Vol 13, No 1 (1994)

Populära kultuur speel 'n loane mend belangrike rol in die oorgang na 'n nuwe pailleke bedeling in Suid-Afrika. Die vraag la of daar 'n noemenswaardige funksleverande ring vir populêre simbollese vorme onderskel kan word en of dit selfs tot 'n herwaardering kan lel. Aan vanklik word daar op die algemene funksie van openbaarmaking gekon sentreer voordat die teoretiese debat opgesom word. Daar word geredeneer dat dit nie sinvol is om oor positiewe of negatiewe waardes rondom populêre kultuur te veralge meen nie. Die Ideologieë van massa en populêre kultuur word bespreek en na 'n aantal funksies van laasge- noemde herlei: genotbevrediging, simboliese oorskryding van "ampte- like kultuur, verset teen die domi nante kultuur in die kultuurstryd en teen die kanon van "hoë" kultuur, die daarstel van modelle vir die oor brugging van teenstrydighede, ge meenskapsopvoeding en die ver- teenwoordiging van teenkulturele en subkulturele waardes. Die artikel is 'n verwerking van 'n referaat gelewer tydens 'n seminaar "Kom munikasie-interaksies in die populêre kultuur", gereël deur die Randse Afrikaanse Universiteit in Johannesburg, 22 Oktober 1993.

In this article it is postulated that the cover designs of works of Interature are increasingly becoming a part of the "apparell para-textuel" (vide Ge nette and Goldenstein) of the text. According to existing contracts between publishers and writers as well as according to statements made by publishers (vide Ellhahoo et al.), publishers still have a final veto on covers. There is ample evidence however a cover design must, from a semiotic point of view, be regarded as an iconic complement to the linguistic text. Examples are cited of recent works In Afrikaans where covers were specifically chosen with the object of preparing the receiver for the content of the verbal text. Co vers must thus be considered part of the encoded text and can there fore be analysed as such. In the rest of the article the cover designs of four volumes of poetry, of Afrikaans poet Johann de Lange's first, are discussed 88 Iconic representations of the verbal texts. The origin and possible signi fication of the cover designs of Waterwoestyn, Snel grys fantoom, Wordende naak, and Nagsweet are elaborated upon while comparing them to the verbal signs of the poems. This interpretation not only shows that In De Lange's work Iconic and verbal signs stand in Intratextual relation to each other, but also that the Iconic signs of the cover designs can be regarded as Interpretative hipersigns (vide RI faterre et al) making possible a more complete signification of the text.

The effects of perceived downward and upward communication quality on employee job satisfaction and turnover Intentions was examined among a sample of 101 middle man agers. Hierarchical regression and sub-grouping analyses showed that organizational commitment moder ated both these effects, but that the latter were unaffected by the direc tion of communication, whether it was downward or upward. The re suits confirm the Importance of communication quality in organizations, but make clear that its effects on valued outcomes like job satis faction and intentions to remain In the organization vary, being much stronger among employees attached to the particular organization. Impli cations of the findings for improving communications are developed, and Ideas for further research suggested

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