C2 · 50 words
Semiotics in Spanish
Sign, signifier, signified, code — how meaning is made and where it slips.
For us « referent » is a term of art and nothing else; you meet it in a linguistics seminar and nowhere near a newspaper. El referente does that job too — the thing in the world a sign points at — but it has a second life that ours never had. In ordinary Spanish a referente is a person or a work everybody measures against: es un referente del cine europeo, a landmark figure; un referente moral, somebody looked up to; no tengo un referente claro, no clear model to go by. English reaches for « benchmark », « role model » or « point of reference » and needs a different one each time.
The words
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Phrase (34)
el signo lingüísticothe sign with its two facesPhraseC2
El signo lingüístico tiene dos caras.The linguistic sign has two faces.
la arbitrariedad del signothe absence of any natural tie between form and conceptPhraseC2
La arbitrariedad del signo explica que haya lenguas distintas.The arbitrariness of the sign explains why there are different languages.
el índice semióticothe sign that points by lying next to what it stands forPhraseC2
El índice semiótico señala por contigüidad, como el humo al fuego.The index points by contiguity, as smoke points to fire.
el símbolo convencionalthe sign that stands for something by agreement alonePhraseC2
El símbolo convencional funciona por acuerdo.The conventional symbol works by agreement.
el valor connotativothe meaning a word drags along with itPhraseC2
El valor connotativo es lo que la palabra arrastra.The connotative value is what the word drags along.
el campo semánticothe group of words that share one field of meaningPhraseC2
El campo semántico agrupa palabras vecinas.The semantic field groups neighbouring words.
el rasgo semánticothe feature of meaning that tells two near words apartPhraseC2
El rasgo semántico distingue silla de sillón.The semantic feature tells a chair from an armchair.
la sinonimia parcialthe overlap of sense that is as close as synonyms getPhraseC2
La sinonimia parcial es la única que existe de verdad.Partial synonymy is the only kind that really exists.
la antonimia gradualthe opposition that leaves room for a middle termPhraseC2
La antonimia gradual admite un término medio.Gradable antonymy allows a middle term.
el eje paradigmáticothe axis of what could have stood in that placePhraseC2
El eje paradigmático reúne lo que podría ir en ese lugar.The paradigmatic axis gathers what could stand in that place.
el eje sintagmáticothe axis of what stands beside it in the chainPhraseC2
El eje sintagmático encadena lo que va junto.The syntagmatic axis chains what goes together.
la lengua como sistemathe language as a system, standing before any sentencePhraseC2
La lengua como sistema es anterior a cada frase.The language as a system comes before any single sentence.
el habla individualthe individual speaking that realises the system oncePhraseC2
El habla individual realiza el sistema una vez.Individual speech realises the system once.
la competencia lingüísticathe knowledge of a language, which has to be inferredPhraseC2
La competencia lingüística no se ve, se infiere.Linguistic competence cannot be seen, it is inferred.
la actuación lingüísticathe use of a language, mistakes and allPhraseC2
La actuación lingüística incluye los errores.Linguistic performance includes the mistakes.
el acto de hablathe utterance that does something as well as saying itPhraseC2
El acto de habla hace algo además de decirlo.The speech act does something besides saying it.
el enunciado performativothe utterance that changes the world by being saidPhraseC2
El enunciado performativo cambia la realidad al decirse.The performative utterance changes reality by being said.
la fuerza ilocutivathe force that tells an order from a requestPhraseC2
La fuerza ilocutiva distingue una orden de un ruego.Illocutionary force tells an order from a plea.
la implicatura conversacionalwhat is meant without being saidPhraseC2
La implicatura conversacional dice sin decir.Conversational implicature says without saying.
el principio de cooperaciónthe assumption that the other side is playing fairPhraseC2
El principio de cooperación se supone hasta que se rompe.The cooperative principle is assumed until it is broken.
la máxima de cantidadthe rule that asks for as much as is needed and no morePhraseC2
La máxima de cantidad pide decir lo justo.The maxim of quantity asks for just as much as is needed.
el contexto de enunciaciónthe situation of speaking, which supplies what is missingPhraseC2
El contexto de enunciación completa lo que falta.The situation of utterance supplies what is missing.
el código semióticothe set of conventions learned without noticingPhraseC2
El código semiótico se aprende sin darse cuenta.The semiotic code is learned without noticing.
