SILENCEME: THE SILENT “OTHER” IN LINGUISTICS/SILENCE STUDIES
If
Linguistics is stipulated, for the time being, as an epistemological
discipline for the deployment of algocentric (a discourse that is motivated
by metamathematical formalism or computational algorithmic simulation and
which ignores the non-algorithmic constitutive “rules”) meta-symbolic order
on the symbolic order, one may find a marginal other in Linguistics—an
order of non-signs. For these non-signs, let me introduce a term:
“silenceme”, which is at a time a non-sign and a sign and does not have a
fixed componential meaning and thus violates the law of excluded middle.
A blank parchment with the supposed seal of Caesar, when “read” by Antony,
swayed the commoners (Julius Caesar, 3.2). In Tagore’s play, Post-office, a
conspirator, out of fun, sent a blank letter to an “illiterate”(?) boy, who
was expecting king’s letter, when he was waiting for death. However,
another character altogether differently interpreted that blank letter.
This blankness of the white letter, then, was not interpreted as a
poisonous fun, but as a “real” remedy for that boy.
When you were asking me, “What’re you doing?” I said, “Nothing.” This
single word, ”nothing” , a supposed minimal “free” (Where lies the
essential freedom of word? ) form, is not free at all—“nothing” ’s freedom
was pervaded by “other” non-signs, nothingness, the unspoken or something
unspeakable, the non-discursive sonority or unintended sounds (as in John
Cage’s musical compositions or in Rauschenberg and Robert Ryman’s
Minimalist paintings with almost white surfaces.)
There may be a strategic taxonomy of silenceme: cognitive silenceme,
transcendental silenceme (as in case of seeking absolute silence and that
is impossible!); Pathological silenceme (as in case of Foreclosure or
Psychosis, the symbolic order is totally or partially rejected [instead of
being repressed]; one’s Language Acquisition Device is not working due to
the outside threat and violence); Creative silenceme ( as practiced by some
Buddhists by non-internalizing the outside threat and violence.); Silenceme
of conspiracy (the phrase “conspiracy of silence” was often used by Marx
and Engels) etc. Thus, spoke Sartre: being silent does not entail that I
am refusing to speak but it is a mode of keeping on speaking (What is
Literature).
What will we, the linguist community, do with such so-called ambiguous
category? In Linguistics, what will be our agenda now? May we take
Wittgenstein or John Cage seriously? Alternatively, we may ignore the
silent marginal “other” space in Linguistics: the silenceme!
discipline for the deployment of algocentric (a discourse that is motivated
by metamathematical formalism or computational algorithmic simulation and
which ignores the non-algorithmic constitutive “rules”) meta-symbolic order
on the symbolic order, one may find a marginal other in Linguistics—an
order of non-signs. For these non-signs, let me introduce a term:
“silenceme”, which is at a time a non-sign and a sign and does not have a
fixed componential meaning and thus violates the law of excluded middle.
A blank parchment with the supposed seal of Caesar, when “read” by Antony,
swayed the commoners (Julius Caesar, 3.2). In Tagore’s play, Post-office, a
conspirator, out of fun, sent a blank letter to an “illiterate”(?) boy, who
was expecting king’s letter, when he was waiting for death. However,
another character altogether differently interpreted that blank letter.
This blankness of the white letter, then, was not interpreted as a
poisonous fun, but as a “real” remedy for that boy.
When you were asking me, “What’re you doing?” I said, “Nothing.” This
single word, ”nothing” , a supposed minimal “free” (Where lies the
essential freedom of word? ) form, is not free at all—“nothing” ’s freedom
was pervaded by “other” non-signs, nothingness, the unspoken or something
unspeakable, the non-discursive sonority or unintended sounds (as in John
Cage’s musical compositions or in Rauschenberg and Robert Ryman’s
Minimalist paintings with almost white surfaces.)
There may be a strategic taxonomy of silenceme: cognitive silenceme,
transcendental silenceme (as in case of seeking absolute silence and that
is impossible!); Pathological silenceme (as in case of Foreclosure or
Psychosis, the symbolic order is totally or partially rejected [instead of
being repressed]; one’s Language Acquisition Device is not working due to
the outside threat and violence); Creative silenceme ( as practiced by some
Buddhists by non-internalizing the outside threat and violence.); Silenceme
of conspiracy (the phrase “conspiracy of silence” was often used by Marx
and Engels) etc. Thus, spoke Sartre: being silent does not entail that I
am refusing to speak but it is a mode of keeping on speaking (What is
Literature).
What will we, the linguist community, do with such so-called ambiguous
category? In Linguistics, what will be our agenda now? May we take
Wittgenstein or John Cage seriously? Alternatively, we may ignore the
silent marginal “other” space in Linguistics: the silenceme!
