Semiotics

• Semiotics sees communication as cultural phenomena

• No longer thinking of info content of texts but meanings

• Meaning arises from interaction between text and receiver within differing cultural contexts

• We will look at how we use and respond to various signs which themselves are part of codes or meaning systems

Codes

• A code is a system of communication1. Sign (anything that expresses meaning like

words, pictures, looks)

2. Rules (so that signs go together and make sense, like grammar)

3. Shared understanding (codes only work when everyone understands)

In groups, come up with some examples of codes and write down how they work with all three rules – present to the class

Identifying Codes

• Identifying codes in a text is vital – • Code as organising system of

communication – it is the system that makes meaning possible but only within interaction is individual meaning made

• When encoded message is being offered for decoding there is an invitation to make negotiated meaning

• Denotation – what the thing actually is

• Connotation – what we think of when we recall the denotation

• Different connotations depending on who you are!

• i.e. a picture of a heart or a human heart makes us think of love, romance, passion, chocholates or…

Negotiation• Active negotiation

between producer, reader and text

• Meaning is not fixed when encoded but depends on context of decoding

• What are the most important signs in this image? What is your reading of it?

Anchorage

• Written text that anchors the preferred reading of an image

• Often ideological

• This image might have been advertising make-up or holidays etc. Anchorage fixes the signifiers (girl, chair, sky, photo)

“Warmer, drier summer on the way” Guardian 2008

How I fought to survive Guantánamo

Scott Brown, model politician trumps Obamas man.

Prince in New Zealand and Australia on first overseas tour

Task

• Take a picture of an object; show the picture to your partner. Ask them the following- what is the denotation?- what is their connotation?- Is your connotation different? Why?

• Swap & repeat