PERFORMING HYBRID: A REVERSAL OF COMMON SENSE

The paper examines three case studies involving performing to illustrate that an act has much to do with either reversing or conforming the isomorphic form-meaning pairing of cultural meanings. This discussion suggests that while meaning making may seem arbitrary in the interaction there is a conventional form-meaning relationship underlying basic verbal and kinesthetic communication. This is noteworthy to circumvent the confusion that new meanings may be produced with hand waving magic because an ethos of common sense in denotative communication serves as the viewing foundation for an audience to derive comprehension which may lead to pleasure and/or personal reflection. The semiotics of performance in all three cases points to isomorphism as the operating system underlying the convention of performing. Without such conventional mental apparatus as a standard reference in our communicative schema little ridicule or understanding is generated rendering humor and satisfaction a difficult achievement in performing.