Context of Practice Notes Seminar 03 Semiotics in Detail

Denotation-literal meaning of a text
Connotation-implied or  associated meaning from a shared social understanding.

Sign is made up of-
signifier-stimulates meaning
signified- the meaning split into denotive and connotive.

Myth-Thought process behind meaning, often to such a deep level of connected meanings that they are taken as natural.

TEXT
-A group of elements brought together to express a meaning.
-A composite signifier but often absorbed as multiple signifieds
- Meaning of a text is highly influenced by the context of it.
-Narratives are often applied to a text either by a reader or the producer to make sense of a meaning.
-The Othello effect is also often used to achieve the same effect. this is where the truth is mixed with lies or fiction to create greater coherence on the part of the truth.

Summary-
Text is a weaving of codes and meaning often to create a story or narrative. There are many aspects which can be picked apart and analysed to understand denotations, connotations and meaning of a text.

SIGNS

This can be worked out by asking the following questions.
-What it means
-How it exemplifies it
-Why it exemplifies it

i.e. Father Christmas
means happiness generosity and being together as a family.
-He is a jolly old man who enjoys life and is probably part of a large family group.
- The idea is derived from saint Nick and all the good things he did. It is also connected with the traditions of this time of year.

TYPES OF SIGNS

Icon- Sign that resembles its reference (map) logically linked by appearance to its subject.
Index-(signage) shows where the thing being represented is in relation to the reader.
Symbol- Doesn't mean anything on its own but social agreement gives it meaning.

TYPES OF CODES

Macro- Codes coming together to make signs (code behind type is language) the real mening of something.

As graphic designers we must understand these codes and make inventive use of them to effectively and engagingly communicate.

MYTH

Fantasy that we believe and read as natural (1950s domestic products posters)

-Myths are the building blocks of signs and codes .
-They help us to make sense of our surroundings.
-They are stories that you may not see but understand at a subconscious level and accept as natural
-They can be formed by the media repeating dominant ideologies coded into texts and repeatedly exposing the public to them, they soon accept them as normal.