of immediate decoding. It is also a term whose selection strengthens both the appeal and influence of the article in particular and the mediasphere in general. Thus, it is of special interest to study how Greek journalists perceive semiology, since they often have recourse to it in their texts when referring to current political events. The Greek public seems to understand this scientific field as a means of political analysis, and ends up identifying semiology with a way of interpreting political behaviour based on its use in the media. If we consider that interpretation and translation have a primary connection to mediation, then we can understand the importance of Danesi’s () remarks: ‘mediation is the likely reason why the mediasphere (as it is called in McLuhan studies) has largely replaced the traditional religious sphere in shaping signification’. This paper attempts to explain the above claims through a series of journalistic texts that make use of semiology to explain different types of social behaviour. However, mediation has a primary connection to translation and interpretation. . Semiotics and semiology. This study focuses on seven excerpts selected from national and local Greek newspapers dating from  to . The newspapers have used semiology to interpret events of everyday, mainly political, life, and reflect various political tendencies (right, centre, left). The terms used are the noun semiology and the adjective semiological. Interestingly, the Anglo–Saxon terms semiotics and semiotic that have largely dominated the European area have been avoided. Moreover, semiology and semiological are rarely used in the title of a journalistic article and usually appear in the main body. Greek journalists rarely include words or phrases that could provide an understanding of the terms semiology and semiological as they appear in the body of the article. In my opinion, while by using these terms the Greek journalist may make his or her article sound more scientific, he also ends up discomfiting the Greek reader, for whom the term may not be unfamiliar, but who nevertheless does not comprehend its content.  Evangelos Kourdis Figure . Example of an article of the Greek press . Semiology and semiological in the Greek press More specifically, in the excerpt from the article appearing in the nationwide newspaper Rizospastis (excerpt ), the term semiology appears in the title and in the main body (it should be mentioned that this newspaper officially expresses the views of the Greek Communist Party). Moreover, the title reproduces a phrase from the article where semiology is used to reflect the political atmosphere of the time. The communist party criticises the socialist party for its actions as the opposition. We notice in the article that the term semiology is not identified with the general political behaviour of the socialist party, but focuses on the message transmitted by the party’s policy. No term or phrase is included to explain the term semiology, which — I think — can be intralingually translated as ‘messages’. Η σημειολογία του ΠΑΣΟΚ. «[. . . ] Η σημειολογία του ΠΑΣΟΚ, και πολύ περισσότερο η πολιτική που εφαρμόζει τόσο στην κυβερνητική εξουσία όσο και από τη θέση της ≪αντιπολίτευσης≫ αποδείχνεται πρώτης ποιότητας λίπασμα στην αμύθητη κερδοφορία των τραπεζών και των ισχυρών επιχειρηματιών». (Ριζοσπάστης, 23/2/2007, σελίδα 4) The semiology [my emphasis] of PASOK ‘[. . . ] The semiology [my emphasis] of PASOK, and particularly the Semiology  policies it has been implementing both when in government and in the opposition, have proven to fatten the coffers of banks and powerful businessmen to bursting’. (Rizospastis newspaper, //, page ) Excerpt  In the excerpt taken from an article in the Thessaloniki–based local newspaper Makedonia (excerpt ), the adjective semiological is used to characterise the attendance of colleagues of the president of the socialist party at the presentation of a book written by the party’s former president. The article includes no word or expression explaining the term semiology. The term is associated with the semiotic systems of kinesics and proxemics and thus identified with message transfer in