Semantic signifiers

Semantics is basically the study of meaning. It focuses on the relation between ‘signifiers’, for instance a group of words used in a text, and what they stand for, called their ‘denotation’.

Looking for semantic connections in a text may help you understand the deeper meaning of it. Often you will find a number of words connected to a common scenario, which can be used as a code to help you towards an interpretation of the text.

For instance, the signifiers ‘flower, lawn, seed and hedge’ can be categorized under the denotation ‘garden’:

Signifiers Denotation
Flower
Lawn
Seed
Hedge 		Garden
Grow
Bud
Immature
Sprout
In between
Puberty 		Youth

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