03-05 Semiotics - Part 2

Question 1

Name the three different and distinct relationships between the signifier and signified.

Answer 1

Symbolic sign
Iconic sign
Indexical sign

Question 2

What is a symbol?

Answer 2

The signifier does not resemble the signified but is fundamentally arbitrary or purely conventional
so that the relationship must be learnt.

Examples of symbols:
Language - the alphabet, punctuation marks, words and phrases,

Logos

Question 3

Give an example of a symbolic sign.

Answer 3

Because symbols have to be learnt they do not mean the same to everyone
Internationally, the colour green is used in traffic signs to signify ‘go’.
This is a symbolic or arbitrary sign because the world as a whole has agreed to its meaning.
This means some symbolic signs can have several meanings that are contested, i.e. people might not agree.

Question 4

What is an iconic sign and give an example?

Answer 4

The signifier resembles or imitates the signified (recognizably looking, sounding, feeling, tasting or smelling like it)
being similar in possessing some of its qualities

A picture of your face is an icon of you.

Question 5

What is an idexical sign?

Answer 5

The signifier is not arbitrary but is directly connected in some way (physically or causally) to the signified
this link can be observed or inferred/suggested

Question 6

What is an ideology?

Answer 6

An organised collection of ideas
A belief system
A set of ideas and values that are dominant in a culture

Question 7

Name some ideologies commonly found in media texts.

Answer 7

Patriarchalism.
Heteronormativity.
Patriotism.

Question 8

What is patirarchalism?

Answer 8

(Paternal Power) Males should hold primary power in society. E.g. families, political leadership, moral authority, social privilege and control of property.

Question 9

What is heteronormativity?

Answer 9

The “right way” to live is to marry an opposite-sex partner and have children.

Question 10

What is patriotism?

Answer 10

You should love, support and protect your country and its people above “others”.

Question 11

What is hegemony?

Answer 11

Hegemony is the way in which those in power maintain their control.
Dominant ideologies are considered hegemonic ;
power in society is maintained by constructing ideologies which are usually promoted by the mass media.

Question 12

Give some examples of hegemonic values.

Answer 12

The police are always right
It is important to be slim
Mass immigration is undesirable
The poor are lazy and deserve their hardship
Men are better drivers than women
It is important to wear fashionable clothes and have the latest technology

Question 13

What are hegemonic values?

Answer 13

Hegemonic values are ones which are naturalised.

Question 14

What is an open text?

Answer 14

One where meanings are various and not obvious.

Question 15

What is a closed text?

Answer 15

One which is very carefully managed with more obvious meanings.

Question 16

Name techniques for closing the text.

Answer 16

Juxtaposition
Anchorage
Cropping
Mode of address
Intertextuality

Question 17

What is juxtaposition?

Answer 17

Juxtaposition is the act of emphasising meanings in a text by highlighting differences and contrast.

Creating meaning by giving it a simple context by providing an opposite.

A binary opposite to something else.

Question 18

What is a binary opposite?

Answer 18

Birth / Death
Man / Woman
Adult / Child
Old / New etc.

Question 19

What is anchorage?

Answer 19

Anchorage (or Anchoring) is the process of fixing or limiting a particular set of meanings.

The most common forms of anchorage are:
the caption underneath/over a image,
or the headline to accompany a photograph in an article

Question 20

What is cropping?

Answer 20

Choosing to focus on one particular aspect of a picture, so - missing/cutting something out
Cropping can change the meaning of an image.
However, we often fail to ask appropriate questions
Like:
What has been cut out?
Why did they focus on that?

Question 21

What is mode of address?

Answer 21

The way a media image/artefact is positioned in relation to an audience.
i.e. how the media text ‘speaks’ to us.
Mode of address refers to image and language

Question 22

Name aspects of MOA.

Answer 22

Direct/Indirect - characters gaze.

Tone of voice - formal/informal.