The Symbolic Identity of"Objects"and Their Meaning Generation and Interpretation
Objects,like words,rituals and other symbolic forms,perform the role of preserving,transmitting and generating cultural meaning.A cultural complex is formed by the diverse layers,categories and styles of objects,sustaining and fostering the cultural identity and inheritance of communities and ethnic groups.Objects belong to both the tangible and symbolic realms,possessing both materiality and signification,with practical and symbolic functions.Russian folklorist A.Bayburin uses an object's position on the symbolic scale to determine its symbolic identity,where the quantitative value of symbolic identity is directly proportional to symbolism and inversely proportional to materiality,influenced by various factors.The relationship between materiality and symbolism determines the construction of an object's meaning.Whether the meaning construction comes from ration basis or convention,it is a product of logical thinking.In fact,the meanings of objects constructed under the mythological thinking are not entirely lost;they remain a crucial component of the cultural memory of objects.The interpretation of objects'meaning can arise from well-founded evidence,logical speculation,and even associations that transcend the intended meaning by the objects'creator.The interpretation of objects'meaning encompasses imagination,speculation,misinterpretation,and even destruction.
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