AS Media Semiotics Reference Sheet

Semiotic Reference Sheet

Introduction to semiotics

There are five semiotic systems in total:

1. Linguistic: comprising aspects such as vocabulary, generic structure and the grammar of oral and written language
2. Visual: comprising aspects such as colour, vectors and viewpoint in still and moving images
3. Audio: comprising aspects such as volume, pitch and rhythm of music and sound effects
4. Gestural: comprising aspects such as movement, speed and stillness in facial expression and body language
5. Spatial: comprising aspects such as proximity, direction, position of layout and organisation of objects in space.

Metalanguange

Metalanguage refers to the specialised terminology that describes how a texts works. For example, the grammar for each of the five semiotic systems provides a metalanguage for discussing how they convey meaning.




Semiotics The study of Signs

Sign A sign is anything that conveys meaning. A sign is made up of two parts; the signifier and the signified.



Signifier Is the sign itself. A picture, words, music whatever.

Signified Is the meaning taken from the sign.

Denotation Is the first order meaning – the obvious meaning of the sign.

Connotation Is a deeper less obvious meaning – often implied through convention.

Intertextuality refers to the relationship between texts, where texts reference one another. For example all texts from one particular genre are intertextually linked. A Music Magazine will be intertextually linked to a song that the magazine reviews/features.

Polysemic Literally means many meanings. All signs have multiple meanings. This might refer more to connotative meaning more than denotative meaning. The meaning we take from a sign might be influenced by our, age, gender, ethnicity or the context of viewing amongst other things.

Didactic Didactic texts are more likely to have denotative obvious meaning and are less open to interpretation.

Syntagmatic Syntagmatic connotation refers to the meaning signs make when they work together. For example a caption under a photograph.

Anchorage Media Producers use anchorage to prevent signs from being polysemic. They anchor the meaning of a text by using a supporting to sign. There fore signs work together syntagmatically to anchor the meaning and prevent polysemic readings.

Types of sign



iconic signs, the signifier is connected to the signified through the principle of resemblance. Iconic signs are obviously important for images, since many images resemble what they refer to – but not always. Consider image on a male/female toilet.

Indexical signs, the signifier makes you think of the signified because the two are frequently physically connected in the real world (the principle of contiguity). Cause-and-effect links are good examples of indexical signs: smoke is caused by fire and contiguous with it, and therefore the smell of smoke (signifier) makes you think of fire (signified).

Symbolic signs are purely artificial: the signifier is linked to the signified only by an arbitrary, human-imposed convention. There is no physical connection or natural resemblance between the English word “dog” and the concept *dog*. Any other signifier could just as plausibly be used to convey that concept, provided a group of people agree to do so, and indeed in German, “Hund” ➞ *dog*; in Spanish, “perro” ➞ *dog*; in French, “chien” ➞ *dog*, and so on.