SEMIOTIC ANALYSIS
ART STUDIES-GROUP 3
LEARNING OBJECTIVES
1.) Define and understand semiotics;
2.) Determine the theories of sign;
3.) Apply semiotics in everyday life;
4.) Relate semiotic analysis in reading
image.
SEMIOTICS: WHAT IS IT?
The word semiotics came from the Greek words sēmeion "a sign, mark, token," and
sēmeiōtikos "significant, portending, worth marking.”
Semiotics is concerned with everything that can be taken as a sign. A sign is everything which can be taken as
significantly substituting for something else. That ‘something else’ does not necessarily exist at the same time when
the sign represent or replace its position. Therefore, it refers to as theory of lie, or deception because it can be used for
misleading or deceiving others.
Semiotics is the study of signs and symbols and of their meaning and use. (Oxford Advanced Learner’s
Dictionary)
Semiotics defines the actions of interpreting signals.
Semiotics is the study of signs and sign processes, from cultural representations to languages, to
warning signs, brands and emojis. (Jason Dunstone)
Semiotic analysis is the study of signs and symbols, particularly how they create meaning in various
contexts, including visual arts. This approach examines both the denotative (literal) meanings and
connotative (associated) meanings of images, allowing for a deeper understanding of how artworks
communicate ideas and emotions. By breaking down the compositional elements of art, semiotic
analysis helps in decoding the cultural narratives embedded within visual representations. (Fiveable Inc.)
It aims to understand how humans create, interpret, and communicate meaning through signs.
Semiotics is concerned with the ways in which signs are used to convey information, express ideas, and
create meaning.
WHAT IS THE SEMIOTIC THEORY?
Although the English philosopher John Locke (1632-1704) used the term in this sense in the 17th century, the
concept of semiotics as an interdisciplinary field of study emerged only in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.
The theory was further developed with the independent work of Ferdinand de Saussure, Charles Sanders Peirce
and Roland Barthes.
Ferdinand de Saussure (1857-1913) was a Swiss linguist, is often considered the father of modern semiotics.
He introduced the concept of the sign, which consists of a signifier (the physical form of a sign) and a signified
(the mental concept or meaning associated with the sign). Saussure argued that the relationship between the
signifier and the signified is arbitrary and relies on shared social conventions.
Charles Saunders Peirce (1838-1914)
, was an American philosopher, expanded upon Saussure’s ideas and developed a more comprehensive theory of
signs.
Peirce’s seminal work in the field was anchored in pragmatism and logic. He defined a sign as “something which
stands to somebody for something,” and one of his major contributions to semiotics was the categorization of
signs into three main types:
1.Icons
2.Indexes
3.Symbols
Roland Barthes (1915-1980), was a French literary theorist, further developed semiotics by applying it to
cultural analysis. In his seminal work “Mythologies,” Barthes examined how signs and symbols in popular culture,
SAUSSURE’S THEORY OF SIGN:
Saussurean Semiotics
Semiology as the study of ‘signs.’
Saussure identifies signs as having two key
components:
1.Signifier: physical sign – sounds, images or
letters conveying meaning. Something that is in
material form (physical), explicitly exist and can
be distinguished by human senses. ( Examples:
Word, image, or sound)
2.Signified: personal interpretation of a signifier.
The concept or idea that the sign represents.
“The sign is composed of a signifier
(the form) and a signified (the
concept), and the relationship
between them is arbitrary.”-
Ferdinand de Saussure
PEIRCE’S THEORY OF SIGN: PEIRCIAN SEMIOTICS
Pierce defined semiotics as the study of sign processes or semiosis, which involves the relationship
between a sign (or representamen), its object, and its interpretant.
THE TRIADIC STRUCTURE OF SIGNS: THE THREE BASIC SEMIOTIC ELEMENTS
1. Sign (Representamen/Representatum):Anything that represents something else. It can be a
word, image, gesture, or any form that conveys meaning. Physical signs (explicitly exist), but
does not have to be material in nature.
2. Object: It is what the sign refers to or represents. It can be a physical entity, an abstract concept,
or even a fictional character.
3. Interpretant: It is the understanding or meaning derived from the sign in relation to its object. It
is not merely a mental image but encompasses all interpretations that arise from the interaction
between the sign and its object.
THREE TYPOLOGIES/TAXONOMIES OF SIGNS
4. Icons: Signs that resemble their objects in some way (e.g., a portrait resembles the person it
depicts). The relationship is based on similarity.
5. Indexes: These signs have a direct connection to their objects through some form of causal link
(e.g., smoke as an index of fire). The relationship here is one of existential connection.
