Visual Semiotics Essay

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semiotics the theory and study of signs and symbols, especially as elements of language or other systems of communication. A person who studies or practices semiotics is known as a semiotician. Many of the terms and concepts used by contemporary semioticians were introduced by Swiss linguist Ferdinand de Saussure (1857-1913). See, for instance, sign, langue, and parole. See also: * Intertextuality * Logo * Metaphor, Metonym, andMetonymy * Pragmatics * Semantics * Symbolism Etymology: From the Greek, "sign" Observations: * "Semiotics involves the study not only of what we refer to as 'signs' in everyday speech, but of anything which 'stands for' something else. In a semiotic sense, signs take the forms of words, images, sounds, gestures and objects. Contemporary semioticians study signs not only in isolation but as part of semiotic 'sign systems' (such as a medium or genre). They study how meanings are made and how reality is represented. . . . "Signs do not just 'convey' meanings, but constitute a medium in which meanings areconstructed. Semiotics helps us to realize that meaning is not passively absorbed but arises only in the active process of interpretation. . . . "'Commonsense' suggests that 'I' am a unique individual with a stable, unified identity and ideas of my own. Semiotics can help us to realize that such notions are created and maintained by our engagement with sign systems: our sense of identity is established through signs. We derive a sense of 'self' from drawing upon conventional, pre-existing repertoires of signs and codes . . .. We are thus the subjects of our sign systems rather than being 'users' who are fully in control of them." (Daniel Chandler, Semiotics: The Basics. Routledge, 2006) * "Not only are words signs but also gestures, images, non-linguistic sounds like the chimes of Big Ben.

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