A short introduction to a theory on culture and communication provided by Russian semiotician Yuri Lotman.

1. Intro to Yuri Lotman’s Semiosphere
by Dimitar Trendafilov, semiotic researcher at New Bulgarian University – Sofia.
your name
Made for teaching purposes, 2010

2. The Notion of Semiosphere /1
• Global, abstract model of culture, demonstrating its non-
material aspect and its characteristic as an environment in
which communication could be generated.
• Semiotic reality (an universum) in which several semiotic
systems function, interact, and produce information. A
semiotic process (semiosis) is impossible outside the
Semiosphere.
• A “macroeconomic” theory of nature and mechanism of
culture/s. (К. Bankov) your name

3. The Notion of Semiosphere /2
• Synonymous sign systems are immersed in a semiotic
continuum, filled with diverse formations, which are placed on
different levels of one organization (like living organism, for
example, which is compounded by various systems).
• Totality (a mechanism of existence) of various texts or
separate languages, whose value is provided by the
wholeness, not by the detached units themselves.
• “...the complex of semiotic formations precedes (…) the
particular isolated language and this is a condition for the
existence of the latter.” (as a calf is entire body before being
chopped up, while the reverse process is impossible,
because steaks are meant to be consumed separately).
your name

4. The Basic Elements
• Center (kernel) – more dense place, where grammar rules.
• Periphery – a space composed of less structured semiotic
world (less dense, with flexible structures in it).
• Frontier (membrane) – a bilingual mechanism by which the
an external [data] is been filtered and translated from non-
messages to messages (i.e. to information); the frontier
means demarcation between proper and alien, inner and
outer.
your name

5. The Structure of the Semiosphere
Frontier
Periphery (bilingual, which acts
NON-SEMIOTIC TEXTS AND
as membrane)
NON-TEXTS
Kernel/s
(= kernel; structure)
Periphery
NON-SEMIOTIC TEXTS AND
NON-TEXTS your name

6. Basic Characteristics
• “The Semiosphere has diachronic depth because it is
loaded with complicated system of memory and it could not
work without memory. The mechanisms of memory exist not
only in separate semiotic substructures but in the
Semiosphere as a whole.”
• The intrinsic dynamics of the Semiosphere does not lead it
to collapse because in the basis of the communication
processes, flowing between the elements, “lies the invariant
principle which makes them similar” (= myths, collective
memory, and so forth).
• This principle is a combination between symmetry and
asymmetry (F. de Saussure calls it “a mechanism of
similarity and difference”). your name

7. Demarcation of the Semiosphere
• Homogeneity and individuality – the Semiosphere is
separated from 1/ outer chaos and 2/ other semiotic space.
It realizes its own specificity, its contradistinction towards
other spheres.
• Reticence – the Semiosphere does not start up direct
contact with outer “world/s” but must firstly to semiotize (to
re-code, to translate into its own language) non-semiotic
texts and non-texts. [“Culture creates not only its own inner
organization but its own outer disorganization as well.”]
your name

8. Unevenness of the Semiosphere
• Availability of structural Kernels (the dominant semiotic
systems are placed in them).
• One of the Kernels takes a dominant position and reaches to
a stage of self-description as well as of description of the
parts belonging to the Periphery (this is a level of perfect
unity of/in the Semiosphere).
• The Kernels are slowly developing zones, which are in
contrast to the dynamics in the peripheral areas.
• Often the Kernels go into the Periphery and vise versa.
• Each part of the Sphere is distinct entity - closed and
independent.
your name

9. Generation of Information /1
• “The structural heterogeneity of the semiotic space creates
some reserves of dynamic processes and this is one of the
mechanisms by which new information could be generated
in the interior of the sphere.”
• The translation of information between the inner elements,
the play between different structures and sub-structures, the
permanent semiotic “incursions” from one structure to
another generate new meaning, new information comes into
being.
your name

10. Generation of Information /2
• The existing vertical isomorphism - between the structures of
the semiotic system, which are placed onto different
hierarchical levels in it [i.e. each element is a part of the
whole, but in the same time it is an analogy of the whole in
question] - breeds quantitative increase of the messages.
Just like an object reflected in a mirror that generates
hundreds of pieces of itself, the message in the same
manner, introduced in the integral semiotic structure, starts
diffusing itself towards the lower levels. The system is
capable to convert one text into avalanche of texts. your name

11. The Notion (Process) of Dialogue /1
• This is the process of creation of completely new text.
• Since here we mean not an ordinary act of transmission, but
of exchange between the participating elements, then there
should be not only relation of similarity between them, but of
difference. The participating in this semiosis substructures
are supposed to be isomorphic not in between, but one by
one to be isomorphic towards third party elements of higher
level, in whose system they enter. your name

12. Dialogue /2
• “The availability of two similar and simultaneously different
partners in communication is extremely important… The
dialogue includes reciprocity and unity in information
exchange.”
• There are some pauses in transmission of information, i.e.
some alternation exists between the time of delivering and
the time of reception. In the history of culture there are
periods when given “art, finding itself in the highest point of
its activity, translates its own texts into other semiotic
systems.”
your name

13. Dialogue /3
• “In the real tissue of culture the lack of synchronization is
not casual diversion, but orderly law. Translating art, which
is at zenith of its activity, meanwhile displays traits of
innovation and dynamism. As a rule, addressees
experience the transitional cultural stage.”
• The translated text and the answer received by third party
should constitute unified/integrated text.
your name

14. Dialogue /4
• The unevenness of the message exchange between the texts
is universal law.
• The same system acts at other diverse dialogues as well –
between the center (kernel) and peripheral formations of
culture, between its top and bottom.
• “The chance for dialogues to be accomplished presupposes
simultaneous availability of heterogeneity and homogeneity
of the elements. In this respect, the diversity of the structure
is the foundation of its mechanism.” your name

15. Dialogue /5
• Enandiomorphism – mirror-symmetry: both parts are alike as
two images in a mirror, but when we juxtapose them
becomes evident that they are actually not alike (they have
relation as left-hand side and right-hand side do).
• This symmetry creates relations of structural variety and in
the same time - of similarity, by which the dialogue is
possible (see the mechanism of palindrome – word or
phrase which may be read in the same way in either
directions). your name

16. Based on:
Lotman, Yuri, On the Semiosphere (an essay on semiotic nature of culture;
translation in English and adaptation is mine – D.T.)
Bankov, Kristian, Semiotic notebooks (Part I)
Author of the presentation:
Dimitar Trendafilov – assistant-professor and researcher
at Socio-semiotic Studies Laboratory, New Bulgarian University – Sofia
Member of South-East European Center for Semiotic Studies, NBU
www.advertisingandbrandmanagement.org
www.semionaut.net
trendafilov.dim@gmail.com
your name