Signifiers are related to their Objects of Referents [Signified=objects of referents] in three modes. They are:
1.
Symbol/Symbolic,
2.
Icon/Iconic, and,
3.
Index/Indexical.
Symbol/Symbolic
Where there
is no relation between the signifier and the object or referent, and where the
relation has to be learnt. All language
is symbolic, since there is no real connection between the word c-a-t and the animal.
Icon/Iconic
The signifier here resembles the object it seeks to
represent. It mimics the signified or
the concept, takes on some of the object’s qualities. The iconic sign is imitative. For instance the signifier ‘hiss’ seems
to capture the actual sound made by the snake.
Index/Indexical
The signifier here is directly connected to the signified in
some way. A good example of the
indexical sign would be the knock on the door.
We infer that the signifier (the knock) is produced by or is connected
to the presence of somebody who wishes to come in.
END