English 2200F/G Lecture 7: Clss 7.doc

• School: Western University
• Department: English
• Course: English 2200F/G
• Professor: George Donaldson

Document Summary

The origins of the study of literature root in sacred texts, need to know how to read. All teachings are either things or signs things learnt through signs. We learn about everything by signs we use to substitute for things. Language means we use to convey to one another something that exists prior to language. A thing augustine defines as something that doesn"t signify anything but itself. Things which ordinarily do not signify anything but themselves, these things are signs of other things. Other signs whose whole function consists in signifying. A thing which signifies nothing other than itself. Only way you can get to know what god means is through signs god uses language of sacred texts. Every piece of writing is a system of signs and if we are to understand things encoded in system of signs, we have to feel confident to comprehend this system.