Contract

In general terms, a contract could be defined as the establishment of an intersubjective relationship which results in a modification of status (I'etre and/or ie paraftre) affecting each of the subjects involved. In semiotic metalanguage, a narrative sequence starts with a contract/ manipulation between a sender and a subject who undertakes to accomplish an action. The king contracts the knight to slay the dragon and offers him the hand of the princess in return. The knight, on the other hand, is prepared to offer his sword and his services in exchange for the king's promise to give him his daughter in marriage.

 Before accepting this contract, however, an agreement of mutual trust must have been established. Otherwise what assurance would the knight have that the king will fulfil his pledge, or, for that matter, what assurance would the king possess that the knight is willing and able to execute his part of the bargain? In other words, without a firm belief in the truthfulness and reliability of the partner, the contract cannot become effective. This fiduciary agreement, which takes place on the enunciative level and precedes any actual or projected exchange of objects of value, is termed contrat de veridiction.

 The fiduciary agreement, moreover, has two parts to it: a conclusion has to be reached as to whether one's partner is telling the truth, hiding something or downright lying, while the true value of the objects to be exchanged must also be ascertained and agreed. The activity involved in reaching consensus in these matters is cognitive: knowledge (savoir vrai) is brought into play, coupled with persuasive doing on the one hand and on the other faith, acceptance (crotre-vrai) as a result of interpretative doing. Both these manipulate in their own ways, but in the end agreement sanctioning the proceedings must be reached before any actual exchange can be settled.

Since this fiduciary agreement or enunciative contract is a prerequisite for any exchange of objects of value to become effective, it also applies to verbal transactions, that is, written texts or spoken utterances. Examples of this are to be found in normal conversation: the interlocutors' knowledge of each other, the images they project of their own credibility as well as the degree of acquaintance with the subject-matter under discussion affect the successful outcome of any communication.

 The contract/manipulation refers to the first stage of the canonical narrative schema at which a sender transmits the modalities of desire or obligation to a receiver. Once the proposed modal status has been accepted, the contract is concluded and the receiver becomes a subject pursuing the quest that is to follow.

 See also canonical narrative schema.

مواضيع ذات صلة

Discourse

Diegesis

Dialogue

Diachrony

Descriptive

Denotation

Demonstrative reference

Deixis

Decisive test

Debrayage/disengagement

Culture

Correlation