TEAM 4: SEMIOTICS (KÝ HIỆU HỌC)

1. Definition
- Semiotics is the study of signs and symbols. It explores how signs make
meaning. In semiotics, a sign is anything that stands for something other than itself. It
is from cultural representations to languages, to warning signs, and emojis, so on
The sign and the object are connected in a logical way. For example, a growling
stomach indicates hunger, or the smell of smoke indicates fire, a map of London is an
icon representing London.
- Semiotics appears everywhere, therefore, understand semiotics can help us to
‘see through’ the overwhelming mass of messages surrounding us.
- Semiotics includes 2 main elements: the first is the signifier and the second is
the signified.
+signifiers: are the physical forms of a sign, such as a sound, word or image
conveying meaning that create a communication. It is the literal meaning of a word,
you can think about it in dictionary terms
+signified: the signified is the concept that the signifier refers to. It represents
the various social overtone, cultural implications or emotional meanings associated
with a sign.
- Example 1:
+In this image, the signifier is the sound of the spoken word or the image itself.

In this case:
● the signifier: “Facebook”, a kind of social media,...
● the signified: friend, family, entertainment,...
- Example 2:
 ● the signifier: rose, a flower with Red color, Beautiful, ...
● the signified: love, romantic, or anything that can be interpreted from the
picture

- Example 3: Now your turn, let’s analyse this photo of these apples

If I mention words like health, Adam and Eva, Issac Newton,.. is this the
signifier or the signified? -> it’s the signified of the symbol. The signified represents
various social overtone cultural implications or emotional meaning accociated with
the sign.
And still this photo, if it is said to be a round fruit which typically has red skin,
then I am giving the signifier, in other word, the dictionary definition of an apple.

1.2. 3 forms of the Signifier

Signifiers can be categorised into 3 different types of signs including icons,
symbols and indexes:
+icons: an icon has a physical resemblance to the signified
 example: when we see this photo, what comes to mind is a a mustache

And in this picture, can you still recognize the mustache? -> yes. Even it looks
different from the first one, it’s physically resemble, which lets us know that is still a
mustache.
+symbols: a symbol is opposite of an icon, so it does not resemble the signifier
that is being represented. Symbols are learned culturally, which explains why cultures
can develop different and unique traits.
a common example of a symbol is a male and female image representing the
presence of toilet facilities. Although there is no image or presence of a toilet, but we
can refer it to the toilet because of the symbol of male and female.
 +indexes: an index describes the physical connection between a signifier and
the signified. This means that the signifier can not exist without the physical presence
of the signified

To simplify, let’s take an example of smoke and fire. As you know, smoke can
not exist without fire. In this example, the signifier is smoke which leads to the
signified - fire. If we see a big cloud of black smoke in the distance, the concept that
usually comes to mind is that it’s coming from a fire.

Let’s analyze a few examples:

Now I will show you an image and you’ll identify whether it’s an icon, symbol
or index:
example 1:
 - Are these footprints in the sand icon, symbol or index?
->Index, because these footprints can not exist without a person stepping through
the sand
- And what is the signified in this photo?
-> Someone walking in the sand.
- Lasty, what would be the signifier?
-> The footprints.

example 2:

- Is this image a representation of an icon, symbol or index?

-> symbol, because this simple figure does not resemble the signifier that is
being represented. In this case, a home which in reality look like these:
 Example 3:

Icon, symbol or index

-> Symbol. Because the Vietnam flag represents nation Vietnam, but it is not
how our country actually looks.

