My very own “definition” of 9/11:
The digits 9-1-1 (signifier) can bear various meanings (signified) depending on the language, the historical and social contexts
they are used in. For example, In French, which happens to be my first
language, 9/11 refers to November 9th instead of September 11th
(in French writing, the day comes before the month when spelling out the date).
November 9th is actually my birthday; therefore, the first thing
that comes to my mind when I see or hear 9/11 is my date of birth. 9/11 also
reminds me of an important day of my life: On September 9th 2011, I
made one of the most important decisions of my life. Since then, the digits
9-1-1 have become a very significant symbol
in my life, and that’s why I’ve decided to get them tatted on my chest.
To the rest of the world, to
Americans in particular, 9/11 carries a totally different signification: 9/11
symbolizes one of the most tragic events in America’s history. As we all know,
on September 9th 2001, thousands of Americans lost their lives in
the terrorist attacks launched on the twin towers In New York. From a social
standpoint, 9 1 1 represents the emergency number we can dial when we find ourselves
in tough situations. At the end of the day, it always amazes me to see how
words, signs, gestures, and so on switch meanings from a culture to another,
form an individual to another, etc… 9/11 is just an example among millions of
others.
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