Wednesday 1 December 2010

Semiotics Task

Semiotics is the science of studying signs and their meanings.

A Code is made up of symbols and signs, and are found in everything around us: all forms of cultural practice, and in order for them to make sense we need to learn and understand them. They rely on a shared knowledge. If you have a code that is personal to you and a group of your friends, someone from a different part of the country or the world probably wouldn't have a clue what your on about.

Codes are made up of Signifier and Signified.

  • Signifier - sound image (words that gives meaning - sound/photo)
  • Signified - mental concept (what something actually is/what we think about it)
Type is a signifier; it is a vechile for language and can communicate in itself as much as it writes. If it doesn't signify what is written the codes clash.

Denotation - the basic understanding. Usually typical understandings, direct.
Connotation - associational meanings. Inside feelings, dependant on the receiver. Relies on personal social experience.
Myth - comes into play eithin the realm on connotation.

"The Myths which suffuse our lives are insidious precisely because they appear so natural." - Barthes, R.


Task
In a group, we were to select an article from a newspaper and find all of the things we have discussed in the seminar using the right terminology.

<image of newspaper article - still to come>

  • Irish luck has ran out - myth - leprechaun has pot of gold but there's no gold because they need bail out.
  • Image connotes draws one conclusion - unrested and whole country out of control - connotes negativity.
  • Green connotes/signifies Ireland - leprechauns/fields/myth.
  • 'Go To Bail' - connotes everyday blokishness/slang - what is used in every day conversation with the average man to link with - working class slang.
  • Cultural myth that belittles country.
  • Mocking with the tiger image.

Semiotics Seminar Notes