Semiotics Field Research
Semiotics is the study of signs. Look around you; meanings embedded in signs are all around. This tool will help you identify various signs, their parts, and the meanings people may make of them in the field.
Below are five signifiers you should seek out: word, image, sound, object, and gesture.
Written or spoken word(s).
u003cstrongu003eYou: u003c/strongu003eWhat concept(s) does the word(s) evoke in you?
u003culu003ern tu003cliu003eu003cstrongu003eYouu003c/strongu003e: What concept(s) does the word(s) evoke in you?u003c/liu003ern tu003cliu003eu003cstrongu003eOtheru003c/strongu003e: What concept(s) could the word(s) evoke for someone very different from you?u003c/liu003ernu003c/ulu003e
What concept(s) could the word(s) evoke for someone very different from you?
What type of sign is this?rnu003culu003ern tu003cliu003eu003cstrongu003eIconu003c/strongu003e: The word(s) resemble the concept being signifiedu003c/liu003ern tu003cliu003eu003cstrongu003eIndexu003c/strongu003e: When we see the word, it suggests something else is going onu003c/liu003ern tu003cliu003eu003cstrongu003eSymbolicu003c/strongu003e: The shapes of the letters or words are arbitrary, but we know the meaning because we learned it somewhereu003c/liu003ernu003c/ulu003ernNote: almost all language is symbolic!
Is this word(s) problematic, considering its meaning could be interpreted differently across cultures? Why?
Images such as photographs, visual illustrations, or in-person phenomena.
What is the image?
u003culu003ern tu003cliu003eu003cstrongu003eYouu003c/strongu003e: What concept(s) does the image evoke in you?u003c/liu003ern tu003cliu003eu003cstrongu003eOtheru003c/strongu003e: What concept(s) could the image evoke for someone very different from you?u003c/liu003ernu003c/ulu003e
What concept(s) could the image evoke for someone very different from you?
What type of sign is this?rnu003culu003ern tu003cliu003eu003cstrongu003eIconu003c/strongu003e: The image resembles the concept being signifiedu003c/liu003ern tu003cliu003eu003cstrongu003eIndexu003c/strongu003e: When we see the image, it suggests something else is going onu003c/liu003ern tu003cliu003eu003cstrongu003eSymbolicu003c/strongu003e: The image is arbitrary, but we know the meaning because we learned it somewhereu003c/liu003ernu003c/ulu003e
Is this image problematic, considering its meaning could be interpreted differently across cultures? Why?
Audible natural or human-made sounds.
What is the sound?
u003culu003ern tu003cliu003eu003cstrongu003eYouu003c/strongu003e: What concept(s) does the sound evoke in you?u003c/liu003ern tu003cliu003eu003cstrongu003eOtheru003c/strongu003e: What concept(s) could the sound evoke for someone very different from you?u003c/liu003ernu003c/ulu003e
What type of sign is this?rnu003culu003ern tu003cliu003eu003cstrongu003eIconu003c/strongu003e: The sound resembles the concept being signifiedu003c/liu003ern tu003cliu003eu003cstrongu003eIndexu003c/strongu003e: When we hear the sound, it suggests something else is going onu003c/liu003ern tu003cliu003eu003cstrongu003eSymbolicu003c/strongu003e: The sound’s makeup is arbitrary, but we know the meaning because we learned it somewhereu003c/liu003ernu003c/ulu003e
Is this sound problematic, considering its meaning could be interpreted differently across cultures? Why?
A physical object of any kind.
What is the object?
u003culu003ern tu003cliu003eu003cstrongu003eYouu003c/strongu003e: What concept(s) does the object evoke in you?u003c/liu003ern tu003cliu003eu003cstrongu003eOtheru003c/strongu003e: What concept(s) could the object evoke for someone very different from you?u003c/liu003ernu003c/ulu003e
What type of sign is this?rnu003culu003ern tu003cliu003eu003cstrongu003eIconu003c/strongu003e: The object resembles the concept being signifiedu003c/liu003ern tu003cliu003eu003cstrongu003eIndexu003c/strongu003e: When we touch and engage with the object, it suggests something else is going onu003c/liu003ern tu003cliu003eu003cstrongu003eSymbolicu003c/strongu003e: The object’s makeup is arbitrary, but we know the meaning because we learned it somewhereu003c/liu003ernu003c/ulu003e
Is this object problematic, considering its meaning could be interpreted differently across cultures? Why?
A bodily movement made by a person.
What is the physical motion that equates to a gesture?
u003culu003ern tu003cliu003eu003cstrongu003eYouu003c/strongu003e: What concept(s) does the gesture evoke in you?u003c/liu003ern tu003cliu003eu003cstrongu003eOtheru003c/strongu003e: What concept(s) could the gesture evoke for someone very different from you?u003c/liu003ernu003c/ulu003e
What type of sign is this?rnu003culu003ern tu003cliu003eu003cstrongu003eIconu003c/strongu003e: The gesture resembles the concept being signifiedu003c/liu003ern tu003cliu003eu003cstrongu003eIndexu003c/strongu003e: When we experience the gesture, it suggests something else is going onu003c/liu003ern tu003cliu003eu003cstrongu003eSymbolicu003c/strongu003e: The gesture’s makeup is arbitrary, but we know the meaning because we learned it somewhereu003c/liu003ernu003c/ulu003e
Is this gesture problematic, considering its meaning could be interpreted differently across cultures? Why?