Semiotics

• History Of Semiotics – Aslem

• The Meaning of a sign – Scott

• The Use of Semiotics in Advertising and media – Tommy

• Application + Overview - Alex

History of semiotics

Hitchhikers Guide to Semiotics

• Semiotic beginnings in the 11th and 12th century

• Anselm of Canterbury (1033-1109)

• Peter Abelard (1079-1142), in many respects the most important author of the 12th century

• introduces a distinction, distinguishing between signs that simply signify (signa significantia) and signs that are, as significative signs (signa significativa)

Yet more History. Joy.

• genesis of an elaborate theory of signs in the second half of the 13th century

• Kilwardby points out that there are several ‘sciences of signs’ (diversae sunt scientiae de signis) according to the various kinds of signs

The Swiss connection

• The Swiss linguist Ferdinand de Saussure (1857-1913)

Key Figures

• Charles Sanders Peirce ( (1839-1914)• Charles William Morris (1901-1979)• Roland Barthes (1915-1980)• Algirdas Greimas (1917-1992)• Yuri Lotman (1922-1993)• Christian Metz (1931-1993)• Umberto Eco (b 1932)• Julia Kristeva (b 1941). • Louis Hjelmslev (1899-1966) • Roman Jakobson (1896-1982).• Claude Lévi-Strauss (1908-1990) in anthropology • Jacques Lacan (1901-1981) in psychoanalysis.

The Meaning of a Sign

“A sign is anything that can be used to tell a lie."  - Umberto Eco

Signs

windows

yahoo

msn

Internetexplorer

pepsiword

shell

HitlerBill gates

A convict Al Capone

Take your daughter to work

1 2

3 4

This is a famous painting by Rene Magritte called "The Treachery of Images."

The caption at the bottom is French, it reads “This is not a pipe.”

Actually it’s not a famous painting, it’s a digital image of the painting.

Or, to be even more precise, a digital image of a photograph of the painting.

• Many parts to a sign

• The Signifer - The signifier is any material that the thing signifies, e.g., words on a page or a picture.

• The Signified - The signified is the concept(meaning) that a signifier refers to.

• Signifier = The word rose

• Signified = The mental image in your head of a certain type of flower

• Signified #2 = The meaning behind both what the Signifier #1 and Signified #1 means or stands for.

• Signified #2 = The second meaning both of the Signifier #1 & Signified #1

Examples of

semiotics today.

• Everywhere you look.

– Billboards

– Magazines

– Even transport

– Anywhere that uses static advertisement.

• Companies use semiotics to sway

the consumer.

• Some examples

Examples of Semiotics Today

• Athletes departing from the starting line.

• Reflects on the product which is being promoted.

• Writing symbolises that the buyer will inherit the thrill of being an athlete.

• You might never be an athlete, but this game is the closest you will get.

Examples of Semiotics Today – Example #1

• The same applies with this advert:

• Tough man image.

• The advert says you need to be tough to play the game.

• In reality, this game is a simulation.

• You probably aren’t a tough guy, or ever will be.

Examples of Semiotics Today – Example #2

• A more psychological example:

• Known as the left-right conflict

• Try identifying the colour, not what the writing tells you.

• Prime example of semiotics

• Metaphorically, this is how adverts manipulate the consumer.

Examples of Semiotics Today – Example #3

• The most famous example of semiotics.

• by Rene Magritte

• Translates to ‘This is not a pipe’.

• It’s a picture of a pipe, not a pipe itself.

Examples of Semiotics Today – Example #4

This is not an orange kettle…

…nor is this a cat smoking a cigarette..

- They’re only digital images on a presentation about semiotics.

- The consumer cleverly uses imagery to generate sales.

- Onto Mr. Fox for the overview…

Applications + Overview

Using semiotics

• What media? (Film, Imagery?)

• Audience?

• How is it going to be interpreted?

• Message?

What Media?

• Increasing use of signs and symbols in everyday media

• Digital media (Web, O/S etc)

• Traditional Media (paintings, posters, ads)

• Multimedia (Television etc)

Digital Media

Often task related

Make it blindingly obvious!

Metaphors related to the real world

(familiar or direct representation)

Traditional media

A lot of free reign – allows you to say what the hell you want!

Make it count! Remember Signifier +Signified

Multimedia

Most effective form

Sounds – set the mood

Allsorts of visual effects possible

Overview

• Foundation in semantics

• Originated 11th/12th Century

Key figures

Ferdinand de Saussure + Charles Sanders Pierce

3 Main Types

Symbolic

Iconic

Indexical

• Messages through signs

• Umberto Eco

• Used Everywhere

• Awareness of interpretation

Useful links

• http://carbon.cudenver.edu/~mryder/itc_data/semiotics.html

• http://www.aber.ac.uk/media/Documents/S4B/semiotic.html

• http://www.uvm.edu/%7Etstreete/semiotics_and_ads/the_sign.html