Between the Signifier and the Signified Falls the Signification: Reflections on the Use of Political Terms in the Egyptian 2011 Events

Ahmed Abdel Azim ElShiekh

Abstract


The present paper explores the discrepancy between original sense and actual use of certain political terms with particular reference to the Egyptian 25th of January uprising/revolution. The researcher casts light on the frequently controversial if not even self-contradictory use of these terms to denote hardly related concepts and, at times at least, the down right antonym of the original concept in question. An attempt is also made, whenever possible, to compare and contrast, if necessary, the same political terms in relation to the 23rd of July 1952 revolution. The researcher adopts an analytical comparative/contrastive approach. This paper, broadly speaking, makes use of semantics and pragmatics to reflect on the topic under study.

Key words: Political terminology; Democracy; Revolution; Uprising; Justice; Freedom of thought and speech; Signifier; Signified and signification


Keywords


Political terminology; Democracy; Revolution; Uprising; Justice; Freedom of thought and speech; Signifier; Signified and signification

References


English Sources

Bertell, O. (2010) How Does Political Science Deal with Democracy? How Should It Do So?” Retrieved 12 February, 2012 from: http://www.iefd.org/articles/political_science_democracy.php.

Bury, J.B. (2004). A History of Freedom of Thought. UK: Encyclopaedia Britannica, Inc.

Definitions of Semiotics (2009). Retrieved 21 April, 2012 from: http://www.uvm.edu/~tstreete/semiotics_and_ads/terminology.html.

Herman, D. (2002). Saussure and the Grounds of Interpretation. Retrieved 23 March, 2010 from: http://pmc.iath.virginia.edu/text-only/issue.902/13.1herman.txt.

SaSaussure, F.D. (1983). Course in General Linguistics. London: Duckworth.

Tshoose, C. I. (2011). Justice Delayed Is Justice Denied. Retrieved 24 May, 2012 from http://dx.doi.org/10.4314/pelj.v14i7.10.

Webster’s Third New International Dictionary, Unabridged (2002). Retrieved 23 February, 2010 from: http://unabridged.merriam-webster.com.

Arabic Sources

د. السعيد، رفعت. (1999). مجرد ذكريات. القاهرة. مكتبة الأسرة. الهيئة المصرية العامة للكتاب

د. عبد الناصر، هدى. (2-6-2012) “حتما‏..‏ سأنتخب الدولة المدنية”. الأهرام. القاهرة.

د. حرب، أسامة الغزالى. (6-6-2012). “الرئيس أحمد شفيق”. الأهرام. القاهرة





DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3968/n

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