1.3. How to find and explain the signified that the signifier refers to
So how to explain a sign, in other word, what methods we can use or what steps
we can follow to find the inner meaning of a sign? In semiotics analysis, to find the
signified that the signifier refers to, there are two methods usually used including
content analysis and discourse analysis:
+ content analysis: Content analysis is a research tool used to determine the
presence of certain words, themes, or concepts within some given qualitative data.
Using content analysis, researchers can quantify and analyze the presence, meanings,
and relationships of such certain words, themes, or concepts. -> hàm ý trên bề mặt
+ discourse analysis: In its simplest form, discourse is verbal or written
communication between people that goes beyond a single sentence. Importantly,
discourse is more than just language. The term “language” can include all forms of
linguistic and symbolic units and language studies can focus on the individual
meanings of words. Discourse goes beyond this and looks at the overall meanings
conveyed by language in context. “Context” here refers to the social, cultural,
political, and historical background of the discourse, and it is important to take this
into account to understand underlying meanings expressed through language.

And to profoundly analyse the signified that the signifier refers to, Inter-textual
and hypertextual analysis are two methods that are usually used.
Intertextuality and hypertextuality refers to the interdependence of texts in
relation to one another. It is the interconnection between similar or related text, as well
as to the culture at large, that reflect and influence audiences’ interpretation. Texts can
influence, derive from, contrast with, or even inspire each other. In our common life,
particularly in media and communication, it is not always possible to find the exact
meaning of something only by analyzing one sign. We have to connect many different
events or signs that are related to it to figure out the inner meaning that it wants to
express, and the root of that, based on context. This process is called Intertextual and
hypertext ânlysis.
example 1, in the Vietnamese poem “Sóng” of Xuân Quỳnh, to deeply
understand the inner meaning that the poet want to refer, we have to understand the
context when she composes it. “Sóng” means waves in English, and waves here are
not only simply the waves on oceans, but more profound, it has various meanings. It is
the metaphor of a sensitive woman falling in love. And without analysing her life in
reality and her emotion when composing the poem, we can not understand exactly.
Example 2: Let’s turn back to the previous ones of roses, When it comes to
roses, what do you firstly think about?
- Sign: a kind flower with red color, Beautiful, a popular plant,...
- Content analysis: love, romantic, …
- Discourse analysis: finding why roses are the symbol of love.
From the Western culture, it has been believed that roses was created by the god
of love. According to the legend, her lover used blood to water the ground from where
the red Roses grew. therefore, roses are considered the symbol of love.
 The relation and association of red Roses to romance and love go beyond
tradition, cultures, and beliefs. And finding the root of the how roses is considered to
love like this is how the discourse analysis works.
2. A Brief History of Semiotics
Although interest in signs and the way they communicate has a long history,
modern semiotic analysis can be said to have begun with two founders: Swiss linguist
Ferdinand de Saussure (1857–1913) and American philosopher Charles Sanders
Peirce (1839–1914).
- The term sémiologie was first used by Saussure in a manuscript in 1894.
Saussure is generally acknowledged as the father of modern linguistics. His theory
spread rapidly throughout Europe and had a very significant impact, not only on
linguistics but also on the social sciences and the humanities. It deals with many of the
concepts that can be applied to signs. His division of the sign into two components,
the signifier and the signified were very important for the development of semiotics.
- Peirce, on the other hand, focused on three aspects of signs: a representamen,
an object, and an interpretant. Peirce called his system semiotics, and that has become
the dominant terms used for the science of signs.
There is a crucial difference between the understanding of non-semiotic reality
in the Peirce and the Saussure approaches. If in the former it exists as the object of
logical models, then in the latter it acquires features of empirical reality. However,
both are concerned with signs.
Semiotics has only recently been taken seriously in the United States. Although
Peirce did important work on semiotics in the United States, Americans had to wait
for semiotic analysis to evolve and mature in Europe before it caught our attention.
 3. Models of the Sign
There are two popular models including Saussure's Model of the Sign and
Peirce's Model of Signs.
3.1. Saussure's Model of the Sign
According to Saussure, he divided the sign into 2 components, the signifier (the
form which the sign takes such as words, images, body language, sound,...) and the
signified (the concept it represents). A sign must have both a signifier and a signified.
A sign is a recognizable combination of a signifier with a particular signified. A
signifier could stand for several different signified.

