Semiotics

What is Semiotics? It is the study of signs and symbols and their use or

interpretation. Derived from Greek word “semiotikos” meaning

“interpreter of signs”. Science which studies the role of signs as part of

social life Formal doctrine of signs Investigates the nature of signs and the laws

governing them Natural and artificial languages are central to

semiotics, though its field covers all non-verbal signalling. Knowledge, meaning, intention and action are therefore fundamental concepts in the theory of Semiotics

What is a Sign? Saussure and Peirce were concerned with the

definition of sign Words, images, sounds, gestures, objects

3 classes of signs Symbol – signifier does not resemble the

signified (fundamentally arbitrary or purely conventional)

Icon – signifier is perceived as resembling or imitating the signified

Index – signifier is directly connected in some way (physically or causally) to the signified

Ferdinand de Saussure Saussure´s sign definition “ the sign is the whole that

results from the association of the signifier with the signified”

Signified and Signifier are both psychological (form rather than substance) Saussure´s model of the sign refers only to a concept and not to a thing

Saussure Same signifier can stand for different signifiers depending on the context Saussure was focusing on the linguistic sign (such as a word) The link between signified and signifier is arbitrary (nothing ‘treeish’ about word ‘tree’) No specific signifier is ‘naturally’ more suited to a signified than another Saussure was more concerned about linguistic signs and speech

Charles Sanders Peirce Peirce´s sign definition Representation – form which the sign takes (not

necessarily material) Object – to which the sign refers Interpretant – idea,

interpretation in mind The sign relation is the key. It defines three roles

encompassing The sign The sign's subject matter, called its object The sign's meaning or ramification as formed into a kind

of effect called its interpretant (a further sign, for example a translation