Semiotics is the study of signs and symbols and their relation, use and interpretation. Often when we think of signs we think of sign posts and pictures but where semiotics is concerned, signs have various constituents like body language, words, imagery, sound and context which combine together to form a visual language. This visual language helps us to understand something when we draw upon knowledge acquired through personal and cultural experiences. Hence, semiotics is considered a form of communication as a message is sent, perceived, interpreted and understood.
What is a Sign?
A sign is a stimulus pattern with a meaning behind it. Those that discovered the theory differentiated three sign types: Iconic, Index,and Symbol.The difference between the three sign types mentioned above is the method through which the meaning is associated with the pattern. The three sign types are tools for analysing the core of semiotics.
ICONIC: This sign type physically conveys its meaning/resembles what it represents. A good example of this sign are the male and female toilet signs. However, the iconic form doesn't relate only to imagery. For instance, a dog can proceed to jump on you and you will raise your hand to counter the jump which may seem to have hindered the dog from doing so. When this action is done repeatedly, the dog begins to associate that action with 'You can't sit here.' From then on, whenever a palm is raised the dog will do the exact opposite and sit still.
INDEX: This sign type is an indication to a state of affair and is processed by our sensory features i.e. smell, taste, sight etc. This sign type tends to be connected with the object/meaning in a realistic way. An index is often referred to as a part torn away from the object, which is why one is able to understand the sign with the knowledge they've acquired in culture and experience. Indexical signs focus your attention in a definite time and place. e.g. Smoke bellowing from a house outside your window indicates that there is a fire within. When watching the weather forecast animations of rain and wind will indicate bad weather.
SYMBOL: This sign type bears no recognizable physical resemblance to what it represents/signifies and bears no logical meaning with the object concerned. The relation between the signifier and the signified is strictly conventional and culturally precise. The most common symbol today is the heart which culturally represents love. It resembles the human heart in no manner whatsoever, even though it partially represents a feeling developed from it. We are able to understand this sign because it has been symbolised in society as a semblance of love since the fifteenth century. Symbols vary from the other two signs as the meaning isn't always the same for everyone. Symbols are left open to interpretation based on opinion or personal preference. An example of this is the ancient symbol named swastika which originated from religions such as Hinduism, Buddhism, and Jainism. Originally the swastika (meaning: ''it is good'' or ''auspicious'') was a symbol that represented peace in the earlier centuries among these Indian religions. Years later in 1933, the symbol was adopted by the Adolf Hitler, (leader of the Nazi Party) and became the semblance of their Fascist Regime. After the second world war, the swastika acquired connotations of Antisemitism, violence, injustice, mass killings, and other Nazi related concepts in many westernized countries. Hence, the swastika is strongly disapproved of and has been outlawed in Germany and other European countries.
Semiotics and Film
The main component of story-telling is creating a clear and concise message that can be referred to as the 'moral' of the story. Semiotics makes this possible as it's a tool that allows one to tell stories through images that are transmitted to the audience. There are many elements a director can use that can understate or actively enhance the meaning of a sequence such as lighting, cultural context, juxtaposition of shots/scenes etc. For example, perhaps a sequence starts with a blank expression on the face of a woman, cuts to an appealing banquet of European food, and then back to the person's face. If you separated the scenes and viewed them individually they wouldn't express any message meaning to the audience. However, the combination of shots express hunger - or a desire for food.
What is a Sign?
A sign is a stimulus pattern with a meaning behind it. Those that discovered the theory differentiated three sign types: Iconic, Index,and Symbol.The difference between the three sign types mentioned above is the method through which the meaning is associated with the pattern. The three sign types are tools for analysing the core of semiotics.
ICONIC: This sign type physically conveys its meaning/resembles what it represents. A good example of this sign are the male and female toilet signs. However, the iconic form doesn't relate only to imagery. For instance, a dog can proceed to jump on you and you will raise your hand to counter the jump which may seem to have hindered the dog from doing so. When this action is done repeatedly, the dog begins to associate that action with 'You can't sit here.' From then on, whenever a palm is raised the dog will do the exact opposite and sit still.
INDEX: This sign type is an indication to a state of affair and is processed by our sensory features i.e. smell, taste, sight etc. This sign type tends to be connected with the object/meaning in a realistic way. An index is often referred to as a part torn away from the object, which is why one is able to understand the sign with the knowledge they've acquired in culture and experience. Indexical signs focus your attention in a definite time and place. e.g. Smoke bellowing from a house outside your window indicates that there is a fire within. When watching the weather forecast animations of rain and wind will indicate bad weather.
SYMBOL: This sign type bears no recognizable physical resemblance to what it represents/signifies and bears no logical meaning with the object concerned. The relation between the signifier and the signified is strictly conventional and culturally precise. The most common symbol today is the heart which culturally represents love. It resembles the human heart in no manner whatsoever, even though it partially represents a feeling developed from it. We are able to understand this sign because it has been symbolised in society as a semblance of love since the fifteenth century. Symbols vary from the other two signs as the meaning isn't always the same for everyone. Symbols are left open to interpretation based on opinion or personal preference. An example of this is the ancient symbol named swastika which originated from religions such as Hinduism, Buddhism, and Jainism. Originally the swastika (meaning: ''it is good'' or ''auspicious'') was a symbol that represented peace in the earlier centuries among these Indian religions. Years later in 1933, the symbol was adopted by the Adolf Hitler, (leader of the Nazi Party) and became the semblance of their Fascist Regime. After the second world war, the swastika acquired connotations of Antisemitism, violence, injustice, mass killings, and other Nazi related concepts in many westernized countries. Hence, the swastika is strongly disapproved of and has been outlawed in Germany and other European countries.
Semiotics and Film
The main component of story-telling is creating a clear and concise message that can be referred to as the 'moral' of the story. Semiotics makes this possible as it's a tool that allows one to tell stories through images that are transmitted to the audience. There are many elements a director can use that can understate or actively enhance the meaning of a sequence such as lighting, cultural context, juxtaposition of shots/scenes etc. For example, perhaps a sequence starts with a blank expression on the face of a woman, cuts to an appealing banquet of European food, and then back to the person's face. If you separated the scenes and viewed them individually they wouldn't express any message meaning to the audience. However, the combination of shots express hunger - or a desire for food.
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