EVALUATING MESSAGES AND/OR IMAGES
4.1 The Text or Message
4.2 Semiotics and Text Analysis
4.3 Mass Media and Multimodal Texts
Generally, message is the information conveyed in the communication process. It
comprises verbal and/or nonverbal content, which may be spoken, written, or manual (for
sign language).
For our purposes, however, ―message (or ―text‖) refers to any recorded message
(e.g., writing, audio-recording, audio – and video-recording) that is physically independent of
its sender or receiver.
A text is an ―assemblage of signs (such as words, images sounds and/or gestures)
constructed (and interpreted) with reference to the conventions associated with a genre
and in a particular medium of communication (such as verbal, nonverbal, or both) (Chandler,
2017).
The term ―medium is used in a variety of ways. It may include such broad categories
as speech and writing or print and broadcasting, or relate to specific technical forms within
the mass media (radio, television, newspapers, magazines, books, photographs, films, and
records) or the media of interpersonal communication (telephone, letter, fax, email,
videoconferencing, computer-based chat systems).
Language is the means by which the information is expressed verbally and/or
nonverbally.
Presentation covers the layout, format, length, oral delivery (voice, body language,
timing) and any other conventions, such as spelling and referencing (Hoadley & Nixon, 2017).
Semiotics and Text Analysis
Semiotics is concerned with “everything that can be taken as a sign” (Eco, 1976).
Semiotics involves “the study not only of what we refer to as ‘signs’ in everyday
speech, but of anything which ‘stands for’ something else; in a semiotic sense, signs
take the form of words, images, sounds, gestures, and objects”. Signs consist of
signifiers (sounds and images) and signifies (concepts); “the sign is the whole that
results from the association of the signifier with the signified”
Similar errors can be found all over the world: in menus, signages, advertisements,
instructions, and so on. Here is a list of mistranslations seen around the world.
(Nicholson,
2017)
4.1 The Text or Message
4.2 Semiotics and Text Analysis
4.3 Mass Media and Multimodal Texts
Generally, message is the information conveyed in the communication process. It
comprises verbal and/or nonverbal content, which may be spoken, written, or manual (for
sign language).
For our purposes, however, ―message (or ―text‖) refers to any recorded message
(e.g., writing, audio-recording, audio – and video-recording) that is physically independent of
its sender or receiver.
A text is an ―assemblage of signs (such as words, images sounds and/or gestures)
constructed (and interpreted) with reference to the conventions associated with a genre
and in a particular medium of communication (such as verbal, nonverbal, or both) (Chandler,
2017).
The term ―medium is used in a variety of ways. It may include such broad categories
as speech and writing or print and broadcasting, or relate to specific technical forms within
the mass media (radio, television, newspapers, magazines, books, photographs, films, and
records) or the media of interpersonal communication (telephone, letter, fax, email,
videoconferencing, computer-based chat systems).
Language is the means by which the information is expressed verbally and/or
nonverbally.
Presentation covers the layout, format, length, oral delivery (voice, body language,
timing) and any other conventions, such as spelling and referencing (Hoadley & Nixon, 2017).
Semiotics and Text Analysis
Semiotics is concerned with “everything that can be taken as a sign” (Eco, 1976).
Semiotics involves “the study not only of what we refer to as ‘signs’ in everyday
speech, but of anything which ‘stands for’ something else; in a semiotic sense, signs
take the form of words, images, sounds, gestures, and objects”. Signs consist of
signifiers (sounds and images) and signifies (concepts); “the sign is the whole that
results from the association of the signifier with the signified”
Similar errors can be found all over the world: in menus, signages, advertisements,
instructions, and so on. Here is a list of mistranslations seen around the world.
(Nicholson,
2017)