To prove his theory, he gave the example of the rose bunch. The roses can be
used to imply the passion. In this situation, the rose bunch is the signifier and the
passion is the signified. And both of them create the new term, the sign. We should
understand that the rose bunch as the sign is relatively different from the rose bunch as
the signifier. When the rose bunch is the signifier, it is just a plant in the garden. And
as the sign, the rose bunch brings a lot of meanings in itself such as the passion of
love.
3.2. Peirce's Model of Signs
 …
Peirce’s basic claim that signs consist of three interrelated parts: a
representamen, an object, and an interpretant.
+Explain each element

The representamen is something which stands to somebody, for something in

some respect or capacity. For the sake of simplicity, we can think of a representamen
as a signifier that imply to describe something.
The interpretant, the most distinctive and innovative feature of Peirce's theory, is
the stage when observers transform what they have seen into messages and ideas for
themselves.
The object, on the other hand, is whatever the representamen stands for or is best
thought of as whatever is signified) - Đây là phần giải thích cho cái sơ đồ ở trên
This model shows that meaning is not directly attached to the sign; instead, it is
mediated through the interaction between the representamen, interpretant, and object.
The representamen (simply symbols, images, words,...) only have meaning when
observers rely on context to turn what they see into their own thoughts, ideas for
themselves. That means, the object is not given, but inferred for example with two
different interpretants, a single representamen can have two different meanings.
For example, consider the definition of the word “star” in Cambridge dictionary
(the representamen). When an observer encounters this word, she will have to rely on
the context of the word ‘star’ in the sentence to figure out what the word means (the
interpretant).
 +If ‘star’ appears in the sentence ‘stars twinkled above them as they lay on the
hill’ => then the definition would be “a very large ball of burning gas in space that is
usually seen from the earth as a point of light in the sky at night”.
+But if ‘star’ appears in the sentence ‘Kids wanting to be stars come to
Hollywood from all over America’ => then the definition (the object) would be ‘a very
famous, successful, and important person, especially a performer such as a musician,
actor, or sports player”
4. Forms of Signs and applications (chủ yếu lấy ví dụ trong báo chí -
truyền thông, advertising)
4.1 Words (text bài báo…, lyrics, speech, lời thoại, …)
Signs exist in different kinds of forms, including words. In the first part, I will
focus on words. Words are so common, because we see them everyday, but almost no
one thinks words can be a sign.
+Example: LOVE
When we read a story, we see the word “love”
So, the signifier here: is a word made up from 4 letters: l, o, v, e
And based on the content of the book, we can identify the exact meaning of the
word “love” here, for example, it can be a love between a boy and a girl, family
members and so on. Moreover, based on the context of the whole story, we even know
the level of love between people. This love is slight, passionate or this is a forbidden
love. We even know this love is happy or unhappy for people who are in this
relationship. This is the signified, the signified is something we explain clearly after
looking into the signifier.
Every word can be a sign, the application of word semiotics is used in literature,
songs’ lyrics, the line of movie. Etc
+Example in Song’s lyric
I will take a song of Taylor Swift as an example for semiotics in the word
aspects. This song is called “Mirrorball” in the folklore album of Taylor Swift.

