9- Joe Milner: Final Project

For my final project, I would like to use a graphical representation of language to create a “meta” discussion about the question “What is art?” In speaking to one another each day, we assume that whoever is listening to us shares with us common definitions for our words. In the vocabulary of semiotics, for each individual the word signifies the same concept. Yet the interesting thing about language is that signifiers “slip.” This can be seen when two people misunderstand each other, or when a word’s (commonly accepted) definition changes over time. While slippage can cause problems, it also opens words and literary works up for reinterpretation. I plan to arrange the word “art,” its roots, and the words etymologically related to it on a 2D space. I haven’t boiled down the idea further than that so far, so any suggestions would be appreciated.