When we talk about semiotics, the thought of signs comes to mind. However drawing on Halliday’s definition of grammar as a resource for making meaning, semiotics should similarly be seen as a “resource” for communication to take place.
Signs is said to be a union of signifier. This means to say that signs should be an observable form. And together with what it signifies or means it puts meaning to it; the denotation and connotation of the signifier. For instance, when you see tears rolling from someone’s cheek (crying), that can be considered as a sign. And generally, it means that the person is upset or unhappy. If i may use the term, the theoretical semiotic potential. However, the act of crying does not always mean sad. A person could also “cry” when he/she is extremely happy and overwhelmed with emotion or even trying to gain sympathy – actual semiotic potential. So from here we can see that what a sign stands for is not fixed but dependent on the social context for a more accurate interpretation.
With this example, it is apparent that a semiotic resource should not be seen as a preconceived fact rather as an affordance in which its meanings are yet to be discovered. The association of meanings to a signifier will then be dependent on one’s experiences in order to look at it in a different perspective.
Based on the fact that a sign has many semiotic potential, it is interesting to uncover how text maker uses semiotic inventories to make meaning. The use of segregation, separation, integration, overlap, rhyme and contrast and even typography can be employed to create meaning potentials.
The use of the semiotic inventories can be seen at play in movie posters and product advertisements to optimize reader’s engagement to the advertisements.
******************************
For this movie poster, notice the use of similar color, blue, for the movie title to create connection between the top and bottom picture.
0 comments:
Post a Comment