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Authors:

 Yeregui, Mariela.

Title:

 Proxemics and interactive languages

Keywords:

 active role, communication, space paradigms

Abstract:

 Proxemics as "the interrelated observations and theories of man's use of space as a specialized elaboration of culture" could be a prolific theoretical sphere to be explored in what concerns interactive languages. The discussion about cultural distance between human beings, the use of space amongst them and the identity of space and distance as the result of human interaction, could be actualized as regards digital communication. I mean: the non-linearity of the digital language is such a pertinent trait that would make emerge, evolve and signify the reflection about social space and human contact.
Communication process in digital language -particularly in that kind of experiences where the spectator has an active role- sets new patterns of exchange and dialogue. Non-linearity, non-predictability and multiplicity of communicational levels are the characteristics of this selective scheme of communication. On the other hand, it sets inherent paradigms concerning the use of space, the notion of distance and the definition of contact through this distinctive channel of communication. As part of a more global system -where proxemics chats with culture and is, at some point, animated by human behaviors-, it would be yielding to make this particular notion of proxemics intersect with the more general one, which defines the general communication system.
Consequently, my paper will be focused around the following conceptual premises:
1. technological communication sets inherent patterns of exchange.
2. Proxemics is a signifier system, then a communicational system. Distance and contact communicate. This means that if 1 and 2 are true, there would be an intermixture of two levels of communication.
3. The amalgam of these two levels should take into account:
3.1 the use of real space and the kind of contact between people.
3.2 The use of real space by means of a technological channel.
3.3 The traits of communication through digital language.
Brief, the codes of space reveal cultural and social attitudes. The technological codes of communication re-signify the codes of space. Between these two levels there is a mechanism of interaction and interdependency.
Yeregui, Mariela. myeregui@yahoo.com mariela@hypermedia.ucla.edu Mariela Yeregui was born in Argentina in 1966. She studied Arts (University of Buenos Aires) and Movie Making (National Institute of Cinematography).She directed documentary films and worked as film editor. In 1992, the Institute of Cinematography granted an award for her experimental project about Pizarnik's poetry, which resulted in the financial sponsoring of the film. It has also been financially awarded by the National Funds of Art and won the third prize at the Contest of Cultural Films (National Education and Culture Secretariat). It participated in many Festivals abroad and it was broadcasted.She has been teacher at the School of Arts and at the School of Image and Sound (University of Buenos Aires). She got a Master's Degree in Literature at the University of the Ivory Coast in 1997. Her thesis deals with oral tradition in modern African novel. She was granted a scholarship by Antorchas Foundation from Argentina and University of California, to participate in the activities of the Lab for New Media, School of Film and TV (UCLA) for ten months. At the present, she is preparing her thesis about oral and written patterns in communication in order to obtain her Certificate of Advanced Studies in Modern Literature at the University of the Ivory Coast. At the same time she is working in her installation's project about proxemics -supported by the Hypermedia Studio of the University of California, Los Angeles, which would be performed next year- and in a CD ROM project about cultural identity.