Semiotics: The Elements of a Sign

By: Michael Ross

Semiotics, simply defined is "anything that can stand for something else" (Griffin 110). One of the main theorists of semiotics is Roland Barthes. Barthes believes that a sign consists of a signifier and signified. For example an engagement ring means one is to be married and the ring is a signifier, but the ring also represents an eternal love and togetherness and that is the signified. There are more to signs than just a signifier and signified. Let's now take a more in-depth look at what signs are.

Arthur Asa Berger explains two different theories in his book Signs in Contemporary Culture: An Introduction to Semiotics. The first theory is proposed by Saussure. Saussure believes signs have two elements, which are a sound image (word or visual representation) and a concept or meaning for which the sound image stands for something. Saussure is a student of linguistics (sounds) as opposed to Barthe's study of signs and visuals. Saussure's sound image is like Barthe's signifier and the meaning of the concept is like Barthe's signified. It is important to point out that Saussure believes the relationship between the signifier and signified are arbitrary. Saussure explains this idea as a piece of paper. On one side you have the signifier, on the other side you have the signified, and the entire piece of paper is the sign. This means that one side of the paper can't exist without the other side. The second theorist Berger discusses in his book is Charles Sanders Peirce. "Peirce said signs are related to objects by resembling them, being causally connected to them, or being conventionally tied to them. He used the term iconic for resemblance, indexical for causal connection, and symbol for conventional association" (Berger 12).

Icons signify by resemblance of pictures, photographs, and even statues, which we can see. An example of this would be the American Flag, which stands for life, liberty, and the persute of happiness.

Index signifies by causal connection. For example smoke/fire or symptom/disease, which is something we can figure out. For example, the sign with the cigarette and smoke with the slash through it means "no smoking".

Symbols signify by convention through words and gestures, which we must learn. Examples of symbols would be "thumbs up" to signify okay here in the U.S. The peace sign is also a universal symbol.

What is important to realize is that Saussure's approach is the key to the semiological mode of analysis, whereas Peirce's approach is the key to semiotic analysis. Saussure's approach of semiological mode of analysis goes back to his linguistic frame of reference. Scholars who use the Saussurean perspective identify themselves as semiologists. Scholars who use Peirce's approach of semiotical analysis are called semioticians, and use a more visual and aesthetic frame of reference.

Forms of Signs

What I found to be most relevant in Berger's book was the types of signs we all see in our daily lives. The four signs Berger discusses are Advertising signs, Objects and Material Culture, Activities and Performances, and Sound and Music.

Advertising Signs: Advertising signs are used for commercial intent. In American society there are many forms of media used for signs. A few examples are light bulbs forming words, lettering, neon, and plastic. The components of the sign indicate the nature of the company or establishment. Signs establish "corporate identity" and distinguish themselves as unique and seperate from others.

My favorite Advertising Signs are the Milk Mustache Ads...


Objects and Material Culture: People wear and own signs that convey something about themselves everyday. For example, clothes, jewelry, shoes, and eyeglasses. We can define a person by the way they decorate their home. Many times, objects are meant to give us a particular feeling or message. And many times, people reveal things about themselves without even intending to.

Activities and Performances: The things we do signify a lot about ourselves. For example a nervous twitch or biting your nails while in nervous situations. The gestures and nonverbal signals we send also signify a great deal about ourselves. Berger refers to the art of playing poker and masking your feelings as a performance. A "bluff" or false tell is a sign that lies in the game. We send signs, whether intended or not, to others all the time in everyday life.

Sound and Music: Sound and music generate emotions in all of us. The sound of the music is the signifier, and the emotion that results from the sound is the signified. The signifier and the signified make up an arbitrary relationship.

Click here to read another research report on semiotics. The web-site offers information on imaginary signs which are signs that only exist in our mind's eye and not in the real world.

Works Cited

Berger, Arthur Asa.Signs in Contemporary Culture: An Introduction

to Semiotics. Salem, Wisc.:Sheffield Publishing, 1989.

Griffin, Em. A First Look at Communication Theory. 3rd Ed.

New York: McGraw-Hill, 1997.

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