Roland barthes- Founder of media

C.S. Pierce- Discovered semiotics

Ferdinand de Saussure- Developed a way of understanding how meaning is created

Semiotics – The term used to describe the study of signs and symbols and their interpretation

Sign- A gesture/ object/ sound etc that conveys a meaning. the smallest unit of meaning. Anything that can be used to communicate

Signifer- A signs physical form

Signified- The meaning expressed by a sign

Icon- sign which has a direct connection to its’ object (ie it looks or sounds like the object)

Indexical – sign which has an indirect link to its’ object (think smells)

Symbolic – sign which has a random or arbitrary link based on a shared knowledge or an agreement, for example, a shared culture or language (think letters, words, writing, shapes, squiggles, colours, sound effects, facial expressions, hand gestures, clothing, hair styles, etc

Code – A collection of semiotic signs

Dominant signifier – A code or item Anchorage when a piece of media uses another piece of media to reduce the amount of connotations in the first, therefore allowing the audience to interpret it much more easily.

Paradigm – where signs get meaning from their association with other signs

Syntagm- where signs get meaning from their sequential order, e.g., grammar or the sequence of events that make up a story

Signification – the representation or conveying of meaning

Denotation – the most basic or literal meaning of a sign, e.g., the word “rose” signifies a particular kind of flower.

connotation- the secondary, cultural meanings of signs; or “signifying signs,” signs that are used as signifiers for a secondary meaning, e.g., the word “rose” signifies passion

Myth – A combo of paradigms and syntagms that make up an oft-told story with elaborate cultural associations

Dominant – ideology Codes that reinforce or are congruent with structures of power