Abstrakt: | The point of departure for the present paper is C. S. Peirce’s concept of the
degenerate sign, which has been used, in a modified form, to describe the degeneration
of linguistic signs. Three kinds of degeneration of linguistic signs have been
distinguished. The first one is the degeneration of the word — interprétant relation,
where, as the process of decreasing semioticity of the linguistic sign advances,
the full triadic sign relation is gradually reduced to an undifferentiated quality.
This kind of degeneration, best illustrated by the cliché, is ascribed to the change
of attitudes caused by the development of industrial civilisation and especially by
the advent of the mass media. The second one is the degeneration of the word —
object relation, where ideal relations within the sign are apprehended as changing
into natural ones, the result of which process is the appearance of indexical and
iconic relations within the sign. This process gives rise to such phenomena as péjoration
and amelioration as well as the linguistic taboo and euphemisms. This
kind of degeneration is motivated by religious beliefs, value systems and customs
prevailing in a given speech community. The third one is the degeneration of the
object — interprétant relation, where relations within the sign are determined by
external conventions. In authoritarian social conditions this situation leads to all-
-round degeneration of lingustic signs, to authoritarian ritualisation of discourse
and ultimately to the closing of language. All three kinds of degeneration have
been interpretated as reification of linguistic signs, which means that they are
apprehended as external to the human mind and are perceived not as products of
semios-is but as natural objects. Reification of linguistic signs results in the separation
of 'man from his most important product, Mis linguistic acts, and in each of
its forms it is at the source of all other forms of alienation. |