WEEK 4: Syntax, Pragmatics and Semantics

Way before words are created, we found that most of the cave or place in this world were full with image which are drew by people before us. They learn to speak or communicate before alphabets or languages (words) are created with the use of these images. Human learn to use visual as their language to interact with each other. 

'The main reason for using visual language is that they are often far more convenient for the user than traditional textual languages' - Marriot.K, Meyer.B, (1998), Visual Language Theory, Springer.


According to Lester.P (2006), traditional linguist stated that visual images could not be taken as a language since it does not have alphabet and grammar (rules structure) which used to form a phrase or sentences. 


Syntax - tells about the relation between the patterns and rules. Without its structure, it is hard to understand the meaning. For example the alphabets are combine together to give meanings - C+A+R = 

This image maybe will not appear when you change the structure of CAR into ARC or RAC. 
 Like formal language, visual also have rules in order to deliver messages from the image such as colors, lines, composition and even position of an object portrayed in the image. 

The position of every object including words, pictures and logo are positioned to direct the eye movements of  the viewer. When we see this image, our eye move from the 'start' (center) to the 'end' (BMW logo) which shows that our sight is directed by five laws of eye movement. Only certain parts in the image will attract our attention - your eyes does not concentrate at the curtain behind. Informative parts attract more attention - only 'the ultimate attraction' sentence attracts our eyes. The overall message that can be interpret from this image is by choosing BMW as your ride will attract attraction from people around us.

A bright color have loud effects. It shows that the main attraction of this image is the 'Guess' perfume which situated in a black and white color as its background. The perfume seems to standout among all of the object in the image. Other than that, the vertical and horizontal lines which acts as a frame of an image tend to make the the object more stable.

The rule of thirds states that by dividing an artwork with evenly spaced horizontal and vertical lines - two of each, creating 9 parts -, the intersections of these lines are to be sought after as the most preferred focal points of an artwork or photograph. This is because at these points, the eye has the best perception of the main object in relation to the surrounding objects. 

Instead of being at the center of the picture, the model of the Calvin Klein advertisement stand at the left corner of the picture which used the 'third rule' to create attention for viewers. 

Semantics - tells about meaning. It depends on how the viewers interpret the meaning they get from the images including colors, fixation, lines composition and etc. 

This pictures produce an unpleasant feeling due to its color arrangement. It is designed to provide message to the public to stop smoking where black and dull color represent death.

The room in the picture are so tidy while the women pose confidently. It shows that the 'Versace' brand gives confident and comfort feeling to those who wear it. Other than that, gold dress represent the luxury or wealthy of the women. Versace also gives status to a women who wear it. We should also bear in mind that the meaning that we get from a picture always follow the codes which we use to interpret the meaning.  


Pragmatics - tells about the uses or purpose for the meaning. For example, a combination of yellow, red and green are no longer used and interpret for the same meaning. Below is a traffic light where the colors used to control traffic conjunction. 

Semantic is the colour. - Green Go. Red stop.Yellow Ready to stop.


Pragmatics - the uses of this meaning. but sometimes its contradict with the actual meaning. Thus the purpose to the general meaning has change in certain parts of the world. To most people, Yellow means just get past the traffic light fast as you can before it turn red =)


While in Congo they used this tree color as their Flag. 

On the other hand, the combination of this colors also represent 'Rasta' style which famous among Bob Marley fans.

Syntax - The traffic light can be created and turn out to be in many form such as this -

REFERENCE :

•  Lester, P.M. (2006). Syntactic theory of Visual Communication. Retrieved June 17, 2010 from Communication Faulty of Fullerton University.

• The Developement of language and language research : Roger Brown - edited by Frank

  
  

WEEK 3 - Revisited of semiotics.

Other than verbal or non-verbal (action) communication, signs also provide human with an understanding of communication way before words are created which seems to be more persuasive. Signs do not necessarily associate with symbols. "The sign is the whole that results from the association of the signifier with the signified" (Saussure,1983) By understanding the theory of semiotics which also means the study of sign can help us to understand how ideologies are visually constructed. Thus it can be apply as a tool to analyze how human use visual images, pictures and signs to communicate either as a persuasive communication or as a production of 'meanings' for the audience to interpret. 

