Delving Deeper!

Some Important Key Media Terms

 Media Text: This refers to any media product such as newspaper, television and internet.

Syntagm:

This word is a series of signs put together in a specific order to create meaning. Saussure, of course, emphasized the theoretical importance of the relationship of signs to each other. He also noted that 'normally we do not express ourselves by using single linguistic signs, but groups of signs, organized in complexes which themselves are signs. Example- The sentence you are reading is a Syntagm.

Semiotics: This is an attempt to create a science of the study of signs and their role in construction and reconstruction of meaning in media text. A sign is broadly classified into two groups,

1. The Signifier- a physical object
2. The Signified- a mental concept

     Hence, Signifier + Signified = Sign

     Example,

Three kinds of sentences

•  Iconic Sign: It has a signifier that bears close relationship to the object being signified.

           Example, 

• Indexical Sign:  It assumes the relationship between the signifier and the signified, so that when we see one we expect the other.
   Example,  
  

• Symbolic Signs: It has no obvious relationship between the signifier and the signified. This has to be learnt from society example alphabets.

            

      Semiotics work on two distinct levels

1. Denotation: This is the surface meaning- it is literally what u see before you.
2. Connotation: This conveys a deeper meaning of an image- what it could possibly suggest. 

      Mise-en-scene: It literally means to 'put into a scene'.  Mise-en-scene for a hip-hop/Rap music magazine. 

• Iconography: In the hip-hop/rap music magazine we see typical items used frequently such as snapbacks, sunglasses, gold/sliver jewelry- necklaces and rings. Most artists in this genre support these items to show they represent this genre.   
  
  
  

• Costumes: Artists can wear jogging bottoms, designer trousers or baggy jeans, hoodies and jackets. There are two main looks an artist can have. They can wear cheap baggy trousers, hoody or trainers or they can wear designer gear. An artist can look poorly dressed if he wants to create a feel of being comfortable of what he is wearing and that he doesn't care about the following trends by wearing nice clothes. On the other hand the artist may want the best designer clothes to give an impression that he can afford them and look smart trendy and powerful. 

• Positioning of the artist: Artist tend to stand with their hands wide out to give a sense that they are big and powerful or they can put their hands in pockets to show that they are relaxed. They normally have angry facial expressions on their face to make them look intimidating and powerful.