Between Image And Script-the Comparative Study Of Graphic Symbols And Chinese Characters

This thesis applies semiotics view to make a comparison between graphic symbols and Chinese characters. Through comparison the properties and traits of graphic symbols are revealed. And Chinese characters have graphic nature. This thesis is composed of three parts:The first part gives a brief overview including subject tenet, research overview, and the significance of research. The induction of research overview is the basis of the extension of the thesis. The present study perspective can be exhumed with the assistance of previous study to highlight the peculiarity of the thesis. In terms of the study of graphic symbols, previous study mainly paid close attention to design; however, as for the study of the Chinese characters, previous study put more emphasis on the inner study of Chinese characters, those are the shape, sound and meaning of Chinese characters. Therefore, this thesis does some research into the graphic nature of Chinese characters and the literal nature of graphic symbols on the basis of previous study. Meanwhile a comparison between the literal nature of graphic symbols and the graphic nature of Chinese characters is involved.The second part is the main body of the thesis which is discussed in the following three aspects.The definition of graphic symbols is probed in the first place. A comparative analysis among the fine art works, traditional patterns, trademark symbols, popular words on Internet is presented firstly, then the definition and basic feature of graphic symbols in pragmatics is derived by means of the combination of intransigence and unitary. In order to transmit public information, graphic symbols which lie between image and script are created as a system of visual symbols. Therefore graphic symbols bear universal readability, curtness, high context, publicity and systematic. Next to is the analysis of the graphic nature of Chinese characters and the literal nature of graphic symbols. Chinese characters have graphic nature. Previous definitions of Chinese character put more emphasis on the writing of language. They illustrate the visibility of Chinese characters. In terms of origin, Chinese characters were originally hieroglyphic. No matter oracle bone inscriptions or word pictures, they all prove the visibility of Chinese characters. Graphic symbols have literal nature which is illustrated in the aspects of production of graphic symbols and generalized study on Chinese characters.What's more, the comparative analysis between graphic symbols and Chinese characters is presented. The comparison is set about from the respect of interior and exterior. External comparison gives expression to the vehicle and function of both. They are the entity of subjectivity and objectivity. Both have conventionality. This part puts much more emphasis on the conventionality of graphic symbols in certain context, while the literal nature of graphic symbols has something to do with conventionality. The conventionality separates graphic symbols from Chinese characters. Internal comparison makes a comparison in aspects of shape, sound and meaning. Eventually, in terms of categories, graphic symbols comply with the constructor methods of the six categories of Chinese characters, such as concrete class, abstract class, fit class and mutual context class. The analysis of standardization of graphic symbols is showed in the fifth part. Graphic symbols, as an indispensable symbol system in social communication, take on plenty of problems. Therefore, the importance of standardization of graphic symbols is increasingly obvious.A conclusion is drawn on in the third part. This part makes a summary of the whole thesis. Through the analysis of the graphic symbols, we hold that graphic symbols bear some properties of Chinese characters, which is convenient to people's communication.