Semiotics: 50 Signs

In this week's class, we learned about semiotics, the study of signs, and their use or interpretation. So what is a sign? A sign can also be a sound, word, image, or gesture. Signs also divided into the signifier and signified.

What are the signifier and signified?

Signifier = The Form

Signified = The Concept

On the other hand, signs can be categorized into 3 types which are Icon, Index, and Symbol. Before this, I have never learned anything about semiotics in my diploma before. So, I had no idea with these three categories, because I thought (Icon and Symbol) are generally meant the same thing. Also, I felt difficult to understand what is Index actually.

In the class, we were done an activity to understand what is connotes and denotes assigned by the lecturer. From what I understand is connotes represent literal meaning or directly representing what we see. Denotes is representing the secondary meaning or put to deeper understand the sign.

Here is what we learned in class:

Class Discussion- Interpretation of a Sign

To get better understanding about the semiotics, we were required to do a exercise - draw 50 signs (Icon, Index, Symbol) that are relevant to the project.

Also, we have to put them all in a A3 size paper.

Here are the 50 signs related to my topic:

The 50 Signs

For the 50 signs, I drew the literal meaning of each topic with different icons, so the icons of the leaf (to make herbal remedies), old scale (balance the herbal remedies portion), (needle) acupuncture, bright and darker (Ying & Yang), warm and cold (warm and cold-natured), herbal pills, grow in natural, strengthen immunity (good for health), fruit (some of the dried fruit used in TCM), herbal drinks. I also used icons of male and women (millennial) suitable to consume TCM.

For the index, I found it slightly harder to think differents ideas. I used across with a leaf (Herbal Shop or Clinics can be found in Malaysia), a bottle with a spoon herbs are used mainly for food supplements, cosmetic, for personal care as medicine, herbal drinks (made from herbs, dried fruits, and flowers), a Certificate with a sign (Chinese Medicine have been proved by Malaysia government), conservation between people (can help people to understand what is Chinese Medicine), Drug development (to produce more herbal remedies products), professional traditional Chinese physician, to improve our immunity system (protection), affordable (price), treatment for diseases (acupuncture), effective (in a short time).

Lastly, for the symbol, I do much brainstorming. I used Ying Yang (Symbol), the five phases (the basics elements are wood, fire, earth, metal, and water), tastes (the five tastes are sweet, sour, bitter, salty and pungent), eye health (vision problems - lowering function of the eyes). All these symbols have no resemblance and they are codes that have to be learned to understand it. For example, I used gender to symbolize Traditional Chinese Medicine is for everyone - regardless of race, age, and gender.

Overall, I had quite an experience thinking of 50 different symbols. While doing this exercise, it was quite easy in the beginning but when it comes to the index part my brain was blank out. Because I found it harder to think of the signs hahaha. I'm not really sure the signs I categorized correct or not but I'm enjoying doing this exercise and it is very helpful for my infographic that I currently do.

Thanks for reading.