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What is Semiotics?

What is Semiotics?. Semiotics. The study of signification and communication how meaning is constructed and understood how signification changes in different contexts. Semiotics. Ferdinand de Saussure (“so-SIR”) (1857-1913)

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What is Semiotics?

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  1. What is Semiotics?

  2. Semiotics • The study of • signification and communication • how meaning is constructed and understood • how signification changes in different contexts

  3. Semiotics • Ferdinand de Saussure (“so-SIR”) (1857-1913) • “It is possible to conceive of a science which studies the role of signs as part of social life. It would form part of social psychology, and hence of general psychology. We shall call it semiology (from the Greek semeîon, 'sign'). It would investigate the nature of signs and the laws governing them.”

  4. What is a Sign?

  5. Sign • A sign is an entity which signifies another entity.

  6. Sign • A sign is an entity which signifies another entity. • We make meanings through our creation and interpretation of signs. • Charles Sanders Peirce (“purse”) (1839 –1914)

  7. Sign • Whether something is a sign depends on a sentient entity ascribing it with meaning.

  8. Sign • Whether something is a sign depends on a sentient entity ascribing it with meaning.

  9. Sign • Whether something is a sign depends on a sentient entity ascribing it with meaning. “leaf”

  10. Sign • Whether something is a sign depends on a sentient entity ascribing it with meaning. ?

  11. Sign • Nothing is a sign unless it is interpreted as a sign. • Anything can be a sign as long as it is interpreted as signifying something by a sentient being.

  12. Koko the Gorilla (view video)

  13. What are the twocomponents of a Sign? Dyadic Model (Saussure) ? ?

  14. Components of a Sign Dyadic Model (Saussure) Signified Signifier

  15. Components of a Sign Dyadic Model (Saussure) Signified is psychological Signifier is physical, sensual

  16. Commonsense dictates that the signified, the concept, is primary. Dyadic Model (Saussure) Signified is psychological Signifier is physical, sensual

  17. But many contemporary theorists consider the signifier, the medium of expression, just as important. Dyadic Model (Saussure) Signified is psychological Signifier is physical, sensual

  18. Semiotics is about aSystem of Meaning • Signs don’t have an essential or intrinsic connection to nature.

  19. Semiotics is about aSystem of Meaning • Signs don’t have an essential or intrinsic connection to nature. • Meaning is structural and relational rather than referential.

  20. Semiotics is about aSystem of Meaning • Signs don’t have an essential or intrinsic connection to nature. • Meaning is structural and relational rather than referential. • Signs refer primarily to each other.

  21. Semiotics is about aSystem of Meaning • Signs don’t have an essential or intrinsic connection to nature. • Meaning is structural and relational rather than referential. • Signs refer primarily to each other. • Signs only make sense as part of a formal, generalized and abstract system.

  22. Semiotics is about aSystem of Meaning • The word “cat” only makes sense in relation to other words: • “dog” • “animal” • “pet” • “owner” • “cute” • “purr” • “lick” • “hunt”

  23. Semiotics is about aSystem of Meaning • “purr” • “cute” • “owner” • “lick” • “cat” • “hunt” • “animal” • “dog”

  24. Semiotics is about aSystem of Meaning • No sign can make sense on its own but only in relation to other signs.

  25. Semiotics is about aSystem of Meaning • No sign can make sense on its own but only in relation to other signs. • The meaning of signs is in their systematic relation to each other rather than deriving from any inherent features of signifiers or any reference to material things.

  26. Semiotics is about aSystem of Meaning The word “cat” has more in common with other words than it does an actual cat, or whatever a ??? may actually be.

  27. Language isBinaristic and Negative • Cold vs. Hot • Happy vs. Sad • Sleep vs. Awake • Free vs. Pay • Pretty vs. Ugly • West vs. East • Paper vs. Plastic • Republican vs. Democrat • Healthy vs. Sick • Few vs. Many • Cat vs. Dog • Man vs. Woman • Nature vs. Culture • Good vs. Evil • Yes vs. No • Black vs. White • 0 vs. 1 • Life vs. Death • Gay vs. Straight • Up vs. Down

  28. Things are defined not by what they are, but by what they are not.

  29. Things are defined not by what they are, but by what they are not. “red”

  30. Most of the information communicated is actually negative. “red”

  31. Linguistic Signs are Immaterial(Saussure) • Word signifiers have no material value magically embedded in their sounds or appearance.

  32. Linguistic Signs are Immaterial(Saussure) • Word signifiers have no material value magically embedded in their sounds or appearance. • This immateriality is their value. • If linguistic signs draw attention to their materiality this hinders their communicative transparency. • New words can be invented or imported as needed

  33. Dyadic Model (Saussure) Signified is psychological Signifier is physical, sensual

  34. Triadic Model (Peirce) Object in the real world or speaker’s mind Signified is psychological Signifier is physical, sensual

  35. Triadic Model (Peirce) Object in the real world or speaker’s mind Interpretant is meaning from decoding representamen Representamen is physical, sensual

  36. Three ways signs represent objects(Peirce) • Symbol • Icon • Index

  37. Three ways signs represent objects(Peirce) • Symbol • Arbitrary or purely conventional • 100% needs to be learned • language in general, alphabet, punctuation marks, numbers, Morse code, traffic lights • Icon • Index

  38. Three ways signs represent objects(Peirce) • Symbol • Arbitrary or purely conventional • 100% needs to be learned • language in general, alphabet, punctuation marks, numbers, Morse code, traffic lights • Icon • Resembling or imitating the signified • similar in some quality • portrait, cartoon, onomatopoeia, metaphors, sound effects imitative gestures • Index

  39. Three ways signs represent objects(Peirce) • Symbol • Arbitrary or purely conventional • 100% needs to be learned • language in general, alphabet, punctuation marks, numbers, Morse code, traffic lights • Icon • Resembling or imitating the signified • similar in some quality • portrait, cartoon, onomatopoeia, metaphors, sound effects imitative gestures • Index • existential connection to the signified • evidence, smoke, footprints, pain, thermometer, clock, knock on a door, photograph, handwriting,

  40. Three ways signs represent objects(Peirce) • Symbol • Icon Signs can be one, two or all three of these at once. • Index

  41. What are some Symbols?

  42. What are some Symbols? Words Words Words

  43. What are some Icons?

  44. What are some Icons? “Chirp chirp” “miu miu” “vroooom”

  45. What are each of these?

  46. What are each of these? Symbols Icon of a real-world symbol (street sign) Icons Symbol

  47. What are some Indices?(plural of index)

  48. What are some Indices?(plural of index)

  49. Semiotic Analysis

  50. Semiotic Analysis

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