Analysis

Signifier The signified

 When we read the word But in this song, there are many
“mirrorball” - the image about a round meanings behind this simple word
object like a mirror that is often hung “mirrorball”.
atop the dance floor to reflect light and And the meanings behind this word
bring vibe for a dancing night or can be considered as the signified.
something.
1. The first meaning
She uses the word “mirrorball”
is the metaphor for people or even
Swift herself as a person who has to
always shine for others to make them
satisfied and entertained. But she can not
come to close to them. Because, literally,
mirrorball is hung atop the floor and
used to shine light for people when they
are dancing.
This is the signifier 2. The second meaning
In reality, the mirrorball is
designed with appearance covered up
numerous small pieces and when it drops
from the high position, it’s completely
broken and impossible to fix.
The word “mirrorball” implies
Taylor’s fragile emotion as a normal
human when she tried a lot for her
current achievements, was betrayed by
others and lived for the public
expectation for a period of time, suffered
from breakup. Understanding personal
affairs of Taylor to some extent, we can
draw the metaphor hidden behind a
simple word “metaphor”.
Through object “mirrorball”,
 Taylor wants to confess how she feels
about fame burden from expectation and
insecurity as a famous world’s singer,
but she is extremely happy because she
is on the stage to perform for her lovely
audience, work for her singing passion
and inspire women through her songs.
From this fact, this word refers to
Taylor’s soul.
=> To sum up, through the only
word “mirrorball”, Taylor wants to
imply: the ones who try to please others
and her emotional & mental life.
If we do not know much about
Taylor Swift herself, as well as listen her
song, we are impossible to know the
exact meaning of an object “mirrorball”
here.
So, in conclusion,
+signifier: mirrorball atop the
dance floor
+the signified: ones shining for
others, and her soul.

+Example in Article
 Link
Signifier
If we will just read through the title
of the article, we simply think that, oh
well in the incoming future, SA wants to
build something interesting such as
space pods, flying dragons, floating
rocks in the cities like a fiction movie,
SA is having an ambition to change the
appearance of its capital. If here is the
scenario you are thinking after reading
this title, the words of title is signifier.
The signified
There can be some metaphor after
these words “Space pods and flying
dragons. How Saudi Arabia wants to
transform its capital” right, it is not
simple as you think.
Because this article can imply other
meanings.
1. It can refer the wealth of SA
as a big oil exporter nation.
2. Can imply the ambition of
SA that it does not only rely on oil as a
major revenue, SA wants to change the
 image of capital for tourism, I suppose.
It wants to diversify the economy
3. SA wants to eradicate the
bad reputation for decades due to human
rights violations through this
construction plan
4. the article can also imply the
competition of SA with other such as
Qatar and Dubai which has amazing
architecture.
In conclusion, behind a word, it
contains different layers of meaning, that
create the signified.

In conclusion, semiotics are used everywhere, and the beauty of semiotics will
only appear after when we can define and understand meanings behind the signifier.
4.2 Music and sound (music, phim, tiếng còi xe,..)
Nowadays, there are many studies that have prompted the connection of the
sound domain with semiotics.
In sound notation, a musical phrase or a sound is a signi-fier, and the emotion or
the picture it generates is the signified.

For example, when you hear the sound 'ding', you will imagine a bell's ring.
So, a signifier in this case is the sound “ding”, and the picture about a bell that you
imagine is the signified.

Music and sound effects are used to generate certain responses (cry, smile,
clap,..) in audiences. These reactions are based, in large part, on associations between
given sounds and certain emotions.

For example, Oscar award-winning movie The Lost Thing (Ruhemann and
Tan 2010)
 The Lost Thing is about friendship between a boy and a mechanical creature
(called TLT) who appears to be lost.
In the film, the audience are enticed into the developing relationship between
the boy and TLT through the moving image, speech and music. The music,
composed by Michael Yezerski, in combination with image and gesture creates
more empathy for the characters. This combination also brings different emotions
for the viewer.
Listen to the sound in the boy and TLT context starting to play on the beach.
The author broadcast a music motif about friendship.

The friendship motif (The Lost Thing)

Looking at this motif, the author's combination of keys with the pitch both
ascending and descending has indicated a sense of lightness and joy. The friendship
motif implies a feeling of happiness and a developing affection between the boy and
TLT.
(In there, we can see the use of a major key (D major), large intervallic leaps
(up to one octave in distance) with the pitch both ascending and descending
resolving onto the tonic note D, and staccato/short notes that indicate a sense of
lightness and joy. )
=> Here, the sound that you hear is a signi-fier, and the happiness of
friendship between the two main characters (the emotion sound generates) is the
signified.
 4.3 Actions/Non-verbal Communication (body language, gesture, facial
expression,…)
As humans, we express ourselves in different ways, including verbal, vocal.
Also, basically, in advertising communication, the “sign” used in the ad consists of
two types, namely verbal and non-verbal. The verbal symbol is the language we
know; non-verbal are the shapes and colors presented in the ads, which are not
specifically imitating the form of reality. Ads try to deliver a message of realities to be
absorbed by consumers according to their frame of mind so that symbols and signs
should be a symbol or a sign known in their daily lives such as language, characters,
rituals and others. Generally, ads always show a product picture in every impression.

