Changes

punctuation (ponctuation) To [[punctuate ]] a SIGNIFYING CHAIN IS CO[[signifying chain]] is to produce [[meaning]].

produce meaning. Before [[punctuation]], there is simply a [[chain ]] of [[discourse;]].

it It is the listener/receiver who punctuates [[punctuate]]s this [[discourse ]] and thereby sanctions[[retroactive]]ly one particular [[meaning]] of an [[utterance]].

retroactively one particular meaning of an utterance. The [[punctuation ]] of the[[signifying chain]] is that which creates the [[illusion]] of a fixed [[meaning]]:

signifying chain is that which creates "The punctuation, once inserted, fixes the illusion of a fixed meaning: 'the."<ref>{{E}} p.99</ref>

punctuationThis is essential in the [[structure]] of [[communication]], once inserted, fixes where "the sender receives his own message from the meaning' (E, 99; see POINT DE CAPITON)receiver."

This It is essential illustrated in the structure "elementary cell" of COMMUNICATION, where 'the sender receives[[graph of desire]].

his own message from ==Examples==The operation of [[punctuation]] may be illustrated by reference to two situations which are of fundamental importance to [[psychoanalysis]]: the receiver'mother-[[child]] [[dual relation]], and is illustrated in the 'elementary cell'[[transference|transferential]] relation between [[analysand]] and [[analyst]].

===Mother-Child Relation===In the first of these situations, the GRAPH OF [[Desirebaby]] who has not yet acquired [[speech]] can only articulate his [[need]]s in a very primitive kind of [[demand]], namely by screaming.

The operation There is no way of punctuation may be illustrated by reference to two situa-knowing for sure whether a scream articulates hunger, pain, tiredness, fear, or something else, and yet the mother interprets it in one particular way, thus determining its meaning [[retroactive]]ly.

tions ===Analysand-Analyst Relation===[[Punctuation]] is one of the forms which are the intervention of the [[analyst]] may take; by punctuating the [[analysand]]'s discourse in an unexpected way, the [[analyst]] can retroactively alter the intended [[meaning]] of fundamental importance to psychoanalysisthe [[analysand]]'s [[speech]]: the mother-

child relation, and "changing the relation between punctuation renews or upsets" the fixed [[meaning]] that the [[analysand and analyst]] had attributed to his own [[speech]].<ref>{{E}} p. In the first of99</ref>

these situations, Such [[punctuation]] is a way of "showing the baby who has not yet acquired speech can only articulatesubject that he is saying more than he thinks he is."<ref>{{Sl}} p.54</ref>

his needs The [[analyst]] can [[punctuate]] the [[analysand]]'s [[discourse]] simply by repeating part of the [[analysand]]'s [[speech]] back to him (perhaps with a different intonation or in a very primitive kind of DEMAND, namely by screamingdifferent context). There is no

way of knowing for sure whether a scream articulates hunger, pain, tiredness, fear, or something else, and yet the mother interprets it in one particular way, thus determining its meaning retroactively.  Punctuation is one of the forms which the intervention of the analyst may take; by punctuating the analysand's discourse in an unexpected way, the analyst can retroactively alter the intended meaning of the analysand's speech: 'changing the punctuation renews or upsets' the fixed meaning that the analysand had attributed to his own speech (E, 99). Such punctuation is a way of 'showing the subject that he is saying more than he thinks he is' (Sl, 54). The analyst can punctuate the analysand's discourse simply by repeating part of the analysand's speech back to him (perhaps with a different intonation  or in a different context). For example, if the [[analysand ]] says ''tu es ma mËre mère'' ('you are my mother'), the analyst ppanalyst[[ may repeat it in such a way as to bring out the homophony of this phrase with ''tuer ma mËre mère'' ('to kill my mother') (E, 269). Alternatively, the analyst can also punctuate the analysand's speech by a  moment of silence, or by interrupting the analysand, or by terminating the session at an opportune moment (see <ref>{{E, 44).  This last form of punctuation has been a source of controversy throughout the history of Lacanian psychoanalysis, since it contravenes the traditional IPA practice of sessions of fixed duration. Lacan's practice of sessions of variable duration (Fr. sÈances scandÈes - wrongly dubbed 'short sessions' by his critics) came to be one of the main reasons that the IPA gave for excluding him when the SFP was negotiating for IPA recognition in the early 1960s. Today, the technique of punctuation, especially as expressed in the practice of sessions of variable duration, continues to be a distinctive feature of Lacanian psychoanalysis}} p.269</ref>

 [[Category:Jacques Lacan]][[Category:Dictionary]]