{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2025,6,26]],"date-time":"2025-06-26T17:28:16Z","timestamp":1750958896352,"version":"3.38.0"},"reference-count":24,"publisher":"University of Toronto Press Inc. (UTPress)","issue":"4","content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["Cartographica"],"published-print":{"date-parts":[[2004,1,1]]},"abstract":"<jats:p> According to Ferdinand de Saussure's theory of the linguistic sign, the sign has two primordial characteristics, which he called the first and second principles: (1) the arbitrary nature of the sign and (2) the linear nature of the signifier. When outlining the second principle of the linear signifier, Saussure made a distinction between auditory and visual signifiers - a differentiation widely adopted by cartographers regarding cartographic signs. The first principle of the arbitrary nature of the sign has been discussed by some cartographers but is not recognized in Bertin's semiology of graphics (Bertin 1967, 1983a). Two alternative relationships constituting arbitrariness, sense versus reference, are discussed for cartographic signs. Both forms of arbitrariness are recognized as being present, and examples are given. Arbitrariness as reference is discussed, providing a theoretical argument for the use of unclassed choropleth maps in preference to classed choropleth maps. <\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3138\/4462-2125-1312-217t","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2007,4,4]],"date-time":"2007-04-04T13:42:32Z","timestamp":1175694152000},"page":"27-36","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":3,"title":["Cartographic Signs and Arbitrariness"],"prefix":"10.3138","volume":"39","author":[{"given":"Jan","family":"R\u00f8d","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Geography, Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU), Trondheim, Norway"}]}],"member":"1696","reference":[{"key":"atypb1","unstructured":"The Nature of the Linguistic Sign.4349"},{"volume-title":"S\u00e9miologie graphique: les diagrammes, les r\u00e9seaux, les cartes.","key":"atypb2"},{"volume-title":"Graphics and Graphic Information-Processing","key":"atypb3"},{"volume-title":"Semiology of Graphics.","key":"atypb4"},{"key":"atypb5","unstructured":"A New Look at Cartography.6986"},{"volume-title":"Geschichte der neueren Sprachwissenschaft.","key":"atypb6"},{"volume":"7","journal-title":"International Yearbook of Cartography","first-page":"186","key":"atypb7"},{"volume-title":"Optimal Data Classification for Choropleth Maps.","key":"atypb8"},{"volume":"31","journal-title":"Cartographica","first-page":"16","key":"atypb9"},{"volume-title":"Philosophy in a New Key.","key":"atypb10"},{"volume-title":"How Maps Work: Representation, Visualization, and Design.","key":"atypb11"},{"volume-title":"\u201cChoropleth.\u201d","key":"atypb12"},{"volume-title":"Foundations of the Unity of Science: Towards an International Encyclopaedia of Unified Science vols. 1 and 2.","key":"atypb13"},{"volume-title":"Handbook of Semiotics.","key":"atypb14"},{"volume-title":"Philosophical Writings of Peirce","key":"atypb15"},{"volume-title":"The Nature of Maps: Essays Toward Understanding Maps and Mapping.","key":"atypb16"},{"volume":"38","journal-title":"Cartographic Perspectives","first-page":"7","key":"atypb17"},{"volume-title":"Course in General Linguistics","key":"atypb18"},{"key":"atypb19","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"23","DOI":"10.1179\/caj.1985.22.1.23","volume":"22","journal-title":"Cartographic Journal"},{"key":"atypb20","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"262","DOI":"10.1111\/j.1538-4632.1973.tb01012.x","volume":"5","journal-title":"Geographical Analysis"},{"key":"atypb21","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"23","DOI":"10.1179\/caj.1985.22.1.23","volume":"22","journal-title":"Cartographic Journal"},{"key":"atypb22","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"262","DOI":"10.1111\/j.1538-4632.1973.tb01012.x","volume":"5","journal-title":"Geographical Analysis"},{"key":"atypb23","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"23","DOI":"10.1179\/caj.1985.22.1.23","volume":"22","journal-title":"Cartographic Journal"},{"key":"atypb24","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"262","DOI":"10.1111\/j.1538-4632.1973.tb01012.x","volume":"5","journal-title":"Geographical Analysis"}],"container-title":["Cartographica"],"original-title":[],"language":"en","link":[{"URL":"https:\/\/utppublishing.com\/doi\/pdf\/10.3138\/4462-2125-1312-217T","content-type":"unspecified","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"similarity-checking"}],"deposited":{"date-parts":[[2025,3,12]],"date-time":"2025-03-12T23:52:27Z","timestamp":1741823547000},"score":1,"resource":{"primary":{"URL":"https:\/\/utppublishing.com\/doi\/10.3138\/4462-2125-1312-217T"}},"subtitle":[],"short-title":[],"issued":{"date-parts":[[2004,1,1]]},"references-count":24,"journal-issue":{"issue":"4","published-print":{"date-parts":[[2004,1,1]]}},"alternative-id":["10.3138\/4462-2125-1312-217T"],"URL":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3138\/4462-2125-1312-217t","relation":{},"ISSN":["0317-7173","1911-9925"],"issn-type":[{"type":"print","value":"0317-7173"},{"type":"electronic","value":"1911-9925"}],"subject":[],"published":{"date-parts":[[2004,1,1]]}}}