Coca Cola, as one of the biggest beverage companies, always gives a new hint
by its advertisement. To be clearer with forms of signs via non-verbal behavior, one
ads of Coca Cola will prove that. (Father and daughter driving lesson)

The advertisement has a story line about a father teach his daughter to drive a car
for the first time. In the beginning of the scene, his daughter look struggle when doing
her driving practice. And suddenly her father give a push by serving her a bottle of
fresh and cold Coca Cola then any problems disappear.

Scene 1:
Non-verbal Identification:

Setting Non-Verbal Sign Description

A place looks like a - Facial: happiness A man (father) gives

desert and two-person - Gestural: a man a key to his daughter and
wear middle-east outfits. gave the car’s key to a give a chance to drive his
woman and the woman car. The woman
calmly received it. enthusiastically drives the
car.
- Postural: sit in a car
 side by side and the
woman take the drive of
the car

Semiotic Analysis:

Sign Object Interpretant

A movement from A car’s key that was The man (the

the man (father) to give a handed to a woman. country/culture obligator)
key to the woman (his handed or gave
daughter) with a very responsible (car’s key) to
calm smile. a woman. The woman has
a right to drive the car in
the Middle East country.

As known, there is an unwritten rule in middle eastern culture regarding the

role of women in some aspects of culture. There are some restrictions on women. For
example, in Saudi Arabia, women are forbidden to drive cars. Through the Kingdom
of Saudi Arabia Decree in 2017, women are allowed to drive and it is marked by the
issuance of driving licenses for men and women without any distinction. From the
analysis above shown that a man signs as a movement of give a key to a woman and
the object from the scene is a car’s key. Those activities state that the obligator or
government gives responsibility to a woman to take part in Middle Eastern culture.

Scene 2:
Non-Verbal Identification:

Setting Non-Verbal Sign Description

 In the red car. - Facial: calmness A man (father) gives
and happiness. support to his daughter by
- Gestural: a man giving her a chance to
calmly gives a chance to drive his car and also
his daughter to drive the supports her by giving her
car and gives her a a bottle of cold Coca Cola.
bottle of cold Coca Cola
and his daughter takes
the drink while driving
the car happily.
- Postural: sit in a car
side by side and the
woman take the drive of
the car

Semiotic Analysis:

Sign Object Interpretant

An expression from A smile and a bottle The obligator of the

the men when sit calmly of cold Coca Cola country has no problems
beside his daughter and with the new situation.
gave her a chance and Supports shown by full
supported her with a cold consideration and
drink. deliberation.

From the description above, it shows the full support of the government
regarding the implementation of new rules on women's rights in the country or
middle eastern culture. Support provided by the leaders of the country not only in the
case of women may drive a car but also in the rules on women in Saudi are allowed
into the sports stadium. Previously, the Saudis imposed a ban for women to come to
concerts, cinemas, and other crowded places, including stadiums. In addition, Year
2012 ago became one of the historic moments for women in Saudi. At that time King
Abdullah was willing to sign a new law on women's rights, that is, they were
allowed to work outside the home.

Then another change in December 2015 is a historic moment for political life in
Saudi Arabia. Because in that month, women may participate in choosing or elected in
a general election and that was held nationally.This event is the first-time Saudi
women may vote and run for candidates in the election. However, their chances of
working are still limited in the shops of underwear and cosmetics only. It then
continues to complains by women in Saudi and they demand to have equal
opportunities in work. In 2017, for the first time in Saudi Arabia, will train women to
work as air traffic controllers.

