Heraldry and Semantics

XXIXth INTERNATIONAL CONGRESS OF GENEALOGICAL AND HERALDIC SCIENCESStuttgart - Hotel Le Méridien - 12 to 17th September 2010

The Semantic Organization of Primitive Heraldry: A Semiotic Approach to Medieval IdentityFEUP/FLUP Universidade do Porto - Escola Superior de Artes e Design de Matosinhos

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I Introduction Background Motivation Objectives Problem

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II Methodology State of the art Variables Quantification Hypothesis’ formulation Data analyses Hypothesis’ validation Propositions Justifications

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Variables Semantic modes of Heraldry Canting arms and rebuses Denominant Designant Heraldic parophony Blazoning

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Semantic Modes of Heraldry Association Transmission Identification



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Canting Arms and Rebuses



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Heraldic ParophonyAssociation by phonetic correspondence of the designation of one or more original visual heraldic elements, the designant, and the denomination, direct or indirect of the blazon’s referent, the denominant.

Antwerpen Hand werpendenominant designant



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Quantification Lower boundary Metaplasms Limitations Adjustments Model Upper boundary

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Lower Boundary

no discretion



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Lower Boundary

no discretion



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Metaplasms



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ModelFormulas



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ModelNumber of characters or phonemes

_Antwerpen > Handwerpen

nD= 9; nd= 10



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ModelCoefficient of transposition


t = 0



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ModelCoefficient of character

_Antwerpen > Andwerpen

c = 0.5


c = 1



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ModelCoefficient of position

p = 1p = 1.5

_Antwerpen > Andwerpen_Antwerpen > Handwerpen



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ModelTotal number of transformations

_Antwerpen > Handwerpen > _Andwerpen

j = 2



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ModelDiscretion index

k = 2 [ ( 0.5 x 1 + 0 ) + ( 1 x 1.5 + 0 ) ] / 10 = 0.4



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Upper Boundary

allowable discretion



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Hypothesis’ Formulation

Hypothesis: It is possible to admit the existence of parophony for the primitive representation of the Portuguese coat of arms.

(Hypothesis: It is possible to admit the existence of parophony for the primitive representation of territorial coats of arms.)

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III Data Analyses Syntactic analysis Quantitative analysis Qualitative analysis

• Determination• Classification• Semiotic organization

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Semiotic Organization Referent Metonymy Verbalization Accommodatio

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Sematization Designant Signifier

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Referent Direct designation Transferred arms

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County of Bar



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Bar-le-DucBar < FRE | FRE > Bars

Basses



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Referent Direct designation Transferred arms

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Kingdom of Majorca



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n


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Referent’s Metonymy Residential Capital Territorial Oronymy

Hydronymy Anthroponymy Ethnonymy

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County of Schauenburg



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NesselbergNesselberg < GER | GER > Nessel

Nettle



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Kingdom of England III



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LondonLondres < ANO | ANO > Leon Treis

Lion Three



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Duchy of Brittany



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BrittanyBreizh < BRI | BRI > Brizh

Spotted



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Duchy of Bavaria



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RegenRegen < GER | GER > Regen

Rain



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Kingdom of Wales



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Llywelyn FawrLlywelyn Fawr < WEL | WEL > Llew

Lion



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Lordship of Ireland



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IrishIreis < ANO | ANO > Reis

Kings



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n


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Verbalization Imaginary language Language of

conquest Language of

influence

Lingua franca Linguistic hybridism Territorial language

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n


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Accommodation Affinity Growth Conjunction

Transformation Transposition Suppression

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n


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Sematization Composition

• Simple monosemy• Composite

monosemy• Homonymic

polysemy• Heteronymic

polysemy• Hybrid polysemy• Iconic polysemy

Metonymization• Denominant’s

metonymy• Designany’s metonymy• Simple metonymy• Submetonymy• Composite metonymy

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n


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Designant Actions Architecture Astronomy Botany Colorations Geometry Materials

Notorieties Other nouns Quantities Signals Toponymy Weather Zoology

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n


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Signifier Semantic traces Other phenomena

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Semantic Traces Attitudes Disposition Figurations Number

Orientation Placements Separations Tinctures & furs

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Signifier Semantic traces Other phenomena

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Other Phenomena Anomalies Complementation Interaction Transmigration

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Anomalies Profusion Hesitation Sublimation

Divergence Subtraction Omission

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Complementation Centralization Contrast Imitation Prop Proportionality

Redundancy Replenishment Sacralization Simplification Symmetry

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Interaction Resonance Concealment Arrangement Insertion

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Transmigration Enhancement Evolution Extension Persistence Substitution

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V To Answer When has all started? Can it be applied to most coats of arms? Why it didn’t survive to our knowledge? For how long was it used? Was it a general cultural phenomenon? Why these sctructures were chosen? May we link them together?

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Further Information http://repositorio-aberto.up.pt/handle/

10216/58500 (the whole thesis in Portuguese)

http://heraldry.blogs.sapo.pt (developments in English)

http://heraldica.blogs.sapo.pt (developments in Portuguese)

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