Chap. 6 Response

Chapter 6 is about the Typographic Message, a multidimensional language. The typographic message is verbal, visual, and vocal. As a representation of verbal language, typography must communicate clearly. A lot of times, prolific messages are very apparent and litter the environment. The impact of an effective typographic message cannot be measured. Effective typographic messages result from the combination of logic and intuitive judgment. Only the neophyte approaches this process in a strictly intuitive manor; a purely logical or mechanical procedure undermines human expression. Keeping these two extremes in balance requires the use of a functional verbal/visual vocabulary capable of addressing a broad spectrum of typographic communication. Signs operate in two dimensions in a language: syntactic and semantic. All objects in the environment can potentially function as signs, representing any number of concepts. Signs may exist as various levels of abstraction. The particular syntactic qualities associated with typographic signs determine a specific meaning. A series of repeated letters can represent motion or a small letter can mean isolation. Simple syntactic manipulations, such as the repetition of letters or the weight change of certain letters enable words visually to mimic verbal meaning. Words as verbal signs, grouped together in a linear fashion, attain their value though mental association. These associative relationships are semantically derived. Two terms important to the understanding of signs are denotation and connotation. When considering the meaning of typographic signs, denotation refers to objective meaning and connotation refers to interpretations. Chapter 6 then goes on to talk more about how typographers have a responsibility to keep words legible and functional.