An analogy for the "signifier of a signifier" idea that Derrida mentions vis a vis writing and speech is the realtionship between music and music notation. Most people would agree that the opening of Beethoven's Fifth Symphony is a particular collection of sound, while the thing pictured above is just notation we use to describe it. Both are semiotic systems, but the latter exists solely in the service of the former.
The division of labor is clear when we're talking about written music, less clear when were talking about written language.
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