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1.4: Semiotics

  • Page ID
    17999
    • Media Hack Team
    • University of Otago and others via Creative Commons
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    Introduction

    Ferdinand de Saussure

    Ferdinand de Saussure; Image source Wikimedia Commons

    Semiotics is the study of signs and their meaning in society. A sign is something which can stand for something else – in other words, a sign is anything that can convey meaning. So words can be signs, drawings can be signs, photographs can be signs, even street signs can be signs. Modes of dress and style, the type of bag you have, or even where you live can also be considered signs, in that they convey meaning. This chapter will introduce the idea of signs, how they function within systems and as tools of communication, and situate signs within codes.

    Signs and Signifiers

    • Sign Systems
    • Semiotics and Communication Processes
    • Codes

    This page titled 1.4: Semiotics is shared under a CC BY 4.0 license and was authored, remixed, and/or curated by Media Hack Team (Creative Commons) .

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