Semiotics: Signs of the Real

Flashcards covering key concepts in semiotics, focusing on signs, their meanings, and the theories related to them.

Semiotics

The study of anything that can be taken as a sign, concerned with how meaning is made and how texts communicate.

Signifier

The written or spoken language that stands for something else, including physical sounds, letters, gestures, and words.

Signified

The idea or concept that the sign stands for, the image or concept associated with the signifier.

Icon

A sign that bears similarity or resemblance to its object, such as maps or gender signs.

Index

A sign that has a direct relationship to its object in terms of physical or casual contiguity, like footprints.

Symbol

A sign that is not directly connected to its object but is conventional, dependent on agreements or codes.

Denotation

The literal meaning of an image, the immediate meaning relating to what is represented.

Connotation

The symbolic or ideological meaning inscribed by cultural codes, which can vary by context.

Myth (in semiotics)

Ideological concepts evoked by a sign contributing to a worldview, making cultural connotations seem like natural truths.

Ideology

Shared values and beliefs that exist within a given society, influencing how signs are interpreted.