Semiotics is the study of signs, which consist of all the elements that represent some meaning and sense for the human being, including verbal and non-verbal languages.
Semiotics seeks to understand how human beings manage to interpret things, especially the environment that surrounds them. In this way, it studies how the individual assigns meaning to everything around him.
The objects of study in semiotics are extremely broad, consisting of any type of sign social, for example, whether in the scope of the visual arts, music, cinema, photography, gestures, religion, fashion, etc.
In short, almost everything that exists can be analyzed from semiotics, since for something to exist in the human mind, this thing needs to have a mental representation of the real object. This condition already makes such an object, for example, a sign that can be interpreted semiotically.
According to historical records, semiotics had its origins in Ancient Greece, but it only developed at the beginning of the 20th century, with the work of some researchers, such as the master of linguistics and philosopher
Ferdinand de Saussure (1857 - 1913), and Charles Peirce (1839 - 1914), considered the "pope of Semiotics.Semiotics and Communication
Semiotic studies are intrinsically related to Communication, whether verbal or non-verbal.
Because semiotics is the "study of meanings", it is essential to form the necessary elements for understanding among people in certain groups.
Through semiotics we are able to interpret the words that make up a linguistic text and assign a meaning to the respective word sequences, for example. In the case of non-verbal language, signs are also endowed with specific meanings, such as traffic signs, movements, sounds, smells, etc.
Learn more about meaning of communication and visual communication.
