Welcome to our introduction to semiotics! So, what is semiotics? It’s the study of signs and symbols and how they create meaning in our world. Think about it—signs are all around us, from traffic lights guiding our drive to emojis lighting up our texts. They help us make sense of everything.
Introduction to Semiotics
Definition: Semiotics is the study of signs and symbols and how they create meaning in our world.
Theorists:
- Saussure: A sign has two parts—signifier (the form, like the word “tree”) and signified (the concept, like a mental image of a tree).
- Peirce: Signs can be icons (resemble the thing, e.g., a photo), indexes (point to the thing, e.g., smoke for fire), or symbols (learned meanings, e.g., a flag for a country).
- Barthes: Signs carry denotation (literal meaning) and connotation (cultural meaning). A rose denotes a flower but connotes love.
Example: A stop sign:
- Signifier: Red octagon with “STOP.”
- Signified: The command to halt.
- Connotation: Safety, authority.
Home-work/Question: Think about a sign you see every day. How does it shape your decisions?
