1. What is Semiotics?

2. Semiotics The study of signification and communication
how meaning is constructed and understood
how signification changes in different contexts

3. Semiotics Ferdinand de Saussure (“so-SIR”) (1857-1913)
“It is possible to conceive of a science which studies the role of signs as part of social life. It would form part of social psychology, and hence of general psychology. We shall call it semiology (from the Greek semeîon, 'sign'). It would investigate the nature of signs and the laws governing them.”

4. What is a Sign?

5. Sign
A sign is an entity which signifies another entity.

6. Sign A sign is an entity which signifies another entity.
We make meanings through our creation and interpretation of signs.
Charles Sanders Peirce (“purse”) (1839 –1914)

7. Sign
Whether something is a sign depends on a sentient entity ascribing it with meaning.

8. Sign
Whether something is a sign depends on a sentient entity ascribing it with meaning.

9. Sign
Whether something is a sign depends on a sentient entity ascribing it with meaning.
“leaf”

10. Sign
Whether something is a sign depends on a sentient entity ascribing it with meaning. ?

11. Sign Nothing is a sign unless it is interpreted as a sign.
Anything can be a sign as long as it is interpreted as signifying something by a sentient being.

12. Koko the Gorilla
(view video)

13. What are the two components of a Sign?
Dyadic Model
(Saussure)
What are the two components of a Sign? ? ?

14. Dyadic Model
(Saussure)
Components of a Sign
Signified
Signifier

15. Components of a Sign Dyadic Model (Saussure)
Signified is psychological
Signifier is physical, sensual

16. Commonsense dictates that the signified, the concept, is primary.
Dyadic Model
(Saussure)
Commonsense dictates that the signified, the concept, is primary.
Signified is psychological
Signifier is physical, sensual

17. Dyadic Model
(Saussure)
But many contemporary theorists consider the signifier, the medium of expression, just as important.
Signified is psychological
Signifier is physical, sensual

18. Semiotics is about a System of Meaning
Signs don’t have an essential or intrinsic connection to nature.

19. Semiotics is about a System of Meaning
Signs don’t have an essential or intrinsic connection to nature.
Meaning is structural and relational rather than referential.

20. Semiotics is about a System of Meaning
Signs don’t have an essential or intrinsic connection to nature.
Meaning is structural and relational rather than referential.
Signs refer primarily to each other.

21. Semiotics is about a System of Meaning
Signs don’t have an essential or intrinsic connection to nature.
Meaning is structural and relational rather than referential.
Signs refer primarily to each other.
Signs only make sense as part of a formal, generalized and abstract system.

22. Semiotics is about a System of Meaning
The word “cat” only makes sense in relation to other words:
“dog”
“animal”
“pet”
“owner”
“cute”
“purr”
“lick”
“hunt”

23. Semiotics is about a System of Meaning
“purr”
“cute”
“owner”
“lick”
“cat”
“hunt”
“animal”
“dog”

24. Semiotics is about a System of Meaning
No sign can make sense on its own but only in relation to other signs.

25. Semiotics is about a System of Meaning
No sign can make sense on its own but only in relation to other signs.
The meaning of signs is in their systematic relation to each other rather than deriving from any inherent features of signifiers or any reference to material things.

26. Semiotics is about a System of Meaning
The word “cat” has more in common with other words than it does an actual cat, or whatever a ??? may actually be.

27. Language is Binaristic and Negative
Cat vs. Dog
Man vs. Woman
Nature vs. Culture
Good vs. Evil
Yes vs. No
Black vs. White
0 vs. 1
Life vs. Death
Gay vs. Straight
Up vs. Down
Cold vs. Hot
Happy vs. Sad
Sleep vs. Awake
Free vs. Pay
Pretty vs. Ugly
West vs. East
Paper vs. Plastic
Republican vs. Democrat
Healthy vs. Sick
Few vs. Many

28. Things are defined not by what they are, but by what they are not.

29. Things are defined not by what they are, but by what they are not.

30. Most of the information communicated is actually negative.
“red”

31. Linguistic Signs are Immaterial (Saussure)
Word signifiers have no material value magically embedded in their sounds or appearance.