Colophon: Stefano Pocci, Diaforia; John Cage Site on Silence, Virginia
University;
Neologisms: Silenceme, Silence Studies, Algocentric Discourse.
BIBILIOGRAPHY
2005. ““মহা/ পাতি ভরত আখ্যান The
Meta/Petite Narrative of Bharat.” Prasanta Chattopadhyay ed. Kalodhvani. 13:1, October’05. 
Download (.pdf)
Download (.pdf)
2005. “'যেদিন নিঃশব্দ শব্দেরে খাবে' : নৈঃশব্দের ভাষাতত্ত্ব ” ['When
Silence Would Swallow Non-Silence': Linguistics of Silence] Ebang
Mushayera.
XI:4(226-47).R.N. 53193/94.
2006. “Centre for
Studies in Silence. (একটি [অ-] লৌকিক বেত্তান্ত)” Samanta, Subal ed. EbangMushayera. XII: 4. (pp.142-150) R.N. 53193/94. Download (.pdf)
Download (.pdf)
2006. “Silenceme and absential
quantifier” Virginia University. http://list.mail.virginia.edu/pipermail/silence/2006-August/002076.html
2006. “Silenceme: the silent other in Linguistics” LINGUIST
List 17.2149. Eastern Michigan University and Wayne State University.
http://linguistlist.org/issues/17/17-2149.html#
http://linguistlist.org/issues/17/17-2149.html#
2006. “সার্ত-এর চুপসাধনা” [Silenceme
in Sartre].” [Silenceme in Sartre].” Ed. Atanushasan Mukhopadhyay
Dashadishi. Kolkata. II:2. (pp.52-3) Decl. No. 52/04. Download (.pdf)
Download (.pdf)
2007. “জেগে বা ঘুমিয়ে-- 'ভারতীয়' দর্শনে” (Hanging
between Sleeping and Waking -- ‘Indian' Philosophy).”(Hanging between Sleeping and Waking --
‘Indian' Philosophy). Tepantar .Vol. V
(pp.141-66) Kolkata: Sanhati. Download (.pdf)
Download (.pdf)
2009. “নীরবতার না- ভাষাতত্ত্ব: লালনে
Non-Linguistics of Silenceme: Lalon” ShaktinathJha ed. Ocinpakhi.
LalonsaMrokgrontho. Vol.XX. Nadia, West Bengal LalonMelaSamiti. (pp.
16-24). Revised version: 2012. einisOrgopOtro. I:1 (pp. 9-16) Download (.pdf)
Download (.pdf)
2011. “The Psychology
of Silence: The Story of Bharat.” Diaforia, No. 5, July 2011.
Italy. Download (.pdf)
Download (.pdf)
2011. “An Interview
on "Psychology of Silence" (English & Italian Versions)”
Diaforia, No. 5, July 2011.
Italy. Download (.pdf)
Download (.pdf)
2012. “ECP is Dead,
Long Live ECP" M.
S. Thirumalai ed. Language in India.
12:4. (pp. 79-86). ISSN 1930-2940. Download (.pdf)
Download (.pdf)
2012. PRAGMATICS OF
SILENCEME Paper presented at the "International
Seminar on Pragmatics of Cross Communication In Multilingual Setting".
Department of Linguistics, Aligarh Muslim University. 14-16 September, 2013. Download (.pptx)
2012. In Search of
Linguistics of Silence : Caryapada চর্যা-চর্চায় নীরবতার ভাষাতত্ত্ব সন্ধান : উপক্রমনিকা. Pranab K. Chakroborty ed. Interaction VIII. (pp.23-31) Nabadwip, West Bengal. India. ISSN 2277-4335.
Download (.pdf)
Download (.pdf)
2013. Review Of the
Book: "Sounds Of Silence". Jutta M. Hartmann, Veronika Hegedus,
Henk Van Reimsdijk, eds., Elsevier Science, 2007. Indian Linguistics. Vol. 74, Nos. 1-2. (pp. 121-26) ISSN 0378-0759.
Download (.pdf)
Download (.pdf)
2014. “The Movement
Within: A Secret Guide To Esoteric Kayaasadhanaa: Caryaapada”.”Journal of Bengali Studies, Vol.3 No.1.
(pp. 113-27) ISSN# 2277-9426.
MOVIE:
·
এবংনীরবতা.১. পরিচালনা: দেবাঞ্জনসেনগুপ্ত. সৌজন্য: কলকাতাটিভি.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SfqRo7YD10M
·
এবংনীরবতা২ . পরিচালনা: দেবাঞ্জনসেনগুপ্ত. সৌজন্য: কলকাতাটিভি.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bVIn0KPmucU
Paintings: Robert Rauschenberg and Robert
Ryman’s Minimalist paintings
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