Index and icon, metaphor and metonymy in music

Index and icon, metaphor and metonym in music - In this paper, it is argued that the widespread attempts to use notions taken from semiotics, linguistics or literary theory - such as symbol, index, iconic sign, metaphor and metonym - to analyze the meanings of music are most often misguided. Index in particular - contrary to popular belief - does not occur in music. Of all the notions considered here - metaphor and metonym, index and icon - only the last may be applied to music in any essential way. That does not mean, however, that all musical meanings are so uniform in character. On the contrary: they are highly diverse, but notions mechanically imported from other fields are not suited to describing that diversity. The paper concludes with the suggestion that in order to produce such a description, one must endeavour to construct specifically musical distinctions and categorizations of meanings.