Semiotics and the Negotiation of the
Meanings of Image
“Images are produced according to
the social and aesthetic conventions.”
“Conventions are like road maps: we must learn their codes for them to make sense, and the codes we learn become second nature.”
“Conventions are like road maps: we must learn their codes for them to make sense, and the codes we learn become second nature.”
“The relationship between a word
and things in the world is arbitrary and relative, not
fixed.”
“Meanings change according to context and to the rules of language.”
Why call a dog “dog”? The word has meaning to us but there are many signs that define “dog”. There are different ways of attaching a word or sign with a thing.
For example, a thumbs up in Spain can be seen as an insult even if we find it a sign of being okay in England, and the sign is also an international diving sign for being okay.
“Meanings change according to context and to the rules of language.”
Why call a dog “dog”? The word has meaning to us but there are many signs that define “dog”. There are different ways of attaching a word or sign with a thing.
For example, a thumbs up in Spain can be seen as an insult even if we find it a sign of being okay in England, and the sign is also an international diving sign for being okay.
“Company logos operate according
to this principle of instant recognition, counting on the fact that
denotative meaning (the swoosh equals Nike) will slide into
connotative meanings (the swoosh means quality, coolness).”
Eg. AA’s connotative meaning is that they will fix your car, you will see their van on the road and feel protected, or Mercedes’ logo has the connotative meaning of money and quality. UN logo gives off the idea not to shoot at them in a warzone.
Eg. AA’s connotative meaning is that they will fix your car, you will see their van on the road and feel protected, or Mercedes’ logo has the connotative meaning of money and quality. UN logo gives off the idea not to shoot at them in a warzone.
“Video games rely a lot on such
instant recognition.”
Red barrel – blows up.
Red barrel – blows up.
“Image/sound/word = Signifier
Meaning = Signified
Meaning = Signified
The production of a sign is
dependent on social, historical and cultural context. It is also
dependent on the context in which the image is presented and on the
viewers who interpret it.”
“Image codes change meaning in
different contexts. For instance, the representation of smiles has
meant many things throughout history.”
Happiness, sarcasm, madness, a grimace, a mask for something else,etc. Meanings are in flux, and not fixed.
Happiness, sarcasm, madness, a grimace, a mask for something else,etc. Meanings are in flux, and not fixed.
“Film theorists apply semiotics to
the interpretation of films (therefore we must be able to apply it to
the interpretation of games, too).”
“Old Marlboro advertisements are
well known for their equation of this cigarette brand with
masculinity:
Marlboro (signifier) + masculinity (signified) = Marlboro as masculinity (sign).”
Marlboro (signifier) + masculinity (signified) = Marlboro as masculinity (sign).”
“The combination of text and image
can be used to direct the viewer’s interpretation to a particular
meaning through a kind of double take – the image first looks a
certain way and then changes meaning with the addition of
text.”
“Text functions in ads to shape the commodity signs of the image, to rein in and limit the meaning of the image in some way.”
Hns Haacke – A Breed Apart.
“Text functions in ads to shape the commodity signs of the image, to rein in and limit the meaning of the image in some way.”
Hns Haacke – A Breed Apart.
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