Signs and Meanings in Hiligaynon Contemporary Stories

Abstract

This qualitative research employing semiotics analysis sought to discover the signs and meanings in the Hiligaynon contemporary stories. This study utilized the Order of Signification by Barthes (1957): denotative, connotative, and ideology. In analyzing the data of this study, the denotative meaning of every significant element found in stories was taken from the dictionary and in some cases was based on the context of the stories while the connotative meaning and ideological meaning were the perception and analysis of the researchers in relation to their knowledge and view of the society. The study is taking into considerations how meanings in different levels are created, the process by which meanings occur. Results reveal that denotative meanings of signs are agreed meaning objectively linked to the word represented. Connotative meaning is linked to emotions and feelings invoked and ideological meanings present beliefs established in the society. Findings revealed that words as signs are polysemic and open to different interpretations. In general, although words in denotation have fixed meaning, they could be interpreted and mean differently in the connotation which may yield various beliefs or worldview in the ideology. Therefore, one must take careful thought in interpreting or ascribing meaning to a word.