Machinima: Advent of a Word

Sassure argues that it is extremely difficult to change an established language: “The [signifier], in relation to the idea it represents, may seem freely chosen. However, from the point of view of the linguistic community, the [signifier] is imposed rather than freely chosen. Speakers are not consulted about its choice. Once the language has selected a [signifier], it cannot be freely replaced by any other….No individual is able, even if he wished, to modify in any way a choice already established in the language”. (p.71). Later, in order to explain why words do change, Sassure contradicts himself and says change is inevitable, but never really elaborates fully on why this change might occur: “A language alters, or rather evolves under the influence of all factors which may affect either sounds or meanings. Evolution is inevitable: there is no known example of a language immune from it. After a certain time, changes can always been seen to have taken place” (p.76)

The advent of new technology always leads to the creation of new words and the evolution of language. The original creation of the word is an act of will. Of course, whether or not the word is actually absorbed by the language is not something that is controllable. An interesting example that came to my mind was the linguistic history of the word “machinima”, a New Media art-form that uses video games to create animated films. This form of animation began in the 1990s when a small group of gamers began to make short films out of the popular computer game Quake. In this community, the films became known as “Quake Movies”. However, the phrase proved inadequate when these movies began to be produced in alternative game environments. At this point, two Scotsmen coined the word “machinima” as a more general term to encompass the slowly growing art form. The word itself is a portmanteau of the words “machine” and “cinema”, two different signs carrying their own signifiers and signifieds, now fused into a new sign (which contains a new signifier and signified). The fusion of two pre-existing terms is yet another example of Sassure’s concept of the inheritance of language from previous generations. The new word is a combination of fragments of the old.

Originally, only a few people used the word, but as the community grew and the art-form gained press, “machinima” established itself as the word describing this new phenomena. This process was certainly helped by the corporatization of the term by the successful video hosting site “machinima.com”. Sassure claims that “anyone who invents an artificial language retains control of it only as long as it is not in use. But as soon as it fulfils its purpose and becomes the property of a community, it is no longer under control” (p.76). The same is true for words. Once the term “machinima” took-off and expanded away from its founders, it took on new connotations and meanings (the signified). In other words, the original community lost control over the word. While it may have been fairly easy to alter the word in its infancy, when few people used it, it now became entrenched and extremely difficult to dislodge. Thus, when a group of machinima-makers later sought to replace “machinima” with the term “anymation”, they failed.