I first encountered semiotics in media studies in college. I often say that semiotics ruined my life, and saved my life, at the same time. Thanks a lot, Saussure! Now I can view the world critically, and my critical thinking skills get in the way of my enjoyment of life sometimes. I had always loved words, and I understood early on, as children do, that language is the most common way to communicate. What I didn’t understand was how exactly my mother’s tone of voice, or facial expression, or the way her shoulders slumped could change the meaning of the words she said to me and set me off balance. That’s not what I said! No, but it’s what you meant, it’s what was communicated through body language. A sign (a unit of meaning), I found out, could be made of words, sounds, images, or gestures. So, a road sign with an image of rocks falling, or the words CAUTION FALLING ROCKS carries the same meaning. I tried to explain semiotics to my stepdaughter when she was in middle school, using the classic example of a Coca-Cola can, specifically the ones sold during the Christmas season with a picture of a jolly Santa Claus meant to provoke a joyful feeling in consumers. But what about the factory workers in South America? What about the warehouses full of rats? What about the gas used to transport the cans to our grocery stores? Understand semiotics and you understand capitalism and why your mother can make you feel crazy with something as simple as a wink. Language is a social phenomenon, constantly evolving and changing—the meanings of words and symbols only exist within context, in relationship to other words and symbols. And everything is connected. Thanks a lot, Saussure! And, also, thank you, Saussure.
-Morgan English