SEMIOTICIANS
His theory stated that the structure of the sign has two parts: The signified and the signifier.
He also said that the language is a system of signs.
Ferdinand de Saussure
He was a Swiss linguist known as the "father" of the tenth century linguistics.
Example 1:
Signifier: "Flower"
Signified: Whichever kind of rose comes to your mind, whether it is a lily, a daisy, or a sunflower
Made by: Juan Carlos Linares Avila
Example 2:
Signifier: "ball"
Signified: It may be a dance party, or a rounded toy to play soccer. .
Charles Pierce
He is considered as the “father” of modern semiotics, as well as the founder of pragmatism.
Example 1: The word "robot"
He divided the sign in three types: Icon, index, and symbol.
His theory dictated that the sign is composed by an "interpretant", a "referent" and an "object" linked in a process called "semiosis"
Roland Barthes
He was a French social and literary critic.
Example 1: the word "piano" Denotation: A large musical instrument with a row of black and white keys that are pressed to play notes. (A dictionary´s concept) Connotation: An instrument that creates such a gorgeous music (my concept).
Example 2: Denotative signifier; Green
Denotative signified: color
Connotative signified: Nature
He is known for his contribution to semiotics regarding the concepts of "denotation" & "connotation". He also added the denotative and connotative signifier and signified.
Jacques Derrida
He was a French philosopher known for his concept "deconstruction".
In his work, he claims that the written form is the signifier of a spoken signifier. He also believed that there was a final term for a word (this was deconstruction).
Example 1:
Lion: Big, strong, fearsome
Cat: Small, chubby, cute
Example 2:
Day: The sun and clouds
Night: The moon and the stars
His work entails the concepts "referent" (the speaking subject) and "referee" (the subject of speech).
Émile Benveniste
He was a French linguist and semiotician.
Example 1: The characters of a book arguing during a scene.
Person 1: The referent (the main character or the author).
Person 2: The referee (A secondary character, or the reader).
Example 2: "Hey, you over there!"
We do not know who the referent (speaking subject) is talking to (who the "you" is, or also known as "referee").
Example 2: The Eiffel Tower is a French symbol because you see it and it makes you think about France.