Questions Concerning Certain Faculties Claimed For Signs

Re: Peirce List • Steven Skaggs

SS:

As far as visual semiotics is concerned, it is helpful to think of a “terrain” or map of a semantic mode territory in which of icon-index-symbol form the points of the triangular map, or gamut.

Visual entities (and we can extend this beyond that sense modality but that is what I do most of my work in) can be plotted on this gamut.  For instance, an extremely legible typographic word would be in the upper right corner, while an illegible scribble would appear down near the bottom.  But expressive calligraphy, or perhaps a graffiti tag, might well occupy somewhere in between.  The late works of Paul Klee would mostly be placed in the center.  A passport photograph the upper left corner, etc.

cc: Peirce List (1) (2) (3) (4) (5) (6) (7)