Iconic signs and symbols

In the world there are many completely different things that we do not know about. An iconic sign is a concept that we understand and understand purely intuitively, but its full meaning is not quite what it seems at first glance. In this article, we'll talk about what iconic signs are about their role, purpose, why we need to know what they are.

But before we start to talk directly about the subject of our article, we shall plunge into the history of this concept.

History

So, when did the icons appear? For the first time the definition of this concept was given by Charles Sanders Pierce - American philosopher and mathematician, who initiated a science such as semiotics. The life of this scientist falls on the middle of the nineteenth - the beginning of the twentieth century. From this we can conclude that, by the standards of history, iconic signs and symbols as concepts appeared not so long ago. However, since then the definition of the term has undergone significant changes. For example, in his theory of semiotics, Pierce concluded that the iconic sign and what he depicted were "the same thing." But if you look closely and delve deeper into this topic, you can ask yourself the question: "Does photography have the same properties as the object or terrain depicted on it?" Of course not.

To somehow solve the problems, the Italian scientist and philosopher Umberto Eco formulated this idea: the difference between the iconic sign and the real picture is in the perception. That is, perceiving an image, we use the previously obtained knowledge about things and objects located on it.

Since we have touched upon such a term as semiotics, we will discuss it in more detail.

What is semiotics?

As already mentioned above, this term means a science that is part of linguistics. It appeared recently, and since then it has developed very actively. Today, the analysis of texts at various levels is an important issue that is being addressed by entire institutions and research groups of scientists.

With the help of semiotics, any information can be treated as text. And this is its peculiarity. The information in the text can be represented in different ways. Including the usual verbal (or verbal) and iconic messages. In the concept of an iconic message, you can also include a video. After all, today it is a huge amount of content consumed by people. Video recordings are actually a collection of iconic signs, which means that the video itself is also such.

In fact, semiotics is not such a simple science as it seems. For example, even the images that we consume as content in many printed and electronic media, being iconic, can, however, be interpreted in different ways. In order to understand the sign in the sense in which we are required, it is usually commented on: they make signatures or footnotes.

We discussed the functions of semiotics as a science and as a tool for text analysis. However, we will not go into details and turn directly to the topic of our narrative. And we will begin with the definition.

What are the iconic signs?

In computer science, various symbols are of great importance. Including and iconic. This, as you might guess, is the icon on the desktop. They have a direct resemblance to the designated object. This is how icons are interpreted in linguistics. One of the prerequisites for such a symbol is its correspondence (similarity) with the designated object. In our life they are used quite actively. For example, the sign of road works, indicating the place of their conduct. But we did not start with the most common example. Probably the most understandable is the saying that all smiles and badges that we use when commenting on something or expressing our opinion in social networks are also iconic signs.

Now proceed to one of the most important parts of this article. We have to identify and understand the difference between iconic signs and symbols. It would seem that this is the same, because the first is actually the second. However, here there are significant subtleties, presumed by the definition of a symbol and an iconic sign in isolation.

By the way, directly examples of iconic signs and symbols you can see below.

Differences

What is the difference between the iconic signs of symbols? In fact, there is only one fundamental difference. Consider a symbol of something, for example, a chemical element. This is one or two letters (in the current table there are actually three-letter letters) of the Latin alphabet. They do not have a direct connection with the atom. Looking at the symbol of a chemical element, it is impossible to say without having specific knowledge in the field of chemistry, how many, for example, the electrons are on its outer shell, or how many bonds it is able to form. Thus, the symbol can be understood as a certain code, the key to which lies in our mind. And if you do not know what the name of the chemical element is hidden behind its symbol, you can hardly guess it by analyzing its individual signs or properties.

A completely different story with iconic signs. They are designed so that a person can easily understand what is at stake. An indispensable condition of any such pattern is recognition and similarity with the object that it depicts. Otherwise, the "icon" loses its unique properties and turns into a symbol. We have already given an example of such a sign in the last section, but still we'll figure out one more for fixing. Each of us noticed, signs entering the toilet, signifying the male and female branches. As a rule, they are executed in the form of figures of a man and a woman. Looking at them, without any unnecessary clues, we understand for whom this or that door is designed. And this is the main advantage of iconic signs.

It's time to talk about the division of roles. After all, we live "hand in hand" and with symbols, and with iconic signs.

Roles of characters and symbols

In the previous section, much has been written about the difference between the concepts we are discussing. The iconic signs, the examples of which we have considered above, like the symbols, perform an important function in our language and everyday life. With your permission, we will use the examples given in the previous sections to explain the new material.

So, where is the use of the symbol and the iconic sign? And in what situations is it better to designate an object in one way or another? Everything is quite simple and, probably, intuitively understandable. Let's say we have a certain amount of information that we need to invest in a future sign. When creating it, we must understand whether it will be an iconic symbol or a symbolic object. Yes, the icon is easier to understand and remember faster, but a lot more information can be embedded in the symbol, even if it requires a preliminary review. For example, in the notation of atoms of chemical elements a huge amount of information is enclosed: after seeing the formula of the molecule, we can immediately tell how many bonds each atom forms, or count the number of its electrons. All this is possible due to our knowledge in the field of chemistry, which act in this situation as a "decoder" of the symbolic code in our brain.

