Semiotics Semiotics is simply the study of signs As a culture we see and understand signs all the time stop signs open or closed signs signs telling us which is a male or female bathroom etc ID: 654181
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Slide1
Semiotics
Defining and Introducing ConceptsSlide2
Semiotics
Semiotics is, simply, the study of signs. As a culture, we see and understand signs all the time: stop signs, open or closed signs, signs telling us which is a male or female bathroom, etc.
Silverman and Rader define
sign
as “an object or idea or combination of the two that refers to something besides itself, and it depends on others to recognize that it is a sign (6).
In other words, signs get their meanings due to culture, history, experience, etc. Slide3
Components of a sign
Saussure, one of the creators of semiotics, argued that a sign is composed of two parts: the signifier and the signified.
Together, the two create a sign and that creates meaning.
Signifier: Object that exists
Signified: what it meansSlide4
ExampleSlide5
Denotation
When you describe what you are actually seeing, you are describing the denotation of a text or reading it on a denotative level
This means that you are just reading the surface of a textSlide6
Connotation
The signified is what you associate with what you are physically seeing
This is usually influenced by your culture, your experience, your memories, your history, where you are, etc.
When you look for the deeper or hidden meanings of a text, you are looking at it on a connotative level
Let’s try some examples of denotation
and connotation.Slide7
Example 1:Slide8
Example 2:Slide9
Example 3:Slide10
Making Meaning
“The world is open to interpretation” (Silverman & Radar 6)
Multiple meanings &
interpretations
Different
connotations to everything
read and observe
Like figurative language (multiple meaning
)
Influenced
by background
E
very
text you read, as you interpret, you bring all your knowledge of everything else you
read and observe
System of Reading
“We can interpret images, words whose letters are arbitrarily assigned meaning” (
S
ilverman & Radar 8)
Same signified with different meaning: pop, soda, CokeSlide11
CatSlide12
Is there an essential form of catness
or
Katniss
?Slide13
Semitotic Situations
“When we try to make sense of our surroundings or interpret one aspect of our surroundings based on the signs or texts of our situation” (Silverman & Rader 10).
“Read between the lines” (Silverman & Rader 10).Slide14
The Body as a Text
Our body is read as a
text
D
eciphered
to be read according to societal standards.
Look for cultural signs-signifiers (pants, long hair,
etc
)
.Slide15
The Body as a TextSlide16
Font
vs
.
F
ontSlide17
ICONSSlide18
OUTCASTS/(SUB)CULTURES