A linguistic sign is not a link between a thing and a name, but between a concept [signified] and a sound pattern [signifier]. The sound pattern is not actually a sound; for a sound is something physical. A sound pattern is the hearer’s psychological impression of a sound, as given to him by the evidence of his senses. This sound pattern may be called a ‘material’ element only in that it is the representation of our sensory impressions. The sound pattern may thus be 21distinguished from the other element associated with it in a linguistic sign. This other element is generally of a more abstract kind: the concept.
(Saussure 1983, 66)
lecture 3
viSual semiotics
Visual semiotics is a sub-domain of semiotics that analyses the way visual images communicate a message. Studies of meaning evolve from semiotics, a philosophical approach that seeks to interpret messages in terms of signs and patterns of symbolism.
The Saussurean model Ferdinand de Saussure
Saussure’s model of the sign is in the dyadic tradition. Prior advocates of dyadic models, in which the two parts of a sign consist of a ‘sign vehicle’ and its meaning, included Augustine (397), Albertus Magnus and the Scholastics (13th century), Hobbes (1640) and Locke (1690) (see Nöth 1990, 88). Focusing on linguistic signs (such as words), Saussure defined a sign as being composed of a ‘signifier’ (signifiant) and a ‘signified’ (signifié) (see Figure 1.1). Contemporary commentators tend to describe the signifier as the form that the sign takes and the signified as the concept to which it refers. Saussure makes the distinction in these terms:
Peirce Model Charles Sanders Peirce
According to Charles Sanders Peirce, The Sign relation is the key. He describes this sign’s relation with three basic elements of Semiotics (signs action).
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Sign (represents)
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Object (semiotic subject)
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Interpreting (interpret meaning)
Anything that stands for something else in the production of meaning is called “Sign”. Any Sign which have subject to express the matter is called “Object”. Signs have meaning when it translates to get meaning is called “Interpreting”. Peirce describes it’s a triadic relation. All three elements are depending on each other to produce the same meaning. The sign is a subject which refers the matter is called object at the same time without interpreting their is no meaning for the sign.
A sign represents something which interpretable to refer something. It may be a symbol, linguistics or sounds. A sign stands for Subject called “object”. It can be thinkable, a rule, a quality or an occurrence etc… A sign’s meaning which form some kind of idea or effect to interpret others is called “Interpreting”. In traffic the green light represents to move or go. As per the theory the green light is the sign. The object (green light) represents and interpret meaning is also the same. In real life situation all these components and elements are not so separable.