Week 4: Visual Syntax, Semantics and Pragmatics.

We already have the basic concept of what semiotics is, but to understand more we should understand the three most important rules of visual language; syntax, semantics and pragmatics. Syntax, according to Lester (2006), "Syntactics is the study of the way signs is combined with each other to form complex messages". In other words, syntax is equivalent with signifiers, but it is more define in terms of color, lines, composition, spaces and information.

Semantics is the study of meaning of signs from the views of different people with their own perception based on their culture influences to create the description of the image. According to Lester (2006), “Semantics is an area of semiotics in which the researchers attempt to determine the significance of the signs within and throughout various cultures”. In other words, semantics is more likely as the signified and connotation of images. Below is the example:

As you can see, the image above is the picture of toys named Leggo. It could be said that a boy is looking at the mirror, or it could be mean that it is a girl who wants to be a boy, or it means that a boy who is looking at the mirror because he feels that he is handsome. Thus it shows that by just seeing the visual image itself will not give the exact meaning of the whole image.

Meanwhile, pragmatics, according to Lester (2006), is the study of the origin, common uses and communicative effects of signs. In other words, it is the use of signs in terms of social context to create meaning. Davis (1991) claims that pragmatics will have as its domain speakers' communicative intentions, the uses of language that require such intentions, and the strategies that hearers employ to determine what these intentions and acts are, so that they can understand what the speaker intends to communicate. It refers to the relationship between sender and receiver, which the meaning of the text is created by the sender. The readers then decode the meaning of the text with their spoken language or ant technological resources.

To make it clearer, let’s explore the syntax, semantics and pragmatics of the image of Adam Lambert below;

Syntax: larger area and background is black, allowing the smaller bright area to stand out, and giving the attention to audiences to focus on Adam Lambert.

Semantics: the makeup, accessories and clothes symbolizes the way of Adam Lambert portrayed himself as independent in music industry.

Pragmatics: The fashion shoot could be based on emo concept, or it could be represents the freedom of styles as Adam Lambert has his own fashion trademark of Adam Lambert. The image shows that Adam is independent in choosing his own clothes, the way he makeups, and the way he represents himself to consumers.

Visual communication theories of syntax, semantics and pragmatics play an important role in considering visual images. In our modern world, images are now all around us in our society and community which represented in any kind of media such as television, internet, books, newspapers and magazines. Each image has their own meanings, and as consumers we need to understand more reasonable account of human language behavior. Pragmatics give us more understanding way of how human communicate, how their mind works looking at the images, how images can manipulate human perception, and mainly how they use their human language.

Here is an example. A teacher wrote “Without her man is nothing” on whiteboard. Then she asked her students whether the sentence is correct or not. If it is not, students need to complete the sentence by giving appropriate punctuation marks. Some students wrote the original sentences because they think that their teacher tried to trick them. Some wrote “Without her, man is nothing”. If we can see the text, there are different interpretations depending on how different people reading it.

Below is another example;

Need to shape?

Exercise and Healthy Diet

Eating disorder and Depression

The two pictures above show two different ways to be good in shape. The first picture illustrates a right way to have a great body shape. However, the next picture shows the wrong way to get the shape. Even though we still can get the result we want, but the way of doing it is wrong.


references:

Dr. Chris Woo lecture notes.
Griffiths, P. (2006).  Studying Meaning. Introduction to English Semantics and Pragmatics. p.1-22. Edinburgh: Edinburgh University Press.
Nordquist, R. (2012). Pragmatics: Definition and Examples of Pragmatics. Extract from About.com Part of New York Times Company in www.about.com.
http://commfaculty.fullerton.edu/lester/writings/viscomtheory.html