the country’s political sphere. «Κορυφαία στελέχη και στενοί συνεργάτες του Γιώργου Παπανδρέου [. . . ] παραβρέθηκαν στην παρουσίαση του βιβλίου του κ. Σημίτη με τίτλο ‘‘Η κρίση’’ προφανώς σε μία σημειολογικού χαρακτήρα κίνηση εκ μέρους του κ. Παπανδρέου». (Μακεδονία, //, σελίδα 4) ‘High–ranking politicians and close associates of George Papandreou [. . . ] attended the presentation of the book written by Mr Simitis on the current crisis, apparently in a semiological [my emphasis] move arranged by Mr Papandreou. (Makedonia newspaper, //, page ) Excerpt  In another article printed in Makedonia newspaper (excerpt ), the noun semiology is qualified by the adjective political. The power and significance of semiology are emphasised, however without explaining the term. In my opinion, the term semiology once again here replaces the terms ‘interpretation’ and ‘hidden message’. The journalist points out that even though all eyes are currently on Greece’s financial issues, the country’s politics and its interpretations nevertheless remain extremely significant in news reporting. I believe that this is the case because Greeks — a rather politically aware nation — are particularly interested in and/or curious about hidden political messages.  Evangelos Kourdis «Η πολιτική σημειολογία της ΔΕΘ παραμένει ισχυρή και εξαιρετικά σημαντική, ειδικά σε μια εποχή κατά την οποία η οικονομία έχει εκτοπίσει ή έχει απορροφήσει σχεδόν όλες τις άλλες πολιτικές». (Μακεδονία, //, σελίδα 7) ‘The TIF’s political semiology [my emphasis] remains strong and extremely significant, especially at a time when the economy has supplanted or absorbed almost all the other policies.’ (Makedonia newspaper, // page ) Excerpt  In the following excerpt from the nationwide newspaper Kathimerini (excerpt ), the term semiology appearing in the main body of the article replaces the term ‘interpretation’, suggesting that there is an underlying message behind a particular political move. Of course, even though the political move made by the Turkish prime minister is a political indication of something, the journalist points out that this should be interpreted in a specific way, irrespective of the fact that he fails to state exactly how. «Η επιλογή του κ. Γκιουλ να απορρίψει συνάντηση με τον ισραηλινό ομόλογό του, Σιμόν Πέρες και να συναντηθεί με τον Ιρανό Πρόεδρο, Μαχμουντ Αχμετντινετζάντ, είχε τη δική της ιδιαίτερη σημειολογία ως προς τις προτεραιότητες της Τουρκίας τη δεδομένη χρονική περίοδο’’. (Καθημερινή, //, σελίδα 14) ‘Mr Gül’s decision to refuse a meeting with his Israeli counterpart Shimon Peres and to meet instead with Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has its own particular semiology [my emphasis] as regards Turkey’s priorities at this point in time.’ (Kathimerini newspaper, //, page ) Excerpt  The next excerpt is from a nationwide, centre–left newspaper, Eleftherotypia (excerpt ), where the term semiology is found in quotation marks in the body of the article. The quotation marks semantically encumber the decodification of the term for two reasons: first, no word or phrase is included in the article to explain the term semiology, and second, even if the reader interprets/translates the term, he will have Semiology  to re–examine his interpretation based on what the quotation marks connote. Here, too, I believe, the journalist uses the term semiology to replace the terms ‘interpretation’ and ‘hidden message’. «Η ακύρωση, την τελευταία στιγμή και με ‘‘σχεδιασμένα’’ άκομψα τρόπο, από τη ρωσική διπλωματία, που είναι από τις πιο σχολαστικές παγκοσμίως στη ‘‘σημειολογία του πρωτοκόλλου’’, της επίσκεψης του Στ. Λαμπρινίδη στη ρωσική πρωτεύουσα δείχνει ότι η Μόσχα έπαυσε πλέον να τηρεί και τα προσχήματα, σύμφωνα με πεπειραμένους αναλυτές». (Ελευθεροτυπία, //, σελίδα 47) ‘The purposefully tactless, last–minute cancellation of Mr Lambrinidis’ visit to the Russian capital by Russian diplomats, who are among the most fastidious in the world when it comes to the ‘semiology [my emphasis] of protocol’, is a sign, experienced analysts believe, that Moscow has stopped keeping up appearances.’ (Eleftherotypia newspaper, //, page ) Excerpt  In another excerpt taken from the same newspaper (excerpt ), the noun semiology is used instead of the term ‘phrasing’, since the article places emphasis on the fact that the American president phrased his words carefully when speaking about a global political issue, namely the Palestinian problem. Further down, the journalist uses the expression ‘public phrasing’, which is essentially an intralingual translation of the term semiology. «Η διαφορετική σημειολογία που επιστράτευσε ο πρόεδρος των ΗΠΑ Μπαράκ Ομπάμα για να διατυπώσει στις δύο διαδοχικές ομιλίες του τη θέση για τη δημιουργία παλαιστινιακού κράτους δείχνει ξανά πως — και για τους Ισραηλινούς και για τους Παλαιστίνιους — η ακριβής δημόσια διατύπωση του σημείου έναρξης διαπραγ–ματεύσεων είναι τόσο σημαντική όσο και εκείνη του σημείου τερματισμού τους». (Ελευθεροτυπία, //, σελίδα 13) ‘The different semiology [my emphasis] that US President Barack Obama brought into play in two successive talks to express his position on the creation of a Palestinian state once again proves that — for both Israelis and  Evangelos Kourdis Palestinians — the precise public phrasing used at the start of negotiations is as important as that used at their conclusion.’ (Eleftherotypia newspaper, // page ) Excerpt  The final excerpt studied (excerpt ) was also taken from Eleftherotypia newspaper. Here, the term semiology appears in the title. Its peculiarity is that in the main part of the text the term ‘interpretations’ is provided as an intralingual translation of semiology. The journalist chose this intralingual translation to help the reader decode the term semiology since the dots before the term burden the term semantically. Θα μπορούσαμε να μιλήσουμε και για τη. . . σημειολογία μιας είδησης. Χθες, ο πρωθυπουργός ρωτήθηκε από δημοσιογράφο του πρακτορείου Reuters για το πολυσυζητημένο τον τελευταίο καιρό ενδεχόμενο –νέας– αύξησης του ΦΠΑ. Παραθέτουμε αυτούσια την απάντησή του: «Υπήρχε η πιθανότητα της περαιτέρω αύξησης του ΦΠΑ σε κάποια προϊόντα, αλλά αναζητούμε άλλους τρόπους εισροής εσόδων. Αυτή τη στιγμή η κυβέρνηση λέει “όχι” στην περαιτέρω αύξηση». Η πρωθυπουργική απάντηση χωράει, μάλλον, πολλές ερμηνείες [. . . ]. (Ελευθεροτυπία, //) ‘We could also refer to the . . . semiology [my emphasis] of a news item. Yesterday, the prime minister was asked by a Reuters journalist about the hot issue of a possible, new rise in VAT. We quote his reply: “There was a possibility of further increasing VAT on some products, but we are seeking other ways to raise funds. At the moment the government is saying ‘no’ to further hikes”. The prime minister’s reply has many possible interpretations [my emphasis] [. . . ]. (Eleftherotypia newspaper, //). Excerpt  It should be noted at this point that the terms semiology and semiological — whether appearing in the title or in the main body of the article, or in both, whether or not encumbered semantically in their decodification owing to the punctuation used and whether or not translated intralingually in the main body of the article — in the Greek press seem to serve as an intralingual translation of the terms ‘interpretation’ and ‘translation’ (in the broader sense of the word). Semiology  Furthermore, even though the journalists have written the articles for the purpose of conveying information to readers, they seem to view the connotative use of speech as more appropriate — a view which is served through their use of the terms semiology and semiological. . Semiology and semiological in the Greek press: an initial approach from a reader’s point of view Based on the material studied above, in  a pilot study was conducted on a small sample of informants comprising twenty students from the French Language and Literature Department of the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki. In this study, in which seven texts were handed out, twenty students were asked about the content of the terms semiology and semiological found in articles of the Greek press. The students, who had not yet attended any courses on semiology, cited interpretation and translation as terms that could possibly define the content of the terms semiology and semiological. The students observed that journalists