lesson 3

1. Using Media Language:
-Semiotics
-Denotation
-Connotation
-Anchorage

2. Signs
 In Media there is an assumption that meaning is
created through the interpretation of different
element within a text. One important element is that
of the Sign. Signs can be visual, aural or a
combination of both.
 Signs are made up of 2 elements.
 The Signifier and The Signified

3. The Signifier
 What the actual sign itself is

4. The Signified
 What is meant by the sign.

5. Signifier

6. Signified
 What this colour might mean can depend on which
context you put it in and how your culture may have
been taught to interpret the sign.
 Some example may include…

7. This…

8. Task One.
 Use the information learnt on the previous slides to
discover the meaning of the logo’s
 Describe the signifier and the signified

9. Task Two.
 What might this signify?
 What are the signifiers?
 What signs are
Significant?
 What signs are
Redundant?

10. Denotation and Connotation
 Denotation: What do you see in the text? What are the
signs?
 Connotation: What do the signs mean? What do they
signify?

11. Task Two.

12. Anchorage
 Images are polysemic- they are open to interpretation
 They are often anchored to give meaning
 With no anchorage they are open to interpretation by
the reader you will often use connotation to come to a
conclusion.
 Once the image is anchored the possible
interpretations may be limited.

14. Task Three.
 Use denotation to describe what you see in the picture.
 Use connotation to describe what you think may be
happening.

15. Task Three
 This image accompanies a newspaper article titled:
Mob’s Brief Rule.
 The newspaper anchored the image along with the
headline and image to gain a preferred reading of the
situation that occurred.
 Read the Eye Witness account of the image, can you
see how anchorage leads us to connotations?

16. Anchorage
 Although an image may be anchored through such
devices as text, there is still individual interpretation
which may differ to what the produces intended.

17. Task Four.
 Anchor the meaning of
this image as an
advertisement for a
product or service
through the addition of
text.
 Anchor the meaning as
an advert for a film
through the addition of
text.

18. Homework
 Using the 4 key media concepts that we learnt last
lesson, analyse you own media text ready for next
lesson.