Introducing Media Semiotics

How did it Develop? 1960s: Shift away from the more ‘humanist’ approach of auteurism with its focus on mise-en-scène Interest in / influence of ‘structuralist’ ideas from France, esp. in the fields of Antrhopology and Linguistics

Structuralism Structuralism very much informed by… Semiology – Ferdinand de Saussure (Swiss Linguist) ‏ Semiotics – Charles S. Peirce (American Philosopher) ‏

Structuralism Contd. Made popular by Roland Barthes His Mythologies remains a key work Based on the idea that objects and images of contemporary Western daily life can be analysed the same ways an ethnogrpaher analyses the myths and rituals of a ‘primitive’ society

The Concept of Semiotics Semiotics is ‘the study of everything that can be used for communication: words, images, traffic signs, flowers, music, medical symptoms, and much more.’ Ellen Seiter It is therefore an extension of linguistic analysis into the field of material signs like those we encounter in the media

Semiotics is primarily the study of how ‘signs’ communicate According to Ferdinand de Saussure’s Semiotic theory: Signifier + = Sign Signified

ICONIC SIGNS Peirce Meaning may seem less arbitrary An iconic image of a dog… ‘The drawing could be skeletal or anatomical, in which case it might take a trained veterinarian or zoologist to recognise any structural similarity between the drawing and the signified ‘dog’. The iconic sign could be a child’s drawing, in which case another expert decoder, for instance the child’s parent or teacher, might be required to detect structural resemblance.’

Signs and Meaning Semiotics is also the study of the rules which regulate the operation of sign systems. According to Saussure signs make meaning relationally

House How does this image communicate meaning?

Meaning via Relational Differences House It is not MANSION or COTTAGE or SHACK or FLAT

A System of Meaningful Differences ‘In order to know the meaning of BROWN, one must understand RED, TAN, GREY, BLACK etc.’ Jonathan Culler Therefore we can see the importance of the system: ‘The value of signs is determined wholly by their relationships with others in a system.’ John Hartley

The Importance of Context Signs are… Historically Culturally Socially …produced

Signs in Context Therefore: Meaning can change over time Meaning can be slightly different depending upon the system in operation The meaning of a Sign is therefore dependent on its Systemic Context

First and Second Order Signification Denotation Connotation

First and Second Order Signification Denotation: The single ‘literal’ meaning of a sign, corresponding to its dictionary definition Connotation: The various shades of secondary associations of a sign, which vary according to the perceiver

A Rose is a Rose… or is it?

Symbolic Associations

Romance!

Context The repeated use of/ familiarisation with the system Barthes and Myth: There are no simple, ‘natural’ objects; all signs become meaningful within a particular semiotic system For example, the Eiffel Tower

Myth Making society function harmoniously Shared beliefs and perspectives on the world Modern myths are equivalent to the concept of ideology

Advertising Confirmation of the message through repetition Familiarisation and Naturalisation Organised polysemy so that despite multiple secondary meanings, the message to but is nevertheless highlighted and un-ambiguous

Women + Kitchen: A Modern Mythology? Who is usually in the kitchen? What happens if we replace the usual character? Do things seem strange?

Commutation test Film Stars Think of a Tom Cruise role… And a key scene when he is being at his most Cruiselike…

Stars as Signs Replace Tom Cruise with Adam Sandler, in the same scene at his most Sandler-esque You can begin to see the star as a sign that makes meaning in contexts. In a different system the meaning changes.

Undertaking Semiotic Analysis ‘Identify the relevant signs and their dominant aspects’ Lisbet van Zoonen A Semiotic analysis must also show how these semiotic components function together to generate both unified and divergent meanings

Iconic Signs Syntagmatic Meaning What is the relationship that each sign has with others in the text Paradgimatic Meaning What are the external (metaphorical) relationships of a given sign?

Signs and Absence What is not present is equally as important in our analysis The example of the cover model on the magazine in the textbook is useful here, (pg. 24)‏

Cosmopolitan Cover

Components of the Image She is… White not… wearing x and not… (what myths do these confirm?)‏ How would meaning change if she was or was doing something else?

Signs are POLYSEMIC not fixed or singular They may carry multiple meanings This suggests that there cannot be a definitive reading Context becomes central… Sexuality Gender Age Class Education Occupation Religion Region Race nationality

Red Rose (again!)‏ Imagine a series of photographs containing an iconic sign – a red rose… A man handing one to a woman A person waving one at a political rally Someone wearing one in Paris at the weekend

Anchorage Barthes refers to this process as ANCHORAGE This is how advertisements are able to work to produce a single meaning despite polysemic components: they are anchored in a particular context

Further Reading More detailed explanation of semiotics is available in the book J. Bignell, Media Semiotics, from the reading list The following Website is also very helpful: Daniel Chandler, Semiotics for Beginners: /semiotic.html

Conclusion Van Zoonen argues that semiotics is, ‘a powerful tool to understand how sign systems in mass media can evoke emotions, associations, fears, hopes, fantasies and acquiescence’

Semiotics Exercise: Wonderbra Ad

Media Semiotics Exercise: Decoding Advertisements Examine the Wonderbra Ad in groups and answer the following questions: What are the signs that make up this advertisement? What audience is addressed by the ad and how is it defined? What are the denotative and connotative meanings of the text? What are the different ways the image might be interpreted? What meanings are produced through the interaction of text and image? What does the semiotic analysis of this ad tell us about the ‘language of advertising?’