Semiology is the study of signs in society. A sign consists of a signifier and a signified, which together form the sign. The relationship between the signifier and signified is conventional. Ferdinand de Saussure contributed to semiology by establishing that meaning is derived from the differences between signs rather than the signs themselves. Roland Barthes expanded on semiology by distinguishing between the denotation and connotation of signs. Connotation refers to the additional emotional or expressive meanings that accompany a sign's literal denotation.

1. Semiology
a science that studies the life of
signs in society

2. What is a sign?
…a sign arises in a word, an image, a
sound, a smell

3. Signifier
--------------------
Signified
= Sign
D o g

4. Representation
…something that
depicts, images or
stands in for persons,
objects or events

5. Money

6. beer

7. feet

8. idiot

9. girl

10. The relationship between a
signifier and a signified
is conventional

11. Ferdinand de Saussure

12. …meaning is made by establishing difference

13. red

14. red

16. Rene Magritte (1928-29)

17. red rose

19. Roland Barthes

20. Signs
Denotation
(literal meaning)
connotation
(emotional, expressive
evaluative meaning - in addition
to the literal meaning)

21. Connotations

22. Devout?
Goodness?

23. Oppressed?
Conformity?
Threatening?

24. Freedom?
Individuality?
Fun?

25. The sign is the site of ideological/political
struggle
V. N Volosinov (1973) Marxism and the Philosophy of Language

27. Police Chief Brody the Amity community
public service commercial interests
public duty domestic comforts
land sea
civilisation wilderness
Brody shark
good evil