Before that, I will explain briefly about signifier, signified, denotation and connotation which must be understood before analyzing signs in the form of any ‘text’. Sign is a result of signifier and what can be signified or interpret by the audience or receiver.

Sign can be divided into three categories:

1)Iconic - it is a representation of reality through the process of imitation.

2)indexical - sign which compels attention without giving any information about its object.

3) symbol - a meaning that we get from the symbol.

Signifier – form of which sign takes. (in the form of text, sound, images and object.) – According to Saussure.

It is also define as a unit of something that can carry out ambiguous or multiple meanings – define by Mardy S.
The signifier is form by all 5 senses of human which is sight, smell, touch and sound.

Signified – ‘A concept in our mind are shaped by the signifier that our language provide for us to think and to talk with’ as mentioned in Bignell, Jonathan. Media semiotics: an introduction. (1997). Manchester University press. Manchester.

Denotation – literal description and meaning of a signifier of a sign.

Connotation – representation and concept of the sign.

A signifier - W A R S

A signified - what do you have in mind? this? 

                  OR

                   This?

                  OR 

                          This?

Its all up to you and your imagination when the you read the signifier. 

The input (signifier) of signs may made up from one sources but the output (signified) or result of this signs produce a different interpretation depends on the individual and its cultures. I will explain about this further with accompany with examples below.

Here, i will explain regarding connotation and denotation.

Connotation - three guys near the lack shooting for a dug. Two of them used a shotgun in order to catch the dug. And the last guy which seems to be more shorter is using a vacuum cleaner.

Denotation - although the two guys who uses shotguns seems to be more good in shooting but they choose somebody who seems to be naive in that activity. but at the same time they prove that our physical appearance will not be a problem towards what we desire. with a strong vacuum like that, it will manage to get what we desire for which seems to me for the purpose of cleaning.

The input (signifier) of signs may made up from one sources but the output (signified) or result of this signs produce a different interpretation depends on the individual and its cultures. I will explain about this further with accompany with examples below.

 To me, in order for we to understand or analyze media, it is useful for we to have knowledge about semiotics. In order for we to understand the meaning, first we should understand the sign. More or less, without the explanation from the signifier, it is hard for us to understand the message which they try to sent. 

for example in the above picture, without that tiny little symbol of mouthwash Listerine, maybe we will denotes a different meaning according to our present knowledge. Maybe we will think that the priest is giving a worst speech ever. We can call this as 'anchoring'. It anchor the whole image to be more narrow into a specific interpretation for the viewers.

Here's another anchoring process in a video advert.

Without the last line which act as an anchor in the end of this video. we might not understand that this video designed specifically for a condom advert.

We also should understand that the interpretation of meaning is depend on so called 'codes' which also means set of rules which agree upon by a community. Without the acknowledgement of this 'codes', it is hard for a society or audience to interpret the meaning of that sign that they did not understand or disagree. Maybe a 'non-smoking' signs will not be that affective when you put it on the wall where the native people live. this is because they are not familiar with that sign and they did not even agree or exist that sign in their culture.

 Thus, ‘semiotics is concerned with everything that can be taken as a sign’ (ECO 1976, 7). As mentioned by Chandler.D (semiotics : the basics), which is define by Umberto Eco that semiotics involves the study not only of what we refer as ‘signs’ in everyday speech, but of anything which ‘stands for’ something else. In a semiotic sense, signs take the form of the words, images, sounds, gestures and objects. In other words, it is the study on what and how meanings are made and how does representation of signs reflects the reality of the world.

 REFERENCE :

• The Art of the Subject: Between Necessary Illusion and Speakable Desire in the Analytic Encounter.

• Bignell, Jonathan. Media semiotics: an introduction. (1997). Manchester University press. Manchester.
• A theory of semiotics by Umberto Eco (P. 178)