Difference between revisions of "Mythème"
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The cataloguer of folk tales [[Vladimir Propp]] considered that the unit of analysis was the individual tale: the unitary mytheme by contrast is the equivalent in myth of the [[wp:phoneme]]s, [[wp:morpheme]]s and [[wp:sememe]]s into which [[Linguistics|structural linguistics]] divides language: the smallest possible units of meaning within a language system. | The cataloguer of folk tales [[Vladimir Propp]] considered that the unit of analysis was the individual tale: the unitary mytheme by contrast is the equivalent in myth of the [[wp:phoneme]]s, [[wp:morpheme]]s and [[wp:sememe]]s into which [[Linguistics|structural linguistics]] divides language: the smallest possible units of meaning within a language system. | ||
| − | In the 1950s [[Claude Lévi-Strauss]] first adapted this technique of language analysis to analytic myth criticism. In his work on the myth systems of primitive tribes, working from the analogy of language structure, he adopted the term ''mythème'', with the assertion that the system of meaning within mythic utterances parallels closely that of a language system | + | In the 1950s [[Claude Lévi-Strauss]] first adapted this technique of language analysis to analytic myth criticism. In his work on the myth systems of primitive tribes, working from the analogy of language structure, he adopted the term ''mythème'', with the assertion that the system of meaning within mythic utterances parallels closely that of a language system. |
| − | This idea is somewhat disputed by [[Roman Jakobson]], who takes the mytheme to be a [[wp:concept]] or phoneme which is without significance in itself but whose significance might be shown by [[wp:sociology|sociological]] analysis. | + | This idea is somewhat disputed by [[Roman Jakobson]], who takes the mytheme to be a [[wp:concept]] or phoneme which is without significance in itself but whose significance might be shown by [[wp:sociology|sociological]] analysis.<ref>*Claude Lévi-Strauss, 1955. "The Structural study of myth" in ''Journal of American Folklore'', '''68''' pp 428-444</ref> |
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| + | <ref>*[http://www.ditl.info/art/definition.php?term=3034 Pamela A. Genova, in ''Dictionnaire International des Termes Littéraires''] "Mythème/mytheme" (in English) A succinct view of Lévi-Strauss's use of ''mytheme''.</ref> | ||
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==See Also== | ==See Also== | ||
* [[Matheme]] | * [[Matheme]] | ||
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[[Category:Anthropology]] | [[Category:Anthropology]] | ||
[[Category:Linguistics]] | [[Category:Linguistics]] | ||
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Revision as of 05:18, 12 November 2006
Etmology
Mythème, a term in French coined by Claude Lévi-Strauss (1908- ) on mythe (v. article MYTHE)+ suffixe -ème «the smallest analyzable element» derived from the linguistic term phonème, «smallest distinctive unit of articulated speech», from the Greek *ςοντμα, «sound of the voice», cf. morphème (1921) English lexeme (1940), monème (Martinet, 1941).
Definitions
Claude Lévi-Strauss defined by the smallest, most succinct element of meaning in a myth, «mythème» grounds his structuralist approach to myth criticism. Narrative unit in a myth.[1]
Wikipedia
In the study of mythology, a mytheme is an irreducible nugget of myth, an unchanging element, not unlike a cultural meme, one that is always found shared with other, related mythemes and reassembled in various ways—"bundled" was Claude Lévi-Strauss's image— or linked in more complicated relationships, like a molecule in a compound. For example, the myths of wp:Adonis and Osiris share several elements, leading some scholars to conclude that they share a source.
The cataloguer of folk tales Vladimir Propp considered that the unit of analysis was the individual tale: the unitary mytheme by contrast is the equivalent in myth of the wp:phonemes, wp:morphemes and wp:sememes into which structural linguistics divides language: the smallest possible units of meaning within a language system.
In the 1950s Claude Lévi-Strauss first adapted this technique of language analysis to analytic myth criticism. In his work on the myth systems of primitive tribes, working from the analogy of language structure, he adopted the term mythème, with the assertion that the system of meaning within mythic utterances parallels closely that of a language system. This idea is somewhat disputed by Roman Jakobson, who takes the mytheme to be a wp:concept or phoneme which is without significance in itself but whose significance might be shown by sociological analysis.[2]
- ↑ (cf. in particular «The Structural Study of Myth» (1955); Tristes tropiques (1955); Anthropologie structurale (1958); La pensée sauvage (1962); Les mythologiques, 4 vols. (1964-1971); and Anthropologie structurale deux (1973)).
- ↑ *Claude Lévi-Strauss, 1955. "The Structural study of myth" in Journal of American Folklore, 68 pp 428-444