la lectura preferentethe reading the sender was counting onPhraseC2
La lectura preferente es la que el emisor esperaba.The preferred reading is the one the sender expected.
la lectura oposicionalthe reading that understands and refusesPhraseC2
La lectura oposicional entiende y rechaza.The oppositional reading understands and refuses.
el discurso institucionalthe speech that has no visible speakerPhraseC2
El discurso institucional habla sin sujeto visible.Institutional discourse speaks with no visible subject.
el análisis del discursothe study of who is allowed to say whatPhraseC2
El análisis del discurso mira quién puede decir qué.Discourse analysis looks at who may say what.
la formación discursivathe field that fixes the limits of what can be saidPhraseC2
La formación discursiva delimita lo enunciable.The discursive formation fixes the limits of what can be said.
el marco interpretativothe frame that decides what counts as a problemPhraseC2
El marco interpretativo decide qué cuenta como problema.The interpretive frame decides what counts as a problem.
la construcción del sentidothe making of meaning, which happens in the readingPhraseC2
La construcción del sentido ocurre en la lectura.The making of meaning happens in the reading.
el receptor implícitothe reader the text has written into itselfPhraseC2
El receptor implícito está inscrito en el propio texto.The implied receiver is written into the text itself.
la redundancia informativathe saying of more than is needed, so it survives the noisePhraseC2
La redundancia informativa protege el mensaje del ruido.Informational redundancy protects the message from noise.
el ruido comunicativowhatever gets between the message and its receiverPhraseC2
El ruido comunicativo no siempre es acústico.Communicative noise is not always acoustic.
la retroalimentación del receptorthe answer coming back that closes the circuitPhraseC2
La retroalimentación del receptor cierra el circuito.The receiver's feedback closes the circuit.
Noun (f) (10)
la semióticathe study of everything that means somethingNoun (f)C2
La semiótica estudia todo lo que significa.Semiotics studies everything that means something.
la denotaciónthe meaning a dictionary recordsNoun (f)C2
La denotación es lo que el diccionario recoge.Denotation is what the dictionary records.
la hiperonimiathe relation of the wider word to the narrowerNoun (f)C2
La hiperonimia coloca fruta por encima de manzana.Hyperonymy puts fruit above apple.
la hiponimiathe relation of the narrower word to the widerNoun (f)C2
La hiponimia va del general al particular.Hyponymy goes from the general to the particular.
la meronimiathe relation of the part to the wholeNoun (f)C2
La meronimia une rueda con coche.Meronymy joins wheel to car.
la polisemiathe one word with several senses of a common originNoun (f)C2
La polisemia reúne sentidos con un origen común.Polysemy gathers senses with a common origin.
la homonimiathe two words of different origins that came to sound alikeNoun (f)C2
La homonimia junta palabras de origen distinto.Homonymy puts together words of different origin.
la presuposiciónwhat a sentence takes for granted, and keeps even when deniedNoun (f)C2
La presuposición sobrevive a la negación de la frase.A presupposition survives the negation of the sentence.
la deixisthe words that mean nothing outside their situationNoun (f)C2
La deixis solo se entiende en su situación.Deixis is only understood in its situation.
la intertextualidadthe way a text carries other texts inside itNoun (f)C2
La intertextualidad hace que un texto lea a otros.Intertextuality makes one text read others.
Noun (m) (6)
el significantethe sign's outward form, the sound or the markNoun (m)C2
El significante es la forma sonora o gráfica.The signifier is the form, in sound or in writing.
el significadothe sign's inner side, the concept it carriesNoun (m)C2
El significado no está en el mundo, está en la lengua.The signified is not in the world, it is in the language.
el referentethe thing out in the world the sign points atNoun (m)C2
El referente es la cosa de la que se habla.The referent is the thing being talked about.
el iconothe sign that resembles what it stands forNoun (m)C2
El icono se parece a lo que representa.The icon resembles what it represents.
el semathe smallest unit of meaning there isNoun (m)C2
El sema es la unidad mínima de significado.The seme is the smallest unit of meaning.
el paratextowhat surrounds a work without being the workNoun (m)C2
El paratexto rodea la obra sin ser la obra.The paratext surrounds the work without being the work.
This list belongs to Language and expression — 22 lists and 1102 words that can also be practised as a whole.
Practise this list
From these 50 words, as many per round as you like — up to all of them: first what is due today, then new ones. First you choose, then you fill the gap, then you write it yourself. Mistakes come back again shortly.