From Critical Discourse to Semiosic Universe: Semiotic Evidence from SHEEP-Based Discourse
Dr. Naser N. AlBzour, Dr. Baseel A. AlBzour

Abstract
Drawing upon the dynamic aspects of conceptual dimensions of signs in their sociocultural contexts, this study aims at exploring the manifestations and the interaction of SHEEP in human’s cognitive processing in a way that reflects how culture-specific and culture-bound expressions may operate while messages are delivered cross-linguistically and cross-culturally. This paper, therefore, hinges upon the fundamental semiotic assumptions and implications of Sebeok’ssemiosic universe (Sebeok 1979; Sebeok and Danesi, 2000) within the framework of conceptual mapping proposed by Dancygier and Sweetser (2014). Such critical semiotic analyses are closely pertinent to but more comprehensive than critical discourse foundations of language and hyperspace as well as language and media. In order to achieve this goal, the researchers examined seventy quotes and sayings, collected from Brainyquote.com, that primarily involve SHEEP as a core sign in delivering, conveying and indoctrinating specific beliefs, attitudes and convictions based on the typical traits and stereotypes that are commonly associated with SHEEP shape-wise, function-wise and behavior-wise; thus the study reveals how a systematic cognitive mapping between the source domains and the target domains show great resilience and universality of such signs unidirectionally, bidirectionally and multidirectionally.

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