This book is an exploratory adventure to defamiliarize calligraphy, especially Persian Nastaliq calligraphic letterforms, and to look beyond the tradition that has always considered calligraphy as pursuant to and subordinate to linguistic practices.
Calligraphy can be considered a visual communicative system with different means of meaning-making or as a medium through which meaning is made and expression is conveyed via a complex grammar. This study looks at calligraphy as a systematic means in the field of visual communication, rather than as a one-dimensional and ad hoc means of providing visual beauty and aesthetic enjoyment. Revolving around different insights of multimodal social semiotics, the volume relies on the findings of a corpus study of Persian Nastaliq calligraphy. The research emphasizes the way in which letterforms, regardless of conventions in language, are applied as graphically meaningful forms that convey individual distinct meanings.
This volume on Persian Nastaliq calligraphy will be inspirational to visual artists, designers, calligraphers, writers, linguists, and visual communicators. With an introduction to social semiotics, this work will be of interest to students and scholars interested in visual arts, media and communication, and semiotics.
Author(s): Mahdiyeh Meidani
Series: Iranian Studies, 40
Publisher: Routledge
Year: 2019
Language: English
City: London
Cover
Half Title
Series Page
Title Page
Copyright Page
Dedication
Table of Contents
List of illustrations
Foreword
Preface
1. Introduction
Background
Aims and objectives
Experimental materials, the images of corpus, and sampling approach
Theoretical schema
Methodological schemas
Summary
Notes
2.
Corpus analysis
Descriptive schemas of SHAPE and ENSHAPENING
Corpus analysis based on the SHAPE system
The SHAPE constraint in confronting Nastaliq calligraphic letterforms
Corpus analysis based on ENSHAPENING system
The ENSHAPENING constraint in confronting Nastaliq calligraphic letterforms
Summary
Notes
3. Graphetic analysis
The theory of graphetic articulation
Human anatomy as aconstant factor in articulatory graphetics
First general convention of graphic forms based on human body conventions: ageneral tendency toward curved motions
Ergonomic efficiency as thesecond general convention of graphic form derived from the human body
Control as the third general convention of graphic form related to the human body
The coordination between hand and eye as the fourth general convention in graphic form
Body-support as the fifth common convention in graphic signifiers
Pen
Paper
Summary
Notes
4. Toward semiotics of Nastaliq calligraphy
Social semiotic theory of multimodality
Semiotics: signs– form and meaning– in Nastaliq calligraphy
Peirce’s model of sign
Nastaliq in relation to the Peirce’s model of sign
De Saussure’s theory of sign
Nastaliq in relation to the De Saussure model of sign
Peirce and De Saussure’s model of sign in acomparative relationship, specificities and contrasts
Peirce and De Saussure’s models and their traces in multimodal social semiotics theory
Nastaliq calligraphy as asemiotic mode
Calligraphy and multimodality
Summary
Notes
5. Holliday’s triple metafunctions: as requisite of any semiotic mode – in Nastaliq calligraphy
Ideational metafunctions in Nastaliq mode
Interpersonal metafunction in Nastaliq mode
Size as interpersonal resource in Nastaliq calligraphy
Overall composition or framing as adistinct interpersonal resource
Three interrelated systems of visual composition in Nastaliq overall composition/framing
Inscription or epigraph
Siyah-Mashq or black practice
Detailed composition as interpersonal resource in Nastaliq mode
Ornamental styles as interpersonal resources in Nastaliq
Non-letter calligraphic characters as resources to realize interpersonal senses
Signs of declension and embellishment as interpersonal resources in Nastaliq
Punctuation and dot tracing as interpersonal resources
Baseline setting as interpersonal resource in Nastaliq calligraphy
Textual metafunction in Nastaliq calligraphy
Summary
Notes
6. Toward a distinct feature analysis
Nastaliq Calligraphy as amedium?
Distinctive characteristics in Nastaliq semiotic mode
Summary
7. Conclusion
Inquiry: what has been done?
Conclusion
Prospective perspectives
References
Index
