Monday, October 28, 2019

Media language

Media language is the way in which the meaning of a media text is conveyed to the audience. Context of text should match the audience in mind.
Saussure's theory: semiotics is the study of signs and their meaning in the society. A sign can be divided into two parts to give out 2 levels of meaning to a media text.First, Signifier(physical existence)- it is basically what we see in front of us. It is the form the sign takes. Second, signified( the mental concept)- an idea or concept associated with the signifier. 


Peirce theory: Signs can be categorised into three categories and they should be treated differently. 

  1. iconic signs- signs where meaning is based on similarity of appearance. Resembles what it stands for.( a literal sign)
  2. Indexical signs- closely related to a concept they signify. Implies some other object or event.
  3. Symbolic/ Arbitrary signs- they have a conventional link. They could be symbols for whole or written text. A learned sign. 

Derrida's theory: Audience deconstruct a text within contexts of its logos. (logos= symbols/signs). Therefore texts don't have a single meaning but many meanings. Polysemic in nature based on these contexts and how audience receive them.

Barthes theory. 
  1. First level of analysis. Denotation is the literal meaning.Describing what you see through direct observation. what the audience can visually see. 
  2. Second level of analysis. Connotation( emotional meaning)


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