Semiotics/Signs and Signifiers.

Semiotics/Signs and Signifiers.

Signs and signifiers are culturally determined and are seen as ‘clues’ to the meanings of texts (in other words, any mass media product). They have certain connotations (meanings we infer, that are not literal) that we have learnt through exposure to them.

One example of semiotics is men and women's bathroom. Literally, these two images mean nothing but through semiotics and their inferred meanings, we learn that they mean 'women's bathroom' and 'men's bathroom'. 

Another example is the use of colours on traffic lights. Without the connotations, the colour red would be meaningless. However through culturally determined semiotics, we learn that the colour red means 'stop'. This is also how red gains negative connotations, like danger.