Language is a shared system of symbols that permits “sharing” meaning.

Semiotics is the study of “Signs.”

A sign is something that stands for (represents) something else.  A sign is composed of two parts:

The SIGNIFIER – the tangible portion of the sign

The SIGNIFIED – the concept or idea represented

Types of Signs

1.      Icon - the relation between the signifier and the signified is resemblance

2.      Index - the relation between the signifier and the signified is “point toward,” associated with

3.      symbol - the relation between the signifier and the signified is arbitrary

Other Semiotic terms: 

semantics - The relationship of signs or symbols to their meanings,

syntactics - The relationship and arrangement of signs or symbols to each other (e.g. grammar)

pragmatics - the relationship of signs to their users and their behavior

denotation - the literal or dictionary meaning of a word

connotation - the emotional implications and associations of a word

Levels of language use (Rules Theory)

1.      Speech Act – an uninterupted message

2.      Episode - a series of speech acts all following the same set of “rules”

3.      Relationship - the sum of all episodes that can occur between two (or more) people

4.      Life Script - an individual’s general approach to relationships and episodes over time

5.      Cultural Pattern - kind, frequency and range of episodes and relationships available to people within a culture.