1. How signs shape meaning
Semiotics is the study of signs: words, images, sounds, gestures, brands, emojis, traffic lights, clothing, and anything else that carries meaning. It asks how people make meaning, how messages can be read in more than one way, and why culture changes what a sign seems to say. Semiotics matters anywhere meaning matters: advertising, design, film, politics, technology, fashion, social media, and everyday conversation.