Elena and I will also give the following "practice talk" for the conference on Coserian theory and creativity on Feb 21-22: https://coseriu.conference.ubbcluj.ro/ Welcome to the room or the zoom link!

We explore possible convergencies between Coseriu’s concept of the double semiotic relation and that of double motivation developed within Motivation and Sedimentation Model (e.g. Zlatev & Blomberg 2019). MSM is a cognitive-semiotic model influenced by Coserian linguistics and phenomenology, particularly the work of Merleau-Ponty (1962, 1968). Analogously to Coserian linguistics, but encompassing also non-linguistic and even non-signitive (e.g. perceptual) meaning. MSM distinguishes three levels of meaning-making – the Embodied, Sedimented, and Situated levels – and two dynamic relationships that connect these levels: motivation and sedimentation. The Situated level, is where all particular acts of signification and interpretation take place, carried out by embodied subjects in specific social contexts, and where semiotic diversity and creativity manifest. The Embodied level serves as the foundation for all semiotic processes and involves universal cognitive processes like perception and analogy-making. Between these is the Sedimented level, consisting of entrenched social and linguistic norms that are historically constituted. Any specific communicative act at the Situated level is initially motivated—though not determined—by processes at the Embodied level. Successful expressions at the Situated level are highly likely to be communally adopted, to become conventionalized and ultimately to sediment at the Sedimented level. In this way, the Sedimented level will provide in turn a second motivation for these expressions in future acts of communication. Although MSM was not originally created for the investigation of metaphors, it has been applied successfully to their analysis (Zlatev et al. 2021; Zlatev & Moskaluk 2022, Moskaluk et al. 2022). 

We argue that the double motivation of expressions in MSM resembles the concept of the “double semiotic relation” (Coseriu 1977, 1981), according to which meaning at the individual level of language both presupposes and integrates the contents of the previous universal and historical levels, while at the same time “going beyond them” in every specific linguistic act (or discourse), contextually situated. We illustrate with authentic examples of metaphors from love letter correspondence.