Semiotics

Roland Barthes argued that verbal language is just one way to communicate.
Other ways to communicate include:
Hairstyle
Clothing
Body Language
Make-up

Language is constructed by people to produce meanings within their culture. Only when we name objects and events that they are given meaning.

Denotation -> Connotation

Denote:

Deconstruction of any media texts begins with a detailed description of what is empirically present (visually and audibly) or what is denoted on the page/screen.

Connote:

After the initial description, you can move on to assessing what is connoted by the signs.

There are three parts to every sign:

Signifier: Physical form of the sign. Eg. Written word or traffic light.

Signified: The concept or idea the signifier produces. Eg. Red light- you know to stop.

Referent: The real thing. Not the signal or the idea but the real, individual thing. Eg. An actual rose.

Examples:

Signifier: Red Rose.

Signified: Love, death.

Signifier: Leather Jacket.

Signified: Biker. Tough guy.

Semiotics emphasises that our perception of reality is shaped by the words and signs that we use and how we interpret the words and signs of others.

Signifiers are denoted. What is signified is connoted.

The connotations of the signs create the meaning.

To approach signifiers you have to realise there are objective ones (ones that are put there intentionally to give you clues how to feel or react) and subjective ones (not intentionally put there but something that reminds an individual of something in their life or memories from the past).