Semiotics

What is Semiotics? Semiotics is the study of codes or language and this can include either the written or spoken word. There are a range of codes which we have learned to read over time and this can help us understand what things mean when people do it. For example, we all know that when a person shakes their head that they mean no, or could be showing disappointment. These are just two simple readings of what we can pick up from what a character is doing. Another example is semiotics could be used in films and magazines, if you were to see a very clean, polished looking man driving a very fancy sports car or a luxury car next to a man driving very old banger, you would soon realize that the man driving the luxury car is perhaps wealthier than the man driving the old car. Some things that us as a media audience would look for as semiotics would be: Colour, camera shots, clothing, editing, text and mise-en-scene.
The word 'Semiotics' was invented by the linguist and philosopher Saussure. He was a Swiss linguist and semiotician whose ideas founded many significant developments in linguistics and semiotics in modern society.