Chapter 2

Chapter two defines language as "a system of signs that express ideas." To study these signs, people use semiotics. Semiology is "a science that studies the life of signs within a society." Semiotics are the rules that govern signs and shows what would constitute them. The author, Ferdinand de Saussure, was a little bit confusing in this chapter, but basically he described a sign as a combination of a concept and a sound-image. Saussure calls a sign "the idea of a sensory part defines an idea as a whole". This means that a sign is something that represents an object, event, feeling, etc. In Saussure's example, arbor stands for the word tree. Because people may be confused and ambiguous about the definition of a sign, Saussure created three new concepts: sign, signified, and signifier. He decided to keep the word sign, and replace the word concept with signified and the word sound-image with signifier. The sign is the whole and the signified and signifier are the parts that oppose each other. These three concepts are different, which is what defines them and makes them unique.

The chapter then goes into a miniature biography of Saussure and says that he was a Swiss linguist and was one of the most influential thinkers of the twentieth century. He founded the science of signs (semiology) and suggested how signs work. Saussure thought that language, speech, and speaking were different. He said language or langue was a social institution, language and speech could never be classified but are social and individual, and speaking or parole was something done by an individual. At first I did not understand how speaking was an individual activity, but now i understand that it is something only one person can do on their own (formulate their own thoughts and say them). Since speaking requires two people, one person thinks of something and then says it (sound-image) and the idea is transferred to the other person's brain that they are speaking to. Then, Saussure stresses the importance of recognizing the difference between a signifier and a signified. Signs in this world, and the language we communicate with, is constantly changing. The meanings of words change to what society uses them as.

To end the chapter, the terms signifier and signified are closely analyzed. These words are closely related, but at the same time are complete opposites. The importance of these words is in their differences. For example, this is why we can tell the difference between light and dark. We know when we look out the window and our eyes squint due to the the sun rays that it is not dark outside. This means that we configure things in our lives based on the differences of other things and ideas. Saussure's ideas about signs can relate to facial expressions, body language, and fashion as well.

My advertisement was of a toilet seat and it was connected in between two wheelchair wheels. Above the contraption is a sign that reads, "Drunk behind ONE WHEEL could land you in between ANOTHER TWO." The concept, or signified, is to not drink and drive. The signifier is the toilet seat made into a wheel chair. This picture goes to show that if you perform a stupid action such as drinking while driving, then you will result to look like a stupid person (like having to roll around on a toilet seat).