The Musical Emblems in Coatian Cellphones: A Repertoire for Identity Formation

Nikša Gligo (University of Zagreb)

Email: ngligo@yahoo.com

 

ABSTRACT:

The research is based on two sources: 1) on the offers of main Croatian providers (T-com, Vip and Tele2) which can be downloaded for cell-phones; 2) on two case-studies, the repertoires of musical emblems in a cell-phone owned by a 13 year boy and by an adult user (in his forties).

The content of the offers of the main Croatian providers will be analyzed according to the criteria of identity that could influence the choice of the user; the repertoire in two selected cell-phones will be analyzed based on the content not found in the providers' offers. In the second case the cell-phone operates also as the "musical box" that provides the listener with music that has nothing to do with the emblematic functions of the elementary sound signs (singing tone, sign of incoming SMS message etc.). The presentation will focus on the socio-cultural milieu that possibly determines the choices of the two users.