Semiotic is basically the study of signs and
symbols. Initially every word that we use in our everyday is a type of sign,
represented by combining letters to spell out the meaning. For example, a rock
is known as a rock, how do we know if it is? Through our 5 senses; which are
touch, sight, smell, taste and hearing. We touch and we feel the solidness, we
see and we know the shape, we smell so we know the smell...well not really, but
you get the point…
So how did everyone know a rock as it is? And call
as what it is and spell as it is? It is from the consensus of the majority of
the people in the society to understand the rock is a rock, and everyone agreed
that it is spelled with R, O, C, and K.
If the whole society agrees to call the rock as a
potato, nevertheless it WILL be called a potato. According to Ferdinand de
Saussure (1857-1913), a text is made up of
SIGNIFIER + SIGNIFIED = SIGN
To
create a word, the signifier is the letters that are combined to make a word,
for this case R O C and K. the signified is the image created in your mind.
Thus resulting it into a sign, the agreed letters to come up with the object.
When
we have come up with the sign, we can denote it, which is the literal
description of the sign or signifier. Then later on connote the sign, which we
describe the object not literally, or metaphorically of the object.
Example:
Sign: potatoes
Denotation: 4 goldish brown potatoes
stacked together
Connotation: dull, random, and etc
No comments:
Post a Comment