Semiotics or Semiology focuses on what everything means for everyone with different perspectives on something. A lot of our communication is done with the use of signs or symbols. It’s so important that it sounds so underrated. We revolve around the signs everyone is creating for us to react on and give meaning to. It’s like the process of getting information and giving it back. Signs aren’t only on/for inanimate objects, but also the ones created by our own body referring to our emotions and reactions. It is a help to analyze such signs that are represented by what we can see everywhere — but not all interpretations are to be followed. There are certain times that the basic and logical meaning of an object should not be interfered with or widened.

Signs can be seen in words we speak, type, and read. It can be seen in images that we take or we see in 2D. The sounds we hear and make; The gestures we do intentionally and unintentionally. According to Ferdinand Saussure “The sign is the whole that results from the associatio of the signifier with the signified”. Signifier being the literal and obvious meaning of a sign and Signifier being the interpretation given with the consequences around the sign. Example is empty chairs at a coffee shop. My ‘signifier” would be that there’s a whole lot of chairs without people sitting on them. My “signified” would be that there’s a lot of vacant chairs because there’s only a few people inside. There’s also Charles Peirce who said that Semiotics is “Something which stands to somebody in respect or capacity”. He interpreted it with a sign that always circles around the “interpretant”, “object”, and “representamen”. The cirlce is Semiotics.

There are 3 classes of signs: Symbol, Icon, and Index.

1. Symbol – the interpretation of someone is based on their past knowledge and memory. It will be relating to what their first impression is based on — what they knew or what their basic idea of what it is. Words are the most obvious example of Symbols. We learn words, and their definitions will determine their image. Learning simple words that depicts things like shapes, objects, and colors will stay literal to us. When asked about a rectangle, we will be straight forward into continuouing it’s interpretation of being a 4 sided polygon.

2. Icon – the interpretation of someone is based on resemblance and imitations. There will be a recall of different objects that will relate to a sign. The icon combines the similarities of something to create an idea of their own. Example is a photograph. A photograph is the resemblance of a moment or place in time that we took a capture of. It will stay the same but it’s not the real moment or place anymore. It’s the icon of what “happened” and what you “saw”. In simple words, the actual memory you had will never be felt in the photograph because it just resembles everything that is to be seen in that memory — A millisecond of it perhaps.

3. Index – the interpretation of someone is based on the deeper casualties the sign is made. It’s quite complicated but most examples are street signs. Street signs are made to inform, warn, and cause attention to people. When you want to go to Mcdonals but you’re in a highway, you may see a sign that says 5km ahead with the Mcdonalds logo. It will not only mean that there’s 5km ahead of the road for you. But it’s a sign that will tell you that you will be able to reach Mcdonalds and see it in 5km. “Stop at 5km after you see this and you’ll be there”. Another would be the “Caution slippery floor” sign. When you see it, the whole floor isn’t actually wet. You have to understand the meaning and the place where it’s located. It’s placed there because only a portion of the floor is actually too slippery for people to walk on.

Interpreting signs will not only make us more aware of our surroundings. It will also help us to cope up. Everything should be understood well. Signs are the littlest thing you should give a big amount of attention to. Misunderstanding them can lead to a whole lot of problems — not only for you but the whole society.