32. Linguistic Signs are Immaterial (Saussure)
Word signifiers have no material value magically embedded in their sounds or appearance.
This immateriality is their value.
If linguistic signs draw attention to their materiality this hinders their communicative transparency.
New words can be invented or imported as needed

33. Dyadic Model (Saussure) Signified is psychological
Signifier is physical, sensual

34. Triadic Model (Peirce) Object in the real world or speaker’s mind
Signified is psychological
Signifier is physical, sensual

35. Triadic Model (Peirce) Object in the real world or speaker’s mind
Interpretant is meaning from
decoding representamen
Representamen is physical,
sensual

36. Three ways signs represent objects (Peirce)
Symbol
Icon
Index

37. Three ways signs represent objects (Peirce)
Symbol
Arbitrary or purely conventional
100% needs to be learned
language in general, alphabet, punctuation marks, numbers, Morse code, traffic lights
Icon
Index

38. Three ways signs represent objects (Peirce)
Symbol
Arbitrary or purely conventional
100% needs to be learned
language in general, alphabet, punctuation marks, numbers, Morse code, traffic lights
Icon
Resembling or imitating the signified
similar in some quality
portrait, cartoon, onomatopoeia, metaphors, sound effects imitative gestures
Index

39. Three ways signs represent objects (Peirce)
Symbol
Arbitrary or purely conventional
100% needs to be learned
language in general, alphabet, punctuation marks, numbers, Morse code, traffic lights
Icon
Resembling or imitating the signified
similar in some quality
portrait, cartoon, onomatopoeia, metaphors, sound effects imitative gestures
Index
existential connection to the signified
evidence, smoke, footprints, pain, thermometer, clock, knock on a door, photograph, handwriting,

40. Three ways signs represent objects (Peirce)
Symbol
Icon
Signs can be one, two or all three of these at once.
Index

41. What are some Symbols?

42. What are some Symbols?
Words

43. What are some Icons?

44. What are some Icons?
“Chirp chirp”
“miu miu”
“vroooom”

45. What are each of these?

46. Icon of a real-world symbol
What are each of these?
Symbols
Icons
Symbol
Icon of a real-world symbol
(street sign)

47. What are some Indices? (plural of index)

48. What are some Indices? (plural of index)

49. Semiotic Analysis

50. Semiotic Analysis

51. Semiotic Analysis Olympic Style Guide for Beijing Citizens
(for foreigners to interpret Chinese people positively)

52. Semiotic Analysis Olympic Style Guide for Beijing Citizens
No wearing pajamas in public

53. Semiotic Analysis Olympic Style Guide for Beijing Citizens
No wearing pajamas in public
Westerners may read the person as crazy, or the culture doesn’t respect personal boundaries and privacy.
The Chinese government recognized that Westerners will read the pajamas incorrectly.

54. Semiotic Analysis Olympic Style Guide for Beijing Citizens
No more than three color groups in your clothing.
No white socks with black leather shoes
No public displays of affection
When standing toes should point outwards
Handshakes should not last more than 3 seconds

55. Semiotic Analysis
What are the intended signifieds?

56. Semiotic Analysis What are the intended signifieds? Man Sexy
Healthy / Ripped
Calvin Klein brand
Comfortable
Virility
“Package”
Inadequacy???
Jealousy???
Fear???

57. Semiotic Analysis
What are potential unintended signifieds?

58. Semiotic Analysis What are potential unintended signifieds?
Homoerotic???
Corporate
Propaganda
“Douche bag”
Alienated (from brand)

59. Semiotic Analysis
How is the signifier shaping the signified?

60. Semiotic Analysis How is the signifier shaping the signified?
Black and white
form and mass rather than color
authenticity

61. Semiotic Analysis

62. Semiotic Analysis
Transcoding (the signified)

63. Semiotic Analysis “Black” (“Black is Beautiful” from the 1960s)
Transcoding (the signified)
“Black” (“Black is Beautiful” from the 1960s)
“Nigger”
“Queer”
“Bitch”
Minority groups often appropriate the language of oppression to assert power

64. “The CD cover of his album Put Yo Hood Up (2001) shows Lil’ Jon clad in a pair of black rubber coveralls, his open-mouthed expression of rage and intensity augmented by the added effect of gold teeth, sunglasses, and long dreadlocks, creating a general impression of a demented slaughterhouse worker or other grotesque. The draping of the rebel flag around his shoulders in the picture, far from constituting an endorsement, communicates the hostile occupation of a symbol. The cover image seems the worst nightmare of a white supremacist, a demonic, superpowered black man appropriating, occupying, and defiling the treasured symbol of Dixie.”

65. Semiotic Analysis
I'm Sorry Miss Jackson
"I wear the belt for southern pride and to rebel I don't take the Confederate flag that serious as far as the racial part is concerned." Andre 3000 of OutKast

66. Semiotic Analysis
Trans-coding (the signified)
Other examples?

67. Semiotic Analysis

68. Semiotic Analysis

69. Semiotic Analysis