Semiotics: Signifier and Signified

What term describes the combination of a signifier and signified?

Which of the following is NOT a type of sign categorized by C.S. Peirce?

In the context of signification, what does the term 'signifier' refer to?

What is meant by the indeterminacy of representation?

How do previous texts influence the understanding of signs?

Which of the following examples illustrates an index sign?

What does a signified represent in the process of signification?

How might the image of an SUV in an advertisement be interpreted?

Indeterminacy of representation

Semiotics: Signifier, Signified, and Sign

Signs are made up of a signifier (the physical form) and a signified (the mental concept).
Examples include a sound, image, or physical object
The signifier and signified are linked through the process of signification.

How Meaning is Created

Meaning is not fixed but is determined by context and interpretation.
Image of a sporty SUV can represent different things (luxury, adventure, or environmental issues).
Sound of rain can represent peace or danger.
Signs don't exist in isolation. They are part of larger systems (texts or sets of signs/symbols).

Intertextuality

Meaning is often shaped by other texts or signs encountered.
Our understanding of one sign is affected by other signs
Example of an SUV representing a family is created by combining our knowledge of both parts.
Past experiences influence understanding of signs.

Types of Signs

Icons: resemble the object they represent (maps, photos).
Indices: have a direct relationship, showing a cause and effect (smoke and fire).
Symbols: arbitrary, no physical resemblance to the things they represent (words, brands like Apple).

Representation and its indeterminacy

A sign can represent more than one thing, leading to uncertain representation.
This indeterminacy is influenced by context and interpretation.

Explore the foundational concepts of semiotics, including the relationship between signifier and signified. Understand how meaning is constructed through signs and intertextuality, and discover the different types of signs that shape our interpretations and experiences.