Week 4: Syntax, semantics and Pragmatics

 Nowadays, images are all around us in our society and culture represented in newspapers, magazine and television. As consumer to this products, I see that images are able to give meanings, i believe that images has shape my understanding on the message being delivered. Visual communication theories of  syntax, semantics and pragmatics plays an important role in the grammar of visual images. The purpose of writing this journal is to investigate how does this strict rules of semiotics enables communication through visual images. It is very important for my own satisfaction on how does this  theories allows me and other people to understand the meaning generated through the image.Therefore I would like to argue that images are language.

Traditional linguist argue that images are not language because they do not have a formal grammar. In ancient civilization, images were use as language where this type of communication system was agreed upon the society at that time. Long before literacy began, they communicate through sequence of images known as hieroglyphs. James P Allen in his book titled middle Egyptian : An introduction to language and culture of hieroglyphs stated that "although middle Egyptian ceased to be a spoken language by about 1600BC, hieroglyphs continued to be Egyptian formal language until the end of ancient Egyptian history".(Allen, 2000)

This proves that images were use by society long before words; alphabets and text are even created. Images were once the ultimate alphabet of the ancient civilization. Ancient civilization has indeed proved that images can be considered language as they were able communicate to read and acquire knowledge through these images. Our language and these ancient hieroglyphs prove to share a similar purpose which is to communicate.

                                                       John Cena Movie" 12 Round"

George Yule in the book titled pragmatics stated that syntax is the study of the relationship between linguistic forms, how they are arranged in sequence and which sequence is well-formed. (Yule, 1996). It is said to be the grammar of visual images through the rule of syntax, we are able to identify the situation created by certain image. The rule of composition has the rule of third, weight and depth and contrast which enables the prominent figure of the image to be highlighted through the psychology of human’s eye movement.  The rule of third states that the eye will always fixated on the centre of the image, the picture of John Cena to be the first spot that the eye will focus, then the car and lastly the background. Meanwhile, the rule of contrast in this image didn’t allow the interference of the background and John Cena as the main focus of this image. The prominent figure has more weight to highlight a situation of escapism of danger; more weight is put on the movement of the man and the car than the fire.

In the same book of pragmatics by George Yule, he stated that "Semantics refers to the study of the relationship between linguistics forms and entities in the world that is how words literally connect to things". (Yule,1996). In visual communication, semantics is use to analyze meaning behind the image. The image of heavy smoke and the red fire signified a dangerous situation, a man running towards his car connote escape, struggling to survive, adrenaline and action. The whole scene signified a dangerous situation where a man is trying to get out of danger.

George Yule's book pragamatics  suggested that "Pragmatics is the study of the relationship between the linguistic forms and the users of those forms" (Yule,1996). While, Jef Vershueren in his book titled understanding pragmatics stated that "Charles Morris (1938) suggested that pragmatics studies whatever relations there are between signs and users or the interpreters". (Vershueren, 1999). It is determined by codes, modality and context where the meaning can change by these factors. For example,the context in this picture gives the meaning of dangerous and action. The medium allows interpreters to view this action movie to signified those elements of danger. But if this picture is transfer into a different medium for example a comic book, the image will allow interpreters to enhance and develop a humorous feel to the meaning.

Syntax allows interpreters to focus on the subject they need to analyze, semantic  offer the meaning while pragmatics deals with the context of the image where it controls the whole meaning of the image.Thus, by using this three rule of semiotics, we are able to communicate, read and acquire knowledge by interpreting the intended message or meaning hidden in the picture. The ability to communicate on promoting this "12 rounds movie", and allowing interpreters to learn the intended meaning on what this movie is all about prove that images are indeed language where we are able to communicate, read and acquire knowledge.

The knowledge from written text are limited, one cannot understand the meaning of a certain word without seeing the picture even though we are able to write a description but the knowledge is never complete without seeing the image. The meaning will be more powerful if both text and image work together. It seems that images are able to convey meanings independent of written text. The picture above didn’t have any text attach to it, but the meaning convey serve as powerful as a written text. Thus, images are language.

Images are long used as a language that enables human to communicate. Literacy doesn’t always mean reading text but the interpretation of information not just from written text but also to image and symbols.

References:

Allen, James P. (2000). Middle Egyptian: An introduction to language and culture of hieroglyphs. the Press Syndicate of University of Cambridge. UK.
Leech, Geofferey N.(1983). Principles of Pragmatics. Longman Inc.New York.
Vershueren, Jef. (1999). Understanding  pragmatics. Oxford University Press Inc. New York
Yule, George. (1996). Pragmatics.Oxford University Press.London.