semiotics

Semiotics

The study of signs or a sign system.

Famous semiotician Ferdinand de saussure is seen  as the founder. Other early developers of tthe study of semiotics are:Claude levi strauss semiotics is the study of signs and symbols and their use of interpretation.

A sign is the smallest unit of meaning.

Body language,colour,shot type,words,pictures

Signifier/Signified

Saussure offered a 'dyadic' or two part model of the sign. He defined a sign as being composed of

• a signifier- The form which the sign takes.
• The signified- The concept it represents.

Denotation/Connotation

The signified is the obvious meaning of the signifier or sign-the denotation. Many signs have other meanings, extra meanings are called connotations.

An important concept in semiology is that all signs hold different levels of meaning- the denotative level and to connotative level.

Denotation-the denotational level

• literal meaning

Connotation- the connotational level

• red implies danger
• arguable