1. SAUSSURE
Representation Theory

2. Ferdinand de Saussure
 Ferdinand de
Saussure was a Swiss
linguist and
semiotician whose
ideas laid a
foundation for many
significant
development both in
linguists and
semiotics in the 20th
century.
26 November 1857 – 22 February 1913)

3. Signs (Semiotics)
 In semiotics, a sign is something that can be
interpreted as having a meaning, which is
something other than itself, and which is
therefore able to communicate information to
the one interpreting or decoding the sign. Signs
can work through any of the senses, visual,
auditory, tactile, olfactory or taste, and their
meaning can be intentional such as a word
uttered with a specific meaning, or unintentional
such as a symptom being a sign of a particular
medical condition.

4. The sign by Saussure
 In the tradition of semiotics developed by Ferdinand de
Saussure the sign relation is dyadic, consisting only of a
form of the sign (the signifier) and its meaning (the
signified). Saussure saw this relation as being essentially
arbitrary motivated only by social convention. Saussure's
theory has been particularly influential in the study of
linguistic signs.

6. The Similarities between his theory
within the media

7. Signs in the media
 Ferdinand De Saussure suggested these theories:
Signifier
 Physical form which we can see or hear within the clip
Signified
 The meaning attached to the signifier within the clip
 Roland Barthes adapted Ferdinand's theories into 'symbolic
code' which organises and puts together the signifiers of
the text, referring to groups of signifiers.

8. Some example of Signifiers
within a Music Video
 E.g Butterflies signifying freedom and hope.
 Fields and open spaces- Freedom
 Sexual references- Lollipops, flowers, tongues, treats e.g cakes
 Nicki Minaj, Katy Perry and Rihanna have many signs to look for
in music video’s that have another meaning.

10. Examples of Signifiers
 The signified within this frame is Rihanna
surrounded by water, but the signifiers are
her freedom as she can float anywhere. The
connotations of white are purity which can
symbolise the characters innocence and
youth.

11. Illuminati- Example
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However and overthinking of symbolism can cause extreme ideas such as the
conspiracy theory of the Illuminati: There are many signs and symbols which are
said to relate to a cult known as the illuminati. Examples include:
Triangles
The All seeing eye
Black vs white
Fire
Devil
Weapons

12. Another sign
This frame from another music video shows the signified of a band on a stage
and thousands of fans watching. The framing of the shot and the focus being
mainly on the fans, signifies the importance and freedom to share and do
anything as the band plays. This symbolises them as a medium of
information, showing their importance and influence.