Page 319 - Lazar, Irena, Aleksander Panjek in Jonatan Vinkler. Ur. 2020. Mikro in makro. Pristopi in prispevki k humanističnim vedam ob dvajsetletnici UP Fakultete za humanistične študije, 2. knjiga. Koper: Založba Univerze na Primorskem.
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reasoning and representation in “visual argumentation”
And this is his analysis:
While the kneeling posture may have an intrinsic, ethological basis
for interpretation, this particular token of the behaviour has had a
deeply enriched meaning for many who have seen it, because it was
performed by this particular man, at this time and place. The man
is Willy Brandt, chancellor of West Germany. Once you know this,
the act already begins to take on enriched meaning. It is not just
a man kneeling, but a man whose actions will be taken to stand
for those of a nation’s people. It is 7 December 1970, a state visit
to Warsaw, Poland. These new layers of information should yet
further enrich your interpretation. To add another layer: the occa-
sion is a commemoration of Jewish victims of the Warsaw Ghetto
uprising of 1943. [...] The body posture [...] is a composite sign in so
far as its meaning is partly a function of its co-occurrence with
other signs: in particular, the role being played by its producer, gi-
ven the circumstances of its time and place of production. The be-
haviour derives its meaning as much from its position on these co-
ordinates as from its intrinsic significance (Enfield 2009, 3–4).
4. In Place of Conclusion
We are dealing with several layers of meaning here, resulting in a com-
plex amalgam of signs as a process and product of a sequence of meaning-
-making moves. Let us break this amalgam down, step by step (following
Enfield’s analysis in the previous quote):
- first layer, there is a kneeling posture as such, with its prototypical
meaning;
- second layer, there is the presence of Willy Brandt, at that time the
chancellor of Germany, with a variety of different meanings being
attached to him or his function;
- third layer, the chancellor of Germany is taking the kneeling
position;
- fourth layer is provided by the information that this act of knee-
ling was part of Brandt’s state visit to Warsaw;
- fifth layer is provided by the information that Brandt’s knee-
ling act was part of the commemoration of Jewish victims of the
Warsaw Ghetto.
695
And this is his analysis:
While the kneeling posture may have an intrinsic, ethological basis
for interpretation, this particular token of the behaviour has had a
deeply enriched meaning for many who have seen it, because it was
performed by this particular man, at this time and place. The man
is Willy Brandt, chancellor of West Germany. Once you know this,
the act already begins to take on enriched meaning. It is not just
a man kneeling, but a man whose actions will be taken to stand
for those of a nation’s people. It is 7 December 1970, a state visit
to Warsaw, Poland. These new layers of information should yet
further enrich your interpretation. To add another layer: the occa-
sion is a commemoration of Jewish victims of the Warsaw Ghetto
uprising of 1943. [...] The body posture [...] is a composite sign in so
far as its meaning is partly a function of its co-occurrence with
other signs: in particular, the role being played by its producer, gi-
ven the circumstances of its time and place of production. The be-
haviour derives its meaning as much from its position on these co-
ordinates as from its intrinsic significance (Enfield 2009, 3–4).
4. In Place of Conclusion
We are dealing with several layers of meaning here, resulting in a com-
plex amalgam of signs as a process and product of a sequence of meaning-
-making moves. Let us break this amalgam down, step by step (following
Enfield’s analysis in the previous quote):
- first layer, there is a kneeling posture as such, with its prototypical
meaning;
- second layer, there is the presence of Willy Brandt, at that time the
chancellor of Germany, with a variety of different meanings being
attached to him or his function;
- third layer, the chancellor of Germany is taking the kneeling
position;
- fourth layer is provided by the information that this act of knee-
ling was part of Brandt’s state visit to Warsaw;
- fifth layer is provided by the information that Brandt’s knee-
ling act was part of the commemoration of Jewish victims of the
Warsaw Ghetto.
695
