Semiotics

Semiotics the brainchild of Ferdinand de Saussure is the exploration of signs and symbols, the study of making meaningful communication.


“Psychologically our thought-apart from its expression in words-is only a shapeless and indistinct mass.” -Saussure(Harris , 1998)


A sign is something that conveys meaning, be it verbal, written,  an image and even  a facial expression. Generally, a sign is described as something which refers to something else.

Sign=Signifier+Signified

Eg. The word Tree is the signifier, The actual tree is the signified. 

This happens through associations we make when we're young. Our parents tell us what something is called and we associate that sound with the thing we are being shown. This is all effected by the society and culture we are living in. 

Thus, most signs have multiple signifieds. In my case, I named my pet-cat "Baby" since that's what I called it for the first few weeks I had it. The denotation of the word baby is the meaning most people would associate with the word i.e. a newborn child. However, to me the word also means a specific cat, which is a secondary meaning, thus a connotation.

Sign+Object+Interpreter

  • Icon: resemblance (looks like the object, but isn't the object)
  • Index: caused by (Suggests something happened becuase of another, object caused sign)
  • Symbol: convention (Signs that we have learnt to associate with the object)

  • Icon: image, paintings, drawings, blueprints, maps. (sign: Image of Smoke, Object: Smoke)
  • Index: cause and link between sign and object, (Sign: Smoke, Object: Fire)
  • Symbol: association because of learnt behaviour (culture).

Index: Taxi light on because of the fact that the cab is free. 

Symbol: The light being on means Taxi is free, Word Taxi symbolic of the vehicle.

 There is no true link between the symbolic sign and the object it describes. All words whether written and spoken are symbolic. Flags are also symbolic, they have nothing that resembles the object they are describing in themselves.




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