SEMIOTICS

• The philosophical theory of signs and

symbols and their role in social life.

• From the Greek ‘sēmeiōtikos’

meaning "observant of signs“

• Ferdinand de Saussure was a swisslinguist who was one of the first to produce a semiotic theory during the early 1900s. His theory claimed a sign is made up of two parts- The SIGNIFIERand the SIGNIFIED

SIGNIFIER- Any motion, gesture, image, sound, pattern or event that conveys meaning and communicates. (a word, colour, image etc.)

SIGNIFIED- The concept, meaning or association that the sign refers to.

For example- The colour BLUE is often associated with SADNESS

• Charles Sandres Peirce was an American

philosopher that also formulated a

semiotic theory in the early 1900s. Peirce

stated semiotics to be the relationship

between a SYMBOL, ICON and INDEX.

SYMBOLS

Signifier does not

resemble the

signified- is purely

conventional

INDEX

Signifier is directly

connected in

some way to the

signified

ICONS

Signs where the

signifier resembles

the signified

Denotation and Connotations links strongly to both

theories.

Denotation- The literal or primary meaning of a word

Connotation- The feelings, ideas and cultural meanings

which are associated with the word- not the literal meaning.

Example-

ROSEDenotation Connotation

Flower Love

Red Passion

Thorns Hurt

Semiotics can benefit my magazine design through the use of

colour relation. Certain colours have specific connotations

therefore the audience associate specific colours with specific

ideologies.

Common colours used in rock magazine include red, black

and yellow. Red has connotations of danger and power which

links to the rock and roll lifestyle which is associated with rock

music. Black has connotations of fear and mystery which,

again links to the reckless lifestyle rock stars lead. It also links

to the gothic image associated with rock music and how the

gothic style consists of black clothing. Yellow has mixed

connotations as it connotes warning and caution which could

link to the rock and roll lifestyle. However, it is also a very

bright, eye-catching colour with positive connotations which

draws the reader in.