Semiotics

            Semiotics, or also known as Semiology, is the study of signs, symbols and its signification. It does not only refer to the ‘visual signs’ that we see everyday such as road signs and bathroom signs, but it also includes words, sounds, and even body language. The theory is also studied in art, literature, mass media, education, computer and biology. Semiotics is associated with the work of the American philosopher, Charles Sanders Peirce and semiology with the work of the Swiss linguist and semiotician, Ferdinand de Saussure. Both are concerned with how meaning is generated and communicated. According to Peirce, semiotics means “something which stands to somebody for something in respect or capacity” and even categorized it into three parts: the symbol, icon and the index. While Saussure defined semiotics as the “sign is the whole that results from the association of the signifier and the signified”.

 A perfect example of Semiotics would be the cave paintings made by human beings in the past. It is said that humans have been making cave paintings or symbols for almost 10,000 years. The cave paintings show that people in the pre-historic times had a sense of self-image and self-importance, and communicate abstract concepts. It gave people a way to see something that otherwise, we would not know about today. Another example is the ancient Vedic traditions used visual tools to serve as centering devices and as symbolic compositions of energy patterns, which were then adopted for worship and meditation.

It is said that Semiotics is the keystone of brand building; since branding is one of the critical sites on the battlefield of meaning. Through the actions of signs, brands accomplish a perpetual presence in the consumers; both leave a mental representation and emotional connection. Brands become a symbol trigger in the memories of a consumer’s brain. Take for example the brand, Nike and it’s famous logo, the swoosh. The swoosh is now one of the most recognized brand logos in the world. According to Naomi Klein author of the book “No Logo” she mentions that the swoosh is “worshipped as art and a heroic symbol – it defines athleticism, courage, honor, victory, teamwork and all other aspects correlated with sports.” The Nike swoosh has been made into this cultural dissemination that stands for athleticism, power, fitness, and all other aspects Nike attempts to incorporate into their brand image. If any company can translate the importance of creating, protecting, and maintaining a brand for a company, Nike is the perfect example.  All thanks to their swoosh. Another visual example of semiotics is the road signs that people see and often times don’t follow. Following Peirce’s categorization, the icon, a pictorial representation of something.  For example is a sign that says “No smoking”, which conveys clear message that people should not smoke in this place. In this sign, a picture of a cigarette is shown and a crossed red line. For the second category, the index, where there is a direct link or connection between the sign and object, the perfect example of that would be the traffic signs. Traffic signs like “No U Turn and No right on red” state the obvious. Though often neglected, traffic signs are placed in different areas to ensure the safety of drivers. And lastly, the symbol that is defined as no logical meaning between it the object or may have various meanings and interpretations to people. An example of symbol would be the drawing of a heart, which often connoted as a symbol of love. The shape of heart is only assumed to be the sign of love and has become a symbol in the society during ages. So, the shape of heart always is used to strengthen relationships and passion. The heart shape may convey a lot of massages that all of them are related to love at the end.

One non-verbal example of semiotics is body language. Though often misunderstood and misinterpreted, body language can sometimes send signals stronger than words. Body language often has great impact in transmitting messages to the listener. For instance people do not tell each other that easily how they feel about each other, or how the words of a message need to be interpreted. To make the meaning of the words clear, body language comes in.