Semiotics Theory 💡 Flashcards
(15 cards)
Who was the Semiotics Theory created by?
Roland Barthes.
What are Semiotics?
The study of signs.
What is a Signifier?
A sign that creates meaning.
What are Denotations?
The literal meaning of a sign.
What are Connotations?
The signified meaning or the ideas associated with a sign.
What does Polysemic mean?
To have multiple meanings.
What does Barthes argue?
Barthes says that if a sign is used consistently in culture, the sign can become a myth.
What is a Myth?
A widely accepted dominant connotation of a sign.
What is Naturalisation?
The process of establishing myths.
What are the elements in Barthes’ Semiotics Theory?
- Hermeneutic Codes (Enigma Codes)
- Proairetic Codes (Action Codes)
- Symbolic Codes
- Semantic Codes
- Cultural / Referential Codes
What are Semantic Codes?
Parts of a media product that we understand have a hidden meaning.
What are Proairetic Codes (Action Codes)?
The elements of media products which signify that something is going to happen as a result.
- For example, if someone pulls out a gun in a movie, we know that there will be a conflict or some sort of bloodshed that will occur.
What are Hermeneutic Codes (Enigma Codes)?
Enigma = mystery, so it’s any mystery parts of a media text that will engage the audience and makes them watch / read the full media text.
What are Cultural / Referential Codes?
The parts of a media product which you will only understand if you are part of that culture.
- For example, you may only be able to understand a media text if you come from the same society, race, age, gender, ethnicity, historical period, or country that the text is talking about.
Why are Cultural / Referential Codes good and bad?
- They’re good because they engage particular audiences. They also add layers of meaning to create a particular narrative for the audience.
- They’re bad because some audiences may find the text hard to understand as they don’t have the cultural / referential knowledge, excluding some audiences.
