7. a. Semiotics

Question 1

What is Semiotics?

Answer 1

Semiotics is the study of signs, it covers the whole cycle from the creation through to the processing and to its use. In a semiotic sense, signs take the form of images, sounds and words (chandler, 2005).

Question 2

In relation to semiotics, what is an icon, index and a symbol?

Answer 2

Icon - a realistic resemblance of the signified.
Index - A symbol identifying an object e.g. a left or right pointing hand or arrow.
Symbol - a symbol that must be learnt e.g. a red light means stop.

Question 3

What are the disciplines of the semiotic framework and describe each one.

Answer 3

Empirics - noise, codes, efficiency
Social World - beliefs, law, culture
Physical world - signals, hardware, speed
Pragmatics - communications, conversations, negotiations
Semantics - meanings, truth, signification
Syntactics - language, data, software

Question 4

What are the most commonly used semiotic disciplines?

Answer 4

Semantics, Syntactics and pragmatics.

Question 5

Using the 6 semiotic disciplines, explain each in reference to a telephone call.

Answer 5

Physical level - established telephone connection through phone lines.
Empirical level - Must know how to speak clearly enough to overcome the crackling on the line.
Syntactical level - Use appropriate language for both people to understand.
Semantic level - The words whether technical or non technical must be understood by the people in the conversation.
Pragmatic level - Be clear about the intention.
Social level - Maintain and use the correct social structure for both parties.

Question 6

Information is perceived as…

Answer 6

a critical success factor, a commodity, a substance and a process.

Question 7

name the two creators or semiotics and there main terms.

Answer 7

Saussere - signified and signifier

Peirce - Icon, Index and or Symbol.

Question 8

What is organisational semiotics?

Answer 8

The study of information and information systems.