Analysis of Caricatures in Terms of Cultural Semiotics

• Published in: Dünya Dilleri, Edebiyatları ve Çeviri Çalışmaları Dergisi
• Main Authors: İŞERİ, Kamil, ÇAPAN TEKİN, Sibel
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: Turkish
• Published: Bandırma Onyedi Eylül Üniversitesi 2023
• Subjects: caricature;cultural semiotics;tradition;symbol;value; karikatür;kültür göstergebilim;gelenek;sembol;değer; Linguistics (Other); Dilbilim (Diğer); sami
• Online Access: https://dergipark.org.tr/tr/pub/wollt/issue/82307/1388216; https://doi.org/10.58306/wollt.1388216

Cultural semiotics is a field that tries to make sense of the characteristic features, norms and boundaries of semiotics. Lotman, one of the pioneers of cultural studies, argues that the universe of meaning can only emerge when culture is examined as a sign system. The concept that Lotman entitle semiosphere includes all systems of culture and this concept is used in the evaluation of cultural communication. The concept of the semiosphere is a dynamic field that is a transmitter of the symbols, history, value and tradition codes that exist within the culture and ensure its continuity. The aim of the study is to evaluate caricatures, which are one of the texts created with both figurative and linguistic signs, in terms of values, habits, symbols and history within the framework of Lotman’s semiotics. For this purpose, the caricature series of the Sami character from Uykusuz Dergisi, one of the humor magazines with the highest circulation, was chosen as the sample of the study. 22 caricatures from the issues of the magazine published between 2010-2020 were determined and examined by the stratified sampling method. Signs frequently used in caricatures were examined in the cultural communication dimension and analyzed through semiospheric components. The findings obtained show that linguistic and non-linguistic signs are included in the caricatures in harmony with each other in an integrity that can ensure cultural communication. It has shown that the characters are created with representations appropriate to their socio-cultural level and lifestyle. It has been determined that each of the semiotics of tradition, value, symbol and history finds a place in caricatures and is used together as a complement to each other. The study concluded that caricatures are an effective tool as a cultural transmitter and that the use of this tool in language and culture studies can contribute. Kültür göstergebilim her kültürün kendine özgü özelliklerini, normlarını, sınırlarını anlamlandırmaya çalışan bir alandır. Kültür ...