Volume 39, Issue 1, 2011
Torkild Thellefsen, Bent Sørensen, Martin Thellefsen
Pages 209-222
The significance-effect is a communicational effect
Introducing the DynaCom
The paper presents the concept significance-effect outlined in a Peircean inspired communication model, named DynaCom. The significance effect is a communicational effect; the formal conditions for the release of the significance-effect are the following: (1) Communication has to take place within a universe
of discourse; (2) Utterer and interpreter must share collateral experience; and (3) The cominterpretant must occur. If these conditions are met the meaning of the
communicated sign is likely to be correctly interpreted by the interpreter. Here, correctly means in accordance with the intentions of the utterer. The scope of the
significance-effect has changed from knowledge effects caused by technical terms to emotional effects caused by lifestyle values in brands, for example.