Originally defined by Ferdinand de Saussure, social semiotics investigates human signifying practices in unique cultural and social situations. Roland Barthes was only of the first people to study images using semiotics. It makes an attempt at explaining the practice of meaning-making. Social Semiotics main focus is on meaning-making. This is important because it emphasizes why we think and jump to conclusions the way that we do as it looks at the power of human processes of signification and interpretation.
Some rules I associate with the policy are syntactic, pragmatic, and semantic. Syntactic meaning characteristics of signs and symbols. Pragmatic meaning connections between signs or expressions and users. Lastly, Sematic meaning study of representations of signs and symbols. Information value is a guide for the layout of information.
Social Semiotic analysis of advertising images:
- First picture: This advertisement signals that you should go out and get Coca-Cola. This can be read through the expression of humor in their wording. This meaning also comes across as the drink looks appetizing with the condensation on the outside.
- Second picture: Taco Bell uses an appetizing image to draw the viewers in. They use text saying the dollar menu to make it sound like a deal. The purpose, meaning, or interpretation can be read as this company wanting you to come in to get some of their delicious food.
Thank you!
Maddie
Works Cited:
Bankov, Kristian, and Paul Cobley. Semiotics and Its Masters. Vol. 1, Walter de Gruyter, 2017.
