Intersemiotic translation from fairy tale to sculpture : An exploration of secondary narrativity
(2022) In Sign Systems Studies 50(2-3). p.317-345- Abstract
We present a cognitive semiotic case study of the narrative potential of the statue Den lille Havfrue (‘the little mermaid’) by Edvard Eriksen in Copenhagen. On the basis of theoretical analysis and a survey in which 20 European and 19 Chinese participants replied to questions concerning this statue we argue that it, and similar statues, may be considered as products of intersemiotic translation, but only if we dispense with any requirements of “equivalence” between source and target, since statues are necessarily semiotically highly reduced. While the source narratives constitute cases of primary narrativity, with narrations providing the audiences with stories, statues may partake only of secondary narrativity, where a prior story is... (More)
We present a cognitive semiotic case study of the narrative potential of the statue Den lille Havfrue (‘the little mermaid’) by Edvard Eriksen in Copenhagen. On the basis of theoretical analysis and a survey in which 20 European and 19 Chinese participants replied to questions concerning this statue we argue that it, and similar statues, may be considered as products of intersemiotic translation, but only if we dispense with any requirements of “equivalence” between source and target, since statues are necessarily semiotically highly reduced. While the source narratives constitute cases of primary narrativity, with narrations providing the audiences with stories, statues may partake only of secondary narrativity, where a prior story is needed for the statue to be understood as narration. In our study, this was reflected by correlations between reported prior knowledge and narrative (and possibly even non-narrative) interpretations of Den lille Havfrue. Finally, we relate the discussion to present-day cultural and political “settings”, where many statues, including Den lille Havfrue, have become part of a global anti-racism narrative.
(Less)
- author
- Li, Wenjing LU and Zlatev, Jordan LU
- organization
- alternative title
- Intersemiotic translation from fairy tale to sculpture : An exploration of secondary narrativity
- publishing date
- 2022
- type
- Contribution to journal
- publication status
- published
- subject
- keywords
- cognitive semiotics, Hans Christian Andersen, interpretation, narrative, polysemiotic communication, primary narrativity, semiotic systems, ‘the little mermaid’
- in
- Sign Systems Studies
- volume
- 50
- issue
- 2-3
- pages
- 29 pages
- publisher
- Tartu University Press
- external identifiers
-
- scopus:85148887544
- ISSN
- 1406-4243
- DOI
- 10.12697/SSS.3
- language
- English
- LU publication?
- yes
- id
- 10d09ab4-ff4d-44f8-a1d0-9f73e6e8728c
- date added to LUP
- 2023-03-15 12:27:26
- date last changed
- 2023-12-04 08:00:56
@article{10d09ab4-ff4d-44f8-a1d0-9f73e6e8728c,
abstract = {{<p>We present a cognitive semiotic case study of the narrative potential of the statue Den lille Havfrue (‘the little mermaid’) by Edvard Eriksen in Copenhagen. On the basis of theoretical analysis and a survey in which 20 European and 19 Chinese participants replied to questions concerning this statue we argue that it, and similar statues, may be considered as products of intersemiotic translation, but only if we dispense with any requirements of “equivalence” between source and target, since statues are necessarily semiotically highly reduced. While the source narratives constitute cases of primary narrativity, with narrations providing the audiences with stories, statues may partake only of secondary narrativity, where a prior story is needed for the statue to be understood as narration. In our study, this was reflected by correlations between reported prior knowledge and narrative (and possibly even non-narrative) interpretations of Den lille Havfrue. Finally, we relate the discussion to present-day cultural and political “settings”, where many statues, including Den lille Havfrue, have become part of a global anti-racism narrative.</p>}},
author = {{Li, Wenjing and Zlatev, Jordan}},
issn = {{1406-4243}},
keywords = {{cognitive semiotics; Hans Christian Andersen; interpretation; narrative; polysemiotic communication; primary narrativity; semiotic systems; ‘the little mermaid’}},
language = {{eng}},
number = {{2-3}},
pages = {{317--345}},
publisher = {{Tartu University Press}},
series = {{Sign Systems Studies}},
title = {{Intersemiotic translation from fairy tale to sculpture : An exploration of secondary narrativity}},
url = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.12697/SSS.3}},
doi = {{10.12697/SSS.3}},
volume = {{50}},
year = {{2022}},
}