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    SemiologyThe Study of the Social

    Production of Signs

    CAUTION

    Media studies students tend to proceed on the premise that

    nothing is in the frame accidentally; They believe rather thateverything is carefully and purposefully constructed; Each itembeing placed there carefully, their purpose being to construct

    meaning.

    The well worn phrase, "you're reading too much into this" was

    coined by a reluctant media studies student who suffered fromsevere failure of the imagination.

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    Science: DNA CodeMaths: Code for measuring Distance

    Computercode HTML withJavaScript ...

    Over and over again the Board'sexaminer stresses the need to use

    the appropriate technicalterminology. We must therefore getout of the habit of putting theanalysis in our own words and mustalways try to use the appropriate

    terminology demanded by the text.

    Take for example the area of formalcodes of construction two words areimportant here: codesand

    construction.

    Codes clearly can be decoded.Constructions similarly can bedeconstructed.

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    Based on the theories of De Saussure/Peirce and the previously mentionedreferences message types are eithersymbolic, indexicalor iconic:An iconic messageis one whichresembles-according to someconventionally accepted criterion-someagent of the real world to which itrefers.

    An indexical messageis one which "pointsto" an object or is a sample of it.A symbolic messageis one whose needs a

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    The Creation of Meaning

    The creation of meaning: is the understanding the reader brings to

    bear on a piece of music, a collection of still photographs or an extractfrom a film etc.

    Desired meaning: is when the reader interpretation and ultimateunderstanding of the text, matches the desired ambitions of the

    sender (creator).

    It is the practice of advertisers/ TV & film makers and all othersin the media to construct collections of known/shared meanings.Audiences (the reader), are invited to read, interpret and ultimately

    understand the the given media text in the desired way. It is theambition of all in the media to strike a chord with audiences andencourage the consumption of a product or service.

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    Discuss the ways in which the extract constructs therepresentation of x using the following:

    Camera shots, angles, movement and composition Editing Sound Mise en scne

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    Batman- The Dark Knight

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    Signs: a Matter ofInterpretation

    Distinctively, we make meanings through ourcreation and interpretation of 'signs'. Indeed,according to Peirce, 'we think only in signs'(Peirce 1931-58, 2.302).

    Signs take the form of words, sounds, images,odours, flavours, acts or objects etc.

    Signs have no intrinsic meaning but becomesigns only when we give signs meaning(s).

    'Nothing is a sign unless it is interpreted as a

    sign', declares Peirce

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    Signification

    Saussure offered a 'dyadic' or two-part model of the sign. Hedefined a sign as being composed of:

    a 'signifier' - the physical formwhich the sign takes; and

    the 'signified' - the mental conceptit represents.

    The sign is the whole that results from the association of thesignifier with the signified .The relationship between the signifierand the signified is referred to as 'signification'.

    The signifier is the picture of a treeThe signified is the mental concept ofsomething green, tall, plant life etc.

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    1st Order of Signification

    The signifier: the word or picture of a collection ofnewspapers

    The signified: a source of news information, collection oftyped papers edited by journalist commenting on domestic,world events.

    The signifier: a red flowerThe signified: a specific red flower commonly known as arose

    The social production of meaning is known as signification.

    Attention to the process of signification at this stage remainsmerely descriptive and is commonly referred to as the firstorder of signification

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    2nd order of signification - connotation

    Whereas the first order of signification operates at thelevel of description, the 2nd order of signification is muchmore sensitive to other meanings (interpretations) whicha culture might associate with a particular sign.

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    3rd order of signification: Ideological

    Semiologist Roland Barthes (1973), believes it is at this thirdand final order of signification that ideologies underpinning varyingforms of representation can be successfully unmasked.

    According to Barthes all forms of representations should beunderstood as ideological myths .

    Barthes, calls for myths to be considered as sets of sharedideas, values, social norms and practices which a given culturewishes to explain (understand), aspects of reality.

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    Third order of signification

    The existence of competing sets of ideologies in the mass media areregarded as the manifestation of contradictory themes, themes

    which are informed by the competing sets of values of those groupand individual who produce and mediate them.

    Semiologist ask that the study of signification at its ideologicallevel be treated not as a distortion of reality or a substitute for a

    more real or true representation, but rather a process of meaningwhich is culturally and historically charged. sign

    signifier signifiedsign

    signifier signifiedsign

    myths, values, attitudes, social practice

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    Ideological Functions of Signs

    Desired meanings are frequently constructed, mediated andrepeated to represent a given reality.

    Dominant sets of desired meanings and given representationsof realities, are viewed as serving ideological interest i.e. a

    system of values, beliefs and interest a given society holdsimportant.

    Deconstructing given dominant media representations canhelp media academics reveal not only those realities which areprivileged and whose are suppressed but in whose interest

    dominant representations of realities) serve.

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    Discuss the ways in which the extract constructs therepresentation of x using the following:

    Camera shots, angles, movement and composition Editing Sound Mise en scne

    Candidates should be prepared to discuss, inresponse to the question, how these technicalelements create specific representations ofindividuals, groups, events or places and help

    to articulate specific messages and valuesthat have social significance. Particular areasof representation that may be chosen are:

    Gender

    Age

    Ethnicity

    Sexuality

    Class and status

    Physical ability/disability

    Regional identity

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