6. Symbols: Signs that have an arbitrary or conventional relationship with their objects (e.g., words
in language). Their meaning is determined by social conventions rather than resemblance or
causal connections.
“I DEFINE A SIGN AS
ANYTHING WHICH IS SO
DETERMINED BY
SOMETHING ELSE,
CALLED ITS OBJECT,
AND SO DETERMINES
AN EFFECT UPON A
PERSON, WHICH
EFFECT I CALL ITS
INTERPRETANT, THAT
THE LATTER IS THEREBY
MEDIATELY
DETERMINED BY THE
BARTHES’ ORDER OF SIGNIFICATION
1. First order of signification (denotation):at this level there is a sign
consisting of a signifier and a signified. (e.g., a picture of a rose which signifies a
flower)
2. Second order of signification (connotation): it uses the denotative sign
(signifier and signified) as its signifier and attaches to it an additional signified.
(e.g., the same picture connotes love, beauty, or romance)
3. Third order of signification (myth): the combination of denotation and
connotation to produce ideology in the form of myth
SEMIOTICS AND ITS APPLICATION IN EVERY DAY LIFE
SEMIOTICS CAN BE APPLIED IN VARIOUS ASPECTS OF
EVERY DAY LIFE:
ADVERTISING: Advertisements utilize visual imagery,
colors, logos, and slogans as signs to convey
messages about products or brands. Understanding
these signs helps consumers decode marketing
strategies.
SOCIAL MEDIA: Emojis serve as modern-day semiotic
tools that convey emotions or reactions quickly
without words. Their meanings can vary across
cultures or contexts.
FASHION: Clothing choices act as signs reflecting
identity, status, or cultural norms.
PUBLIC SIGNS: Road signs use universally recognized
symbols to communicate important information
efficiently. Understanding these symbols ensures
safety and compliance with regulations.
READING THE IMAGE
THE FOUR PLANES OF ANALYSIS
1. The Basic Semiotic Plane
a. Visual elements
b. Choice of medium and technique: Medium enters more and more into
the meaning of the work. Technique goes hand in hand with the nature
of the medium.
c. Format of the work
d. Other physical properties and marks of the work:
i. Notations
ii. Traces
iii. Textual features
iv. Marks
2. The Iconic Plane Or The Image Itself
a. Particular features
b. Aspects
c. Qualities of the image
The image is regarded as an “icon sign,” which means – beyond its narrow
association that is unique sign with a unique, particular, and highly nuanced
meaning, as different from a conventional sign, such as traffic or street sign
that has a single literal meaning agreed upon by social convention.
Presentation Of The Image
d. Facial expression
e. Body language
f. Costume and accessories
g. Natural or social background
h. Is it friendly?
i. Ironic
j. Aggressive
Part Of Iconic Plane
Positioning Of The Figure Of Figures
a. Poised
b. Relaxed
c. Indifferent
d. Provocative
e. Aloof
Psychological Insight
f. Costume
g. Accessories
Setting
h. Natural social
i. Domestic
3. The Contextual Plane
Contextual plane includes a broad knowledge of a society’s history and its
economic, political, and cultural conditions, past and present, is called upon the
contextual plane.
The Work Of Art May Contain:
a. References and allusions
b. Direct or indirect
c. Historical figures and events
d. Religions
e. Literary
f. Philosophical ideas
g. Values
4. The Evaluative plane
Evaluative plane has something to do with analyzing the values of the work. After
understanding the work is the difficult task of evaluating it.
Evaluation involves:
h. Form
i. Content
c. Intellectual/Emotional Contents
d. Medium
e. Techniques
Activity
Identification
1. It is the study of signs and symbols. (SEMIOTICS)
2. He is the father of modern semiotics. (FERDINAND DE SAUSSURE)
3. A French literary theorist, who further developed semiotics by applying it to cultural
analysis. His seminal work is known as “Mythologies.” (ROLAND BARTHES)
Enumeration
4-6. The triadic structure of signs according to Peirce. (SIGN, OBJECT, INTERPRETANT)
7-9. The three types of signs. (ICON, INDEX, SIGN)
10-11. The two key components of signs according to Saussure. (SIGNIFIER, SIGNIFIED)
12-13. Name the two orders of signification according to Barthe. (DENOTATION,
CONNOTATION)
14-15. Give at least two planes of analysis. (BASIC SEMIOTIC PLANE, ICONIC PLANE,
CONTEXTUAL PLANE, EVALUATIVE PLANE)
Essay
16-20.