After all this, a logical question arises: "And how and where is this or that type of designation used, how are they related and connected at all?" In the next section, let's talk about how icons are used in journalism.

How do journalists use it?

In the section on semiotics, we have already discussed the role of signs in the presentation of a particular material. It's time to talk about what information can be extracted from certain semiotic objects when analyzing the text.

There is such a thing as a creolized text. This is a collection of semiotic signs, including several different types of messages. As an example, you can consider, for example, an article in the journal. In it there is also a verbal part - a verbal statement, and the iconic signs are the figurative part.

Creolized texts differ among themselves and there are two main types. The first is a material in which both parts of the text enter into equal relations with each other, but at the same time the verbal part is independent and does not lose a single sense when removing the graphic elements from it. Thus, iconic signs and symbols in the form of images complement the verbal part of the foregoing. This kind of creolized text is very often seen in newspaper articles, news articles and popular science articles. The second kind, as you probably guessed, is a close combination of these two types of information representation. When the picture complements the text, one can say, the synergy of these components (i.e., the increased effect from the perceived message) occurs. Examples of such texts we notice every day, sitting on the Internet or walking down the street: it's advertising. In it, we are attracted by the image, and only then we read the material from which we learn everything we need to purchase the advertised product or service.

Without a doubt, journalism is the main area of application of the signs and symbols we are discussing. It was with its development that research in the field of semiotics began to advance. But let us turn to the not so trivial branch of the use of icons and symbols.

How does this apply in computer science?

The very name of this science - computer science - suggests that it closely examines information, how it is transmitted and perceived. In the technique, iconic signs are used to transmit data to the user. For example, the simplest thing is the icons on your desktop. Even the name itself - "icons" - alludes to the fact that all the icons on the desktop are iconic. And indeed it is. They send us information about the contents of the object to which we click. That is, in their minds, we can understand what awaits us, if we open a label with this or that iconic screensaver.

In general, symbols from time immemorial served people to transmit information and data. Today, ancient symbols evolved into letters in various world languages, as well as into unique computer programming languages in which all operations and codes are also written using certain signs.

We understood what role icons play in journalism. But the field of application of such interesting and, as we have found out, the necessary concept to be limited to journalism and computer science can not. They are also used in other areas of our lives.

Iconic signs in culturology

You probably know what cultureology is and what it does. This is a huge field of knowledge (one can even say, science), covering the entire culture of humanity since its inception. In fact, very much in our life we owe this part of our being. If we had no culture, life in the eternally developing and growing world of modernity would be impossible.

Culturology, among other things, also studies the writing, drawings, signs that the person left at different times. Of course, among them are various images, rock paintings, letters, manuscripts. And all this can be attributed to iconic signs. People in ancient times gave them much more importance than we are now. They believed that a certain symbol can cause a spirit or, say, heal a person. Until now, we see these vestiges of the past: for example, the Voodoo doll. It is believed that if you create a doll that looks like a certain person, and then pierce the needle with certain parts of it, then the real person will suffer from those areas where the needle sticks out. In fact, all this is just a misunderstanding of the iconic sign. After all, it does not have 100% similarity with the depicted object and almost never has the same properties. An iconic sign is only an object by means of which we can perceive some real picture or obtain information about it.

Now, with culturology, everything became clearer. But what role do the objects we discuss in everyday life play? How do they affect us? The answers to these questions are in the next section.

Why is all this necessary?

We ourselves sometimes do not notice how to give signs some qualities that make them look like objects depicted. But it is worth thinking about: is it right? Does the sign depicting an object or phenomenon really have something globally in common with the object that it is meant to designate? There is hardly such a connection. Of course, they do not have global common features, but there is something in common: without the depicted object or phenomenon, there will be no symbol, as it will simply not be needed. Another detail, which I would like to focus on is the interpretation of the symbol. We can perceive the same sign in different ways. Of course, the iconic signs are, in fact, created to narrow this circle of perception and to direct a person specifically to association with the object implied by the symbol. But, without the knowledge of the object of the icon, we can not recognize it. This is also one of the problems of using and distributing icons.

In addition, very often students of the linguistic profile receive assignments of the type: "specify a sign that is not iconic." It is not necessary to explain how to carry out such tasks. After all, at the beginning of the article, we sorted out what is the difference between iconic signs and symbols.

Conclusion

Today, we are all surrounded by information. And each of us sees a huge number of signs a day, and the number of them is constantly growing. It is very important not to get lost in this chaos of graphic designations and to expand your luggage of knowledge about what surrounds us. After all, it can be difficult to guess what is behind the next beautiful logo.