Dimension sémiotique et culturelle de l’anatomie du temps en langue française
Semiotic and cultural dimension of the anatomy of time in the French language

Author(s): Lucia Bălănici
Subject(s): Social Sciences, Language and Literature Studies, Literary Texts
Published by: Biblioteca Ştiinţifică a Universităţii de Stat Alecu Russo
Keywords: anatomy of time; temporality; language and culture; metaphor; memory; trace; human experience; semiotics
Summary/Abstract: Time is part of our everyday life, yet it remains a difficult reality to grasp directly. We cannot see or touch it, but we understand and organize it through language. This article explores how the French language gives shape to time through images drawn from the human body — such as the heart of winter, the breath of an era, or the traces of time. These expressions suggest that time is often perceived as a living organism, with its own rhythm, trajectory, and memory. Drawing on insights from linguistics, semiotics, and philosophy, the study shows that temporality is not merely a chronological measure, but a deeply human experience connected to culture, communication, and collective memory. Time takes form in discourse, in social interactions, and in the values that structure everyday life. In this sense, the “anatomy of time” can be understood as a symbolic way of making an invisible reality meaningful. Language does not simply describe time; it helps shape our experience of it and gives coherence to the way we understand change, continuity, and human existence.

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