Materiality and Semantics of Writing

In representing phonetic substance along with meaningful units of language (e.g. words), complex writing systems such as the Egyptian, Chinese or Luwian, display a peculiar type of plasticity and semiotic density, which can be enhanced even further by the visual shapes of graphs. Yet, even in cases where the iconic aspects are foregrounded by script users, for instance for purposes of artful or ludic writing, iconicity remains indelibly intertwined with language. The module sets out to focus upon the manifold tensions between readability and representations of language, as well as the increase or reduction of readability along different dimensions and degrees of iconicity. Properties and modes of graphic motivation, e.g. in the case of system-internal secondary motivation, will be captured by a dynamic approach. The materiality and (in-)visibility of writing forms another topic to be pursued in close cooperation with the eikones module “Revealing and Concealing”.