4.4 Object
Signs, we must recognize, take a number of different forms. Words, of course,
are their most familiar form—they stand for things, ideas, concepts, and so on. But
signs also have another form for us to consider: Object.
When you look at the white Dove? What would you immediately think of?
 You may think of a medium-sized bird about 25-33 cm tall with a slender figure,
small head,and short beak. The plumage is usually pure white and can be easily found
in the city.
But the meaning of the white Dove doesn't stop at the appearance, the white
dove has been the symbol of peace and hope for thousands of years. So in this case
white Dove is a signifier and the symbol of peace is considered as the signified.
But have you ever wondered why we label the white dove a symbol of peace!
Hass that symbol been available since the doves appear? The answer is no, From the
beginning, the dove is just a dove with its characteristic shape, but over the historical
context, people have gradually associated the dove with a symbol of peace.Let's
analyzing the historical context of the history white dove
For early Christians, they supposed that doves derive their symbolism from the
biblical episode of Noah's Ark and the great flood. When the flood waters receded,
Noah sent out a white dove which returned with an olive leaf , to show that the flood
was over and that life had returned to Earth. Ever since, white doves have appeared as
a harbinger of peace.
The Spanish artist Pablo Picasso's use of doves in his works contributed to the
widespread recognition of dove’s symbolism for peace. He drew a white dove when
asked to create a poster for the World Peace Congress held in Paris in 1949. That is
when the white dove became a symbol for the peace movement
So to conclude, we can see that an object is one form of sign. As a signifier, an
object is just an object, but as a sign an object will imply to describe something
(signified). The meaning of signified can be learned through conventions of language
and culture (Context)
4.5 Combination form
Anything can become a sign. When single form of sign are combined, a
combination form can be created. Combination forms are signs used in movies,
advertisements or music productions,... It is a combination of images, sounds, texts,
actions, expressions of characters,.. together to create a separate sign, expressing
distinct shades of meaning.
 For Example 1: The image below is an advertisement for Heinz.

