English Literature and Linguistics

Question: Discuss about the English Literature and Linguistics. Answer: 1. The set of the related words are: Luck from the dictionary definition, this means a good fortune, an advantage or success, and in most cases considered as a result of chance. Blessing the dictionary defines a blessing as a special favour, benefit or mercy Godsend this is defined as an unexpected thing that happens at a particular time, in most cases that is welcome to the individual and it happens as if it had been sent from God. Karma Karma is a Hindu word that is associated with fate or destiny. Serendipity - this is defined as a luck or a fortune. Kismet this word is defined by the English dictionary as fate or destiny. Fluke fluke is given the definition of an accident or a chance of something happening. All these words relate to each other in that they are all used to mean a fortune or a fate of something. The principle of Saussures theory in demonstration here is that the relationship between the signifier and the signified is just but arbitrary (Chandler, 1994). This implies that there is no solid reason as to why the act of being lucky or getting a chance or an accidental event of something had to be given such names as godsend, karma, serendipity, kismet et cetera as shown in the above set of words. 2. Taking an example of a student, the portrait in the student ID is iconic because it gives a resemblance to the student, the name of the student in the ID card is symbolic because it has no relationship with the student but was just given arbitrarily, while the student ID card gives an impression that the bearer of the card is a student, hence being an indexical sign (De Saussure, 1974). References Chandler, D. (1994). Semiotics for beginners. De Saussure, F. (1974). Course in general linguistics [1916].London: Fontana,1970