Approaching Experiential Discourse Iconicity from the Field

Abstract

In this paper, experiential discourse iconicity is examined, shown to be useful in practical studies of planetary exploration and aviation safety, and related to the structure of language. In his ‘Philosophy of Rhetoric', first published in 1776, George Campbell oered a bold theory of experiential iconicity in discourse and language that has significant practical value. He asserted that patterns of relatedness among things in the world of experience influence patterns of relatedness among words in discourse and language. This suggests, for example, that the structures of particular experiences can be derived from the structures of corresponding discourses. In Campbell's formulation these structures are networks, which have greater representational power than conventional linear models of experiential iconicity such as that of Enkvist (1981). The experientially iconic nature of practical discourse emerged as an essential resource in studies to support NASA's missions in planetary exploration and aviation safety, leading to development of new search engine technologies called Perilog. A comparison of Campbell's experiential iconicity with Saussure's dichotomies of ‘langue’ versus ‘parole’ and associative versus syntagmatic relations suggests that, in addition to being part of discourse structure, experiential iconicity is part of the structure of language.