Signifier Signified

Red color of backdrop Red color of tomato; appetizing,

hunger-inspiring,

Bottle from tomato’s slices Purity, freshness, promoting a

healthier way of life

The word “grow” a factory-made sugary condiment

into a natural ingredient

A sliced bottle innovation and art

Visually, the red color of the background, the bottle made from fresh tomato
slices is simply an advertising image of Heinz's ketchup product.
However, upon a closer look, red in cuisine is a color with high appetite ˈæpɪtaɪt.
Heinz's ketchup-feeling bottle of tomato slices is made from fresh tomatoes, evoking
purity, freshness, and a delicious feel to the ingredients.
 In addition, the image of the bottle made of slices looks like a sculpture, with a
high visual depth effect. It makes advertising not only beautiful but also very artistic.
ɑːˈtɪstɪk Thereby, evoking the impression and interestˈɪntrəst of customers, helping
customers remember the product longer.
Through images and colors, the ad wants to convey the message of ketchup
products made from pure tomatoes that have a fresh, delicious taste and stimulate the
taste buds.
However, adding the word "grow" will change the message. The word grow is
when standing alone means a process of growth and development. When put in the
whole sentence "grow ketchup", the word grow is reminiscent ˌremɪˈnɪsnt of the
production process and the finished product. Thanks to the word grow, Heinz wants to
convey that Heinz's ketchup is special, meticulously and carefully completed from
cultivation to processing, thereby affirming the quality and safety of the product.
By combining both images and words in billboard, Heinz has conveyed the
message of a safe, quality, fresh and delicious product to customers.
Example 2: Another example is about the use of semiotics in films.
(Source: Conor Mc Elearney (2019), Symbolism and Semiotics in Film.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=88129wxFLuo)
The film used fire and water as two important signs throughout the film. When
we see fire, we often consider it with heat and danger. However, when placed in the
context of the movie, where the main character is obsessed and afraid of water, the
image of fire in opposition to water will be what he aims for, creating himself with his
imagination to forget its fears. Therefore, in the film, when fire appears, it is a sign
that the scene is a product of the imagination.
In contrast, water is representative of the real world that Andrew does not want
to face. The most unfortunate thing in his life was related to water: 3 children
drowned. As a result, he tends to forget, escape reality, and get caught up in water. The
scenes of the film with the appearance of water show the painful reality world that he
does not want to face.
5. Advantages and disadvantages of Semiotics
5.1. Advantages
From a sign we can have numerous meanings because the way we understand
and define a sign is coming from our cognition which is decided by the culture,
perspective, and experience. It is said that “semiotics is the study of the creation of
meaning”, therefore, it can be understood that explaining signs is based on a creative
and dynamic process somehow and our experience, and culture. Therefore, there are
several positive aspects from an understanding of semiotics.
Firstly, semiotics increases our empathy for different cultures, beliefs. The
meaning behind a sign varies from this culture to that culture, it does not have an
exact answer. Understanding this, we do not judge more. Semiotic awareness is
journey to find our own way to define a sign.
For example, take the receiving of gifts in different cultures as an example to
clearly realize that if we understand the semiotics, we do not criticize the same actions
but have contrary meaning in various culture. From this, we will learn how to respect
multi-culture.
In Japan, you are considered as a polite person, it you open the present after the
giver leaves. However, in many western cultures, directly unboxing the present in
front of the giver indicates your gratitude towards the giver and excitement towards
the gift you receive. And it is advisable to avoid the expensive gifts because it can be
seen as bribe.
In China, Chinese people tend to refuse a gift two or three times before finally
accepting it. This does not mean that they do not appreciate the gift. It is rather a way
of expressing modesty and good manners. Meanwhile, in other different culture, this
action of refusal obviously means you direct refuse to object it and it’s quite rude.
To sum up, understanding semiotics is a process of understanding cultures,
nothing is totally wrong and right, cuz it depends on each individual perspective.
Secondly, semiotics is a tool for stimulating creativity and enhancing critical
thinking.
For example, when we look into a sign, take a key as an example.
Normally, we usually think a key is a symbol of opening and closing.
However, a key also hides other meanings such as:
Key symbolizes
+security & protection comfort
+new beginning and fresh chances opening up before us
+symbolize power, cuz you are the only one who can open a door
 +seeing key, we imagine about trust, cuz when only give our key of house and
car for those we greatly trust.
To sum up, from a thing, we can visualize many meanings from it.
Thirdly, in the world of overwhelming information and high-speed internet
availability, people have a tendency to read through and listen to the news. Therefore,
the application of semiotics in daily life is very beneficial. It saves time for people
and sign or image are kept in people’s memory for such a longer time.
For example:

No need further explanation, looking into this object, we can refer to the
prohibition of motorbike-riding. Motorbike is not allowed to be used for the road.
Or in marketing, almost brands have its own logo and colour in order that
customers can easily identify it among a wide range of other products.
 Looking this logo, can you guess its brand?
I am sure that if you even do not actually know the brand, you would feel
familiar to this logo and know its name cuz it appears everywhere. And here is the
way of advertising and increasing brand awareness among people of the brand.

5.2 Disadvantages
Besides the above-mentioned outstanding characteristics, the application of
semiotic theory also has many shortcomings:
First, semiotics is temporary. According to Saussure's theoretical model,
attaching a certain word, image or symbol to a certain concept is a convention that is
not sustainable, long-term, but only temporary and at that time that combination is
accepted.
Second, semiotics can lead to the phenomenon of misinterpreting even the
wrong message of the designer.
Semiotics has its disadvantage that it is "unlimited", so that readers can freely
think in their own direction. Each person has their own views, cultural levels, etc
therefore one symbol easily leads to many different meanings. And this is considered
as “a tale never loses in the telling” game.
 To clarify, watch the following video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qKU7tQ3_aCc
We can see the same action but each person understands in different ways.

