Preface
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Patrick
J. Coppock
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The fifteen
articles that make up this volume were all, with the exception of this preface,
presented and discussed at an international conference entitled ÔThe
Semiotics of Writing: Transdisciplinary Perspectives on the Technology of
WritingÕ, held at the International
Centre of Semiotic and Cognitive Studies of the University of San Marino from
12-14th November 1999, with the present author as scientific organiser. In
carrying out this interesting and enjoyable task I was well supported by the
director of the Centre, Professor Patrizia Violi and her administrative
staff, Ms. Emanuela Stacchino and. Ms. Paula Cenci.[i] |
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The biggest
thank-you of all must of course be extended to our invited speakers and our
other conference participants, without whom the event would not have taken place
in the first place. Many, in spite of otherwise busy agendas, committed
readily to travel to San Marino from such distant corners of the globe as
Australia, Great Britain, Norway, Sweden and the United States to help make The
Semiotics of Writing the significant
international event I believe it was. Each added his or her own personal
ÔsignatureÕ to the proceedings in the form of challenging and original
presentations, and keen involvement in spirited exchanges on the various
themes touched upon during three intense and stimulating days together. |
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So what was it
that we set out to do with the Semiotics of Writing? Well, the main objective
for the event was to bring together, and open up a transdisciplinary
conversational space for, eminent scholars from a broad range of research
areas, all in one way or another concerned with the theme of written
communication. |
[i] Thanks too,
must go to the technical staff provided by the Centre who maintained a reliable
audio-visual support system for our invited speakers and other participants
during presentations and discussions, and also for our two woman interpreting
team from Payman International Congress Organisation, who in their turn made it
possible for us to offer (for the first time in San Marino) simultaneous
translation between Italian and English for conference participants. The
Semiotics of Writing was hosted in agreeable surroundings by the Grand Hotel,
San Marino, whose staff made sure that our needs for sustenance in the form of
food and drink during the conference were well taken care of