Exploring Semiotic Theories: Signs, Meanings, and Interpretations

1. Ch. 2 Fundamental Concepts in Semiotics Part One 2.1 Semiology and semiotics 2.2 Signs, semiosis, and abduction 2.3 Sign Classifications, their origin, and their Use 2.4 Pragmatics, speech acts, and culture 2.5 Sign Production, Communication and Discursive competence 2.6 Metaphors and Metonymies

2. Ch. 1 Important Review • Semiotic Engineering Framework • Instead of HCI’s producing of new technology • SE introduces Introduction of technology aims at making adopters understand strategic aspects of the new technology Users must be told how technology can add value.

3. Chapter focuscertain Semiotic Theories Semiotic = Meaning-making and representation in many forms by Chandler 2002 Everything that can be taken as a sign by Eco 1976 Meaning-makers Meaning-takers psychology, anthropology, biology, logic, linguistics, philosophy, media studies, software engineering, etc. Domain of meanings

4. Meaning of meaning Nature & purpose of representations asking what is known why or how they know Therefore Semiotic Engineering favors a philosophical perspective on: • Investigating, • Designing, • Evaluating, and • Practicing Human Computer Interaction.

5. 2.1 Semiology and semiotics • Ferdinand de Saussure • Language = system of arbitrary signifying units • Abstract system langue • Realization in instances of sign usage parole • Charles Peirce • Based on conventions • Rule-based representations

6. Ferdinand de Saussure • He distinguished between signifier and signified. Sign is made up of: Signifier • The image or sound that gives a meaning e.g. blue color Signified • The concept or meaning that the sign refers to e.g. blue color is often associated with sadness or the sea. • He was a Swiss linguistic who created the term “semiotics”.

7. Ferdinand de Saussure1857 – 1913 Swiss Linguist • Therefore for a sign to be considered a sign it must have a signifier and the signified. • Saussure argues that words are verbal signifiers that are personal to whoever is interpreting them . • A signifier can have many different representations which can turn into a different sign • Key figure in the study of language • Work inspired ideas of later writers in film theory, cultural studies and media studies • Important contribution – recognition of the nature of language as a relational system of signs

8. Charles Peirce • He followed a career in math , philosophy and was a logician. • Every thought is a sign and every act or reasoning of the interpretation of signs • Signs function as mediators between the external world of objects and the internal world or ideas. • Semiotics is the process of co-operation between signs, their objects and their interpretants.

9. 2.2 Signs, semiosis, and abduction • The three most basic semiotic concepts used: • Signs, • semiosis, and • abduction • Signs (for de Saussure) were a relational structure binding a representation (a perceptible form) to what it represents (a conceivable content) • Signs (for Peirce) were three fold structure and functioned as a process • Let’s take a look at Peirce’s idea

10. Sign The structure of the Peircean sign Interpretant -meaning- Object -referent- Representamen -representation-

11. Interpretant • Meaning of a representation --thus the meaning of the sign – (defined by Peirce as another sign. • Interpretation = process by which meanings are associated to signs

12. Indefinitely many meanings to a sign • Impossible to Predict • the exact path • the meaningful association made during interpretation…. This interpretive process is semiosis

13. Result of inference and episodic memory associations • InferenceThe conclusion to the associations of the representation • EpisodicThe branch of philosophy that studies the nature of knowledge, its presuppositions and foundations, and its extent and validity

14. Observation vs. Inference • Make 2 columns on your paper Observations Inference 1. 1. 2. 2. 3. 3. Write down: observation – things you can see in the picture Inferences – things that you suppose are likely to happen based on what you see in the picture

17. 2.2 Signs, semiosis, and abduction (cont..)

18. 2.2 Signs, semiosis, and abduction (cont..)

19. 2.3 Sign Classifications, their origin, and their Use Sign classification: enhances its descriptive power enhances its predictive power enhances its explanatory power

20. Forms of signs A symbol has an arbitrary relationship between the signifier and the signified. The interpreter understands the symbol through previous knowledge and experience. Spoken or written words are symbols. For example flags.. The signifier is perceived as resembling the signified. A pictorial representation , a photograph, an architect’s model of a building are all icons because they imitate or copy aspects of their subjects An index has a factual or casual connection that points towards a subject. • Example • A nest image is an icon but also an index of a bird. Icon Index Symbol

21. Peircean Semiotics in HCI • Famous classification of signs into: • Icons – the representation brings the 1ST of its referent. • Indices - the representation brings the 2ND of its referent. • Symbols - the representation brings the 3RD of its referent. Semantic Directness = function of the distance between a user’s conception of a goal to achieve and the structure of actions in the abstract model