make frequent use of the term interpretation in the main body of an article and that the term translation could be used to provide a broader description of this cognitive process. . Semiology, interpretation, translation: a long–standing relationship An analysis of the material gathered leads us to the observation that the Greek press uses the term semiology as a type of interpretation — a term that is actually interchangeable with interpretation. In this way the journalist takes advantage of the respect engendered by the morphology of the term (semiology) and the indeterminate content of the term (as we argued previously as regards readers’ lack of familiarity with its content). The process of semiosis has often been approached through translation in a wide sense since many researchers consider interpretation as translation. For instance, for Gadamer (: ) each translation is always interpretation. In fact, each translation is the outcome of how the translator (in our case, the journalist) has interpreted a word  Evangelos Kourdis (here, semiology or semiological). Various semioticians of translation agree with this. Lawendoswki (: ) defines interpreting as a ‘very difficult type of oral translation’; Petrilli (: –) and Fabbri (: ) also consider interpretation as a kind of translation. This stance is rooted in the interpretative semiotics of Peirce and has triggered a hot debate with other researchers such as Eco (: –). Thus, the fact that Greek readers identify the term semiology with the terms interpretation and/or translation, although not based on scientific criteria, comes as no surprise. It is worth mentioning that interpretation is combined with comprehension. Thus, Gadamer (: ) also added that ‘each comprehension is interpretation’. Steiner (: ), following this view, stated that ‘translation is, and always will be, the mode of thought and understanding’, while for Gorlée () ‘translation is the same as sign interpretation, and sign interpretation is translation’. The term translation has been used many times in a wider sense. Schogt (: ) remarks that we can use translation with a ‘loose usage of the term’ and Stecconi (: ) that ‘the scope of the term translation has arguably become too wide in the past few years, with translation being used as a synecdoche for most types of ordinary communication, such as writing, reading and conversing’. Based on the above theoretical approaches on translation and interpretation the following pattern can be produced: Interpretation ←→ translation → understanding Pattern  In the late Seventies, Eco (: ) mentioned that ‘when speaking for a semiotic field today, one is compelled to list an impressive, wide–ranging array of approaches, all of which are concerned in some way with the process of signification at different levels of complexity and discernibility’. Viewed from this perspective, approaches such as translation, interpretation and meaning broaden the concept of semiosis, thus facilitating understanding — a profound understanding. Tarasti (: ), presenting some of the main categories of understanding, mentions that for the structuralists ‘understanding is to move from phenotext to genotext, or in general to reduce something from the “surface” to something “deeper”’. Since semiology Semiology  furthers this search for a deeper signification, the previous pattern can be adjusted to meet the needs of this study as follows: Semiology → Interpretation ←→ translation → understanding Pattern  . In lieu of a conclusion The average Greek newspaper reader’s limited scientific knowledge of semiology has led him to assume a connection between the term and political discourse due to its frequent use in political news articles. Greek readers do not usually have the opportunity to study the content of the term in relation to other social activities and environments. Based on this study, the sign semiology has as a signifier the word ‘σημειολογία’ (semiologia), but the signified is unknown to the readers of the Greek press, so the first–order system is incomplete. According to Saussure, the signified of the term semiology is ‘a science which studies the role of signs as part of social life’. To bridge