semiotics: signs + meaning
DESCRIPTION
An overview of semiotics, including the work of de Saussure, Peirce, Barthes, Bourdieu, & Eco.TRANSCRIPT
SEMIOTICS SIGNS
MEANING +
he studies semiotics. i think it’s the study of laundry or something. bret easton ellis, the rules of attraction
ferdinandde saussure
1857–1913
ferdinand de saussureSwiss professor of linguistics
Proposed new science of signs which he called semiology
Died before his theories were published
His work published in 1915 by his students
A sign is made up of two fundamental elements:
Signifier (Sr)
Signified (Sd)
model SS
D
R
de saussure’s
DOUCHEBAG
SD
SR
charlespeirce
sanders
1839–1914
charles sanders peirceAmerican philosopher
Developed a parallel study of signs, called semiotics, at the same time as de Saussure
Many similarities with de Saussure’s work
Less concerned with language—focuses on how we make sense of the world around us
Triangular model
Sign (S/R) Also called the representamen
Object (O) External reality referred to by sign
Interpretant (I)Concept of sign based on user’s cultural experience
O IS/R
peirce’smodel
interpretantI
Mental concept of the sign
Based on user’s cultural experience of the sign
Interpretant is not fixed—does not have a single definable meaning
Meaning will vary depending on the reader of the sign
GIFT
a sign is anything that can be used to tell a lie. umberto eco, a theory of semiotics
categories of signsde Saussure
Peirce
1. Iconic
2. Arbitrary
1. Icon
2. Index
3. Symbol
Same as de Saussure’s iconic sign
Physically resembles the object it represents
Can be photographic or more abstracted
icon
indexDirect link between the sign + the object
For example, smoke is an index of fire
Most traffic signs fall into this category
symbol
Same as de Saussure’s arbitrary sign
No logical connection between the sign + what it means
Relies exclusively on reader having learned the connection between sign + its meaning
rolandbarthes1915–1980
death of the authorSignificant role played by the reader in the process of reading meaning
Two different levels of signification:
The physical reality of the object which is signified
The meaning is affected by the background + knowledge of the reader
2. Connotation
1. Denotation
a text’s unity lies not in its origin but in its destination. roland barthes, image music text
Misconceptions about the properties + meanings we attach to the images of the things around us
Meanings are seen as the natural order of things
Generated by those who have control of the language + the media
Filters the political content out of signification
myth
language
MYTH
sign
SD
SD
SR
SR
SIGN
Second-order semiological system
The sign in the first system becomes a mere signifier in the second
modelbarthe’s
System for reading text/image combinations:
Linguistic message The text itself, ususally in the form of a caption or slogan
Coded iconic message Symbolic message working at connotative level
Non-coded iconic message Direct message working at denotative level
text/image
pierrebourdieu1930–2002
legitimate languageNeither languages nor dialects have natural limits
Externally there is a political process which leads us to accept an ‘official language’
Legimate language is imposed, defended, + sanctioned institutionally
Any person who, without reasonable excuse, wilfully or recklessly destroys or damages any property belonging to another shall be guilty of the offence of ‘vandalism’.
Criminal Justice (Scotland) Act, 1980
unofficiallanguage
An attempt to act through words beyond the limits of delegated authority
Message transferred from unofficial language to official language
magicaltheact
umbertoeco
1932–
open + closed textsIn 1962, Eco published The Open Work, in which he defines texts as:
Texts that are the most open are the most dynamic, lively, + psychologically engaged
Open—allows multiple or mediated interpretation by the reader
Closed—leads the reader to one intended interpretation
when i use a word, it means just what i choose it to mean—neither more nor less. lewis carroll, through the looking-glass
Barthes, R. Mythologies (1989). Original work published 1957.
Barthes, R. The Death of the Author. In Image, Music, Text (1977). Original work published 1967.
Bourdieu, P. Language and Symbolic Power (1991).
Crow, D. Visible Signs (2003).
Eco, U. The Open Work (1989). Original work published 1962.
de Saussure, F. Course in General Linguistics (1974). Original work published 1915.
references
remember, words can only hurt you if you read them. don’t play their game. derek zoolander
CHRISTOPHER03/2012
MOOREHEAD