Besides, in some cases, readers may not understand or misunderstand the idea of
the creator. If these are works related to politics, security, economics or any sensitive
issue, misunderstanding the message can easily lead to unpredictable results.

For example, Pepsi’s marketing campaign used ‘Come alive! You’re in the
Pepsi generation’ in an attempt to revive what had become a boring brand and
compete with Coca Cola. In China, the slogan was mistranslated to mean ‘Pepsi
brings your ancestors back from the grave’, and in a culture where they worship
their ancestors, people thought that if you drank Pepsi it could bring back the dead.
 BRIEF:
1. Definition:
Semiotics is the study of signs and symbols. It explores how signs make meaning. In
semiotics, a sign is anything that stands for something other than itself.
- Semiotics appears everywhere, therefore, understand semiotics can help us to
‘see through’ the overwhelming mass of messages surrounding us.
- Semiotics includes 2 main elements: the first is the signifier and the second is
the signified.
+signifiers: the physical forms of a sign, such as a sound, word or image
conveying meaning that create a communication. It is the literal meaning of a word,
you can think about it in dictionary terms
+signified: the signified is the concept that the signifier refers to. It represents
the various social overtone, cultural implications or emotional meanings associated
with a sign.
- 3 forms of the Signifier
Signifiers can be categorised into 3 different types of signs including icons,
symbols and indexes:
+icons: an icon has a physical resemblance to the signified
+ symbols: a symbol is opposite of an icon, so it does not resemble the signifier
that is being represented. Symbols are learned culturally, which explains why
cultures can develop different and unique traits.
+indexes: an index describes the physical connection between a signifier and
the signified. This means that the signifier can not exist without the physical presence
of the signified
1.3. How to find and explain the signified that the signifier refers to
So how to explain a sign, in other word, what methods we can use or what steps
we can follow to find the inner meaning of a sign? In semiotics analysis, to find the
signified that the signifier refers to, there are two methods usually used including
content analysis and discourse analysis:
 + content analysis: Content analysis is a research tool used to determine the
presence of certain words, themes, or concepts within some given qualitative data.
Using content analysis, researchers can quantify and analyze the presence, meanings,
and relationships of such certain words, themes, or concepts. -> hàm ý trên bề mặt
+ discourse analysis: In its simplest form, discourse is verbal or written
communication between people that goes beyond a single sentence. Importantly,
discourse is more than just language. The term “language” can include all forms of
linguistic and symbolic units and language studies can focus on the individual
meanings of words. Discourse goes beyond this and looks at the overall meanings
conveyed by language in context. “Context” here refers to the social, cultural,
political, and historical background of the discourse, and it is important to take this
into account to understand underlying meanings expressed through language.

And to profoundly analyse the signified that the signifier refers to, Inter-textual
and hypertextual analysis are two methods that are usually used.
Intertextuality and hypertextuality refers to the interdependence of texts in
relation to one another. It is the interconnection between similar or related text, as well
as to the culture at large, that reflect and influence audiences’ interpretation. Texts can
influence, derive from, contrast with, or even inspire each other. In our common life,
particularly in media and communication, it is not always possible to find the exact
meaning of something only by analyzing one sign. We have to connect many different
events or signs that are related to it to figure out the inner meaning that it wants to
express, and the root of that, based on context. This process is called Intertextual and
hypertext analysis.

A Brief History of Semiotics

Although interest in signs has a long history, modern semiotic analysis can be
said to have begun with two founders: Swiss linguist Ferdinand de Saussure
(1857–1913) and American philosopher Charles Sanders Peirce (1839–1914).
1. How many forms is the signifier divided into?
-> 3: symbol, icon and indexes
2. Cho hình con chó -> what are the signifier and the signified? What is the
message if content analysis is used, and what if discourse analysis is
used?