| |
'Human
beings think only in signs.' C. S. Peirce |
| but |
|
| |
'Nothing
is a sign unless it is interpreted as a sign' C. S. Peirce |
| and |
|
| |
Anything
can be a sign as long as someone interprets it as a sign.
Any
signs has two components:
- Form:
the form it takes. This is the signifier. It usually
refers to the physical reality of the sign.
- Concept: the concept it
represents. This is the signified and is a mental construct.
One
needs the combination of a signifier to demonstrate a signified
concept.
|
 |
Symbol/symbolic:
a mode in which the signifier does not resemble the
signified but which is fundamentally arbitrary or purely
conventional - so that the relationship must be learnt: e.g.
language in general (plus specific languages, alphabetical
letters, punctuation marks, words, phrases and sentences),
numbers, morse code, traffic lights, national flags;
|
|
Icon/iconic:
a mode in which the signifier is perceived as resembling or
imitating the signified (recognizably looking, sounding, feeling,
tasting or smelling like it) - being similar in possessing
some of its qualities: e.g. a portrait, a cartoon, a scale-model,
onomatopoeia, metaphors, 'realistic' sounds in 'programme music',
sound effects in radio drama, a dubbed film soundtrack, imitative
gestures;
|
 |
Index/indexical:
a mode in which the signifier is not arbitrary but is directly
connected in some way (physically or causally) to the signified
- this link can be observed or inferred: e.g. 'natural signs'
(smoke, thunder, footprints, echoes, non-synthetic odours and
flavours), medical symptoms (pain, a rash, pulse-rate), measuring
instruments (weathercock, thermometer, clock, spirit-level),
'signals' (a knock on a door, a phone ringing), pointers (a
pointing 'index' finger, a directional signpost), recordings
(a photograph, a film, video or television shot, an audio-recorded
voice), personal 'trademarks' (handwriting, catchphrase) and
indexical words ('that', 'this', 'here', 'there').
(from Dr
Daniel Chandler)
|
|
|
|
