PURCOM-LESSON 11

• Semiotics


  The study of signs and symbols and their use of interpretation
• Semiotics


  • Usually studies the roles of signs and the part they play on a social and cultural scale
• We all interpret signs every day of our lives, we negotiate the signage of human interactions, purchases, work, travel etc. In most cases we do this successfully because we have learned how to decode and use the signs in our everyday lives
• Sign


  The smallest unit of meaning
• Sign


  • Requires two pieces: 1) The signifier (any material or physical form of the sign – the object that exists) 2) The signified (a cultural or social concept that a signifier refers to – what it means)
• Sausserean model


  • Tree (signifier)
  • Concept of tree (signified)
• Sausserean model


  • The line between the signified and signifier represents the link the mind triggers whenever the two are placed together. The arrows represent that constant interaction between concept and sound/visual.
• Types of signs


  • Symbolic
  • Iconic
  • Indexical
• Symbolic sign


  The signifier (the physical/material) does not resemble the signified (concept), so the relationship between the two must be taught
• Symbolic signs


  • Traffic signs/traffic lights, foreign language/sign language, national flags, punctuation, and Morse code
• Iconic sign


  The signifier (the physical/material) resembles the signified (concept), so the relationship is obvious
• Iconic signs


  • A photograph or portrait of someone, a cartoon, a gesture, or a metaphor
• Indexical sign


  The signifier (the physical/material) is directly connected to the signified (concept), but the relationship is at the interpreter's discretion
• Indexical signs


  • Sound signals (a knock at the door or a phone ringing), natural signals (smoke means fire or footsteps means someone is approaching), pointer signals (directions or a finger pointing) or recordings (a film, TV show, photograph, or YouTube video)
• Denotation


  The most basic literal meaning of a sign
• Denotation


  • A rose is a sign for a type of flower in a garden
• Connotation


  The secondary, cultural meaning of a sign
• Connotation


  • A rose is a sign for passion or true love (think Romeo and Juliet or the enchanted rose in Beauty and the Beast)
• Ideology


  A set of ideas that create a culture's expectations, goals, and actions; in semiotics, this relates usually to social or political issues
• Paradigm


  A set of associated signifieds (concepts) or signifiers (the physical/material) which belong to the same category
• Paradigm


  • When working with film and television, a paradigm may include ways of transitioning, or moving, from a shot/camera angle (dissolve, cut, fade, etc.)
• Syntagm


  A sequential chain that combines interacting signifiers (the physical/material) and forms a meaningful whole within a semiotic text
• Syntagm


  • Courses to different meals – each meal (breakfast, lunch, and dinner) holds a separate meaning, so the sequential chain would dictate what courses to serve
• Mythology


  The combination of paradigms and syntagms that make up a well-told story with regards to cultural association
• Mythology


  • The American cowboy mythology/the Wild West mythology
• Semiotic situation


  A moment when we try to make sense of our surroundings and interpret one aspect based on the signs of our situation
• There is no perfect communication… but there is an effective communication
• Signifier - any material or physical form of the sign – the object that exists)
• Signified - (a cultural or social concept that a signifier refers to – what it means)
• “Sausserean” models (named after Ferdinand de Saussure, who helped create the model).