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Book cover as a semiotic translation: The case of the autobiography Mayrig by Henri Verneuil // ΠΡΑΞΗMΑ. Journal of Visual Semiotics. 2025. Issue 4 (46). P. 122-141

Beyond their conventional role, book covers function as sophisticated agents of cultural communication and semiotic translation. While extant research often analyzes the linguistic aspects of translation, the interplay of verbal and nonverbal elements on book covers, particularly in the context of autobiographical narratives and cross-cultural adaptation, remains neglected. This study examines the book cover as a site of semiotic translation in Henri Verneuil’s autobiography, Mayrig, in its French, Armenian, and American editions. The interplay between its verbal and nonverbal elements is explored through a comparative lens, informed by Gérard Genette’s insightful paratextual theory. Particular attention is paid to how the very fabric of the cover subtly reveals patterns and variations that vividly illustrate the cultural and temporal adaptations of the narrative’s core themes. Drawing on Roland Barthes’ concept of photography as an “umbilical cord”, the analysis examines how photographic elements enhance the autobiographical pact. Thus, the study evaluates the connections that emerge from combining various media, such as family photos, movie stills, and narrative quotes. This article concludes that Mayrig’s covers actively serve as dynamic sites of semiotic translation that employ various semiotic strategies to successfully convey the main themes of the work to a diverse audience.

Keywords: book cover, semiotic translation, autobiography, semiotics of photography, Mayrig, Henri Verneuil