Unpicking culture & meaning in society in the same way that you read language on a page.
Linguistic science - is how language works.
Ferdinand de Saussure defined semiotics as we know today.
A code that carries meaning.
For example a tie.
Redundant item of clothing
simply to give meaning symbolically.
Smartness/sofistication/eliegence.
These ideas are based upon agreed systems of meaning.
Style - the suit
Professional/smart/ordered.
belonging to social system.
Codes and conventions of Western & Outer space.
Lots of codes rely on shared consensual knowledge.
'Dog', 'Pog' 'woofer!'
Based on agreement that the word dog - is linked to the thing represented
Anything that conveys meaning is called a sign
-Sign is the meaning conveyed.
-Signifier
1)written word
2)spoken sound
3)Barking by a dog
4)Picture of a dog
-Signified.
Mental concept of a dog.
Rose
signifier
-word
-sound
-image
-colour
signified - rose
passion/romance.
use of cliche font. feminine and elegant for rose.
Fonts act as signifiers.
Agreed idea that certain fonts signify certain signified.
use of clashing signifiers can disrupt codes.
ROLAND BARTHES
Analyses meaning in society
Writes about things meanings within french culture.
Signified is broken down on two levels!!?
denotation & connotation.
These are associational meaning taught to you by society.
Socially coded levels of deep meaning.
DENOTATION
-Basic understanding of a dog, four legged creature
CONNOTATION
-associational meanings of a dog - loyalty, companionship, krufts, walks, smell.
Adverts rely on cultural codes of meaning.
WHISKY ADVERT
"take yourself to the glen of tranquility"
-Glen, Scottish-ness
-relaxation
-tradition
-tranquility
-Social element
-Comfort
-Conutryside
-Drink takes you away from normal life.
-sophistication
-metropolitan
Signifier denotes landscape
which conotes Scottish-ness
this signifies thistle.
Braveheart
Wild lands.
Harmony
Fertility
Man with nature
Subjective and socially taught meanings.
BARTHES says that myth comes into play within the realm of connotation.
Connoted - all are equal under french flag.
colonial doner - enslaving Africa.
Disguising social difference.
people understand myth as a natural meaning
instead of socially given meaning.
was created fictionally but seen as the truth.
"The myths which suffuse our lives are insidious precisely because they appear so natural"
Bowler hat - representation of Englishness which no longer rings true
This is down in part to images like this...
People still think of England in this way.
St George's cross is a flag that connotes everything to do with English-ness.
Christianity civilizes the savages, the flag signifies the same.
"St George and the dragon" Town beset by a dragon. Lays siege to the dragon. St George slays the dragon, all take up Christianity.
football fans don't just hold up a football flag...
Symbol of victory & beatdown
Wonderbra. Woman is objectified.
Double major - term for doing well at college.
Interrogate sexist attitude
Woman is taught not to compete with men on intellect.
Just to become sexy... and that.
Birth control advert.
Don't have to think about things more than 4 times a year.
signifies that female isn't bright enough to work this out for herself.
Hans Memling (1485) 'Vanity'
Myth of woman as stupid vain character.
painting for man by man.
Fonts play on mythic ideas of foreigners, labelling them as primitive.
Trying to tap into racist stereotypes of Chinese people to advertise their own Chinese...
Law & order in toy town... P.C PLOD
Fat, silly, jovial, friendly, not serious.
(the plod)
Codes you into thinking about the police in this way.
Law & order in Springfield... POLICE CHIEF WIGGUM
Sloth, harmless
Myth - expression of the connotative that appears to denote.
Enforcers.
riot police.
De-human
faceless - robotic
Dispatching justice.
Brutality
NO SLACK!
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