this gap in their knowledge, readers mobilise the signified interpretation or translation, motivated by the political discourse in the Greek press. But the signifieds interpretation and translation are signs themselves, so we have a second–order system. Media texts use often second–order meanings. Danesi (), referring to the semiotics of media and culture, praises Barthes’s contribution, who in his Mythologies signals the start of media semiotics proper. Barthes propagated that media texts recycle mythological or second–order (connotative) meanings. As Danesi remarks: ‘Barthes claimed that a large part of the emotional allure of media culture spectacles is due to the fact that they are based on a pastiche of unconscious mythic texts and meanings. To distinguish between the original myths and their contemporary versions, Barthes designated the latter mythologies’. We must not forget that a myth is not defined by the object of its message, but by the way the object is presented. So, could a science of communication such as semiology become just another mythology? Can the study of semiology be placed next to everyday social phenomena characterized by Barthes as mythologies,  Evangelos Kourdis such as cooking, catch and strip–tease? This will depend on the path semiology will choose to take. Bibliographic references B R. (), “Denotation and connotation”, in P. Cobley (ed.) The Communication Theory Reader, Routledge, Lonodn, –. C P. (), The Routledge Companion to Semiotics and Linguistics, part . Routledge, London and New York. D M. (), “Semiotics of Media and Culture”, in P. Cobley (ed.) The Routledge Companion to Semiotics, Routledge, London and New York, – F P. (), Le tournant sémiotique, Lavoisier, Paris. G D. (), Semiotics and the Problem of Translation: With Special Reference to the Semiotics of Charles S. Peirce, Rodopi, Amsterdam and Atlanta. G G. (), Vérité et Méthode (), French. trans. P. Fruchon and G. Merlio, Seuil, Paris. H J.B. (), Ετυμολογικό λεξικό της Αρχαίας Ελληνικής [Etymologicon of Ancient Greek ], s.n., Athens. L A.–P. (), “Semiotics in Greece”, in I. Rauch and F. Gerald (eds) Semiotics around the World: Synthesis in Diversity, vol. , Mouton de Gryter, Berlin, –. E U. (), “Semiotics: A Discipline or an Interdisciplinary Method?”, in T. Sebeok (ed.), Sight, Sound and Sense, Indiana University Press, Bloomington and London, –. ——— (), Dire presque la même chose. Expériences de traduction, French trans. M. Bouzaher, Grasset, Paris. L B. () “On Semiotic Aspects of Translations”, in T. Sebeok (ed.) Sight, Sound and Sense, Indiana University Press, Bloomington and London, –. P S. (), Interpretative Trajectories in Translation Semiotics, “Semiotica”, , : –. S H. () “Translation”, in T. Sebeok (ed.) Encyclopedic Dictionary of Semiotics, vol. , Berlin and New York, Mouton de Gruyter, –. Semiology  S U. () “Semiotics”, in M. Baker and G. Saldanha (eds) Routledge Encyclopedia of Translation Studies, Routledge, London and New York, –. S G. (), After Babel: Aspects on Language and Translation, Oxford University Press, Oxford. T E. () “Understanding, Misunderstanding, and Self–understanding”, in K. Tsoukala, E. Hodolidou, A. Christodoulou, and G. Michailidis (eds) Semiotic Systems and Communication: Action, Interaction, Situation and Change, Paratiritis, Thessaloniki, –. Press articles under scrutiny A.M. (), Αγγελιοφόροι προσέγγισης του Κώστα Σημίτη, [messengers to approach Kostas Simitis], in “Makedonia”, //, . A (), Η σημειολογία του ΠΑΣΟΚ [the semiology of PASOK], in “Rizospastis”, //, . A D. (), Η Τουρκία, νέα περιφερειακή κραταιά δύναμη, [Turkey, the new regional mighty power], in “Kathimerini”, //, p. . K D. (), Σε βαθιά κατάψυξη οι σχέσεις Ελλάδας–Ρωσίας [Greek–Russian relationship on ice], in “Eleftherotypia”, //, . P G. (), Θα μπορούσαμε να μιλήσουμε και για τη. . . σημειολογία μιας είδησης [we could also refer to the ... semiology of a news item], in “Eleftherotypia”, //. P M. (), Η ΔΕΘ όπως θα θέλαμε να είναι [TIF, the way we want it to be], in “Makedonia”, //, . V D. (), Οι λεκτικοί εποικισμοί Ομπάμα [Οbama’s verbal settlements], in “Eleftherotypia”, //, . Evangelos Kourdis Aristotle University of Thessaloniki