Signs, Signals and Symbols

Signs, Signals and
Symbols
• Signs, signals and symbols, three related
components of communication processes found
in all known cultures.
• Semiotics, or semiology, is the study of signs,
symbols, and signification.
• Signs, signals and symbols are important as
safety communication tools.
• They help people understand that world.
• They provide clues to understanding experiences
by conveying recognizable meanings that are
shared by societies.
• Signs, signals and symbols are:
 To warn against dangerous and prohibited actions
in a certain area.
 To highlight safeguards and procedures that must
be followed, or equipment that must be worn.
 To draw attention to a nearby hazard or
potentially dangerous situation.
 To direct people towards essential safety gear.
Signs:
• A sign is a generic label for a unit of nonverbal
communication that conveys information.
• All known cultures utilize signs to convey relatively
simple messages swiftly and conveniently.
• A sign represents something—an idea, an
experience, a feeling, an object, etc.
• Words as ordinarily used are signs in this sense.
• A sign has literal meaning; that is, its meaning is
simple and straightforward, a matter of
conventional agreement among people who use that
particular sign.
• A sign represents in two forms
1. As a signifier, i.e. it will have a form that a person
can see, touch, smell and / or hear
2. As signified, i.e. it will represent an idea or mental
construct of a thing rather than itself.
• It is the theory of the production and interpretation of
meaning.
• Denotation refers to the obvious, straightforward
meaning of a sign.
• The meaning of signs may depend on their form,
setting, colour, or location.
• In the United States, traffic signs, uniforms, badges,
and barber poles are frequently encountered signs.
Signals:
• A signal is a type of sign used to inform another as
to what may happen next, a kind of hint or a
warning.
• A signal is a function or a data set representing a
physical quantity or variable. Usually, the signal
encapsulates information about the behavior of a
physical phenomenon, for example, electrical
current flowing through a resistor, sonar sound
waves propagating under water, or earthquakes.
• Signals play an important role in life. They are used
in communication, speech processing, medical
science, etc.
• Signals serve a crucial purpose in
communication systems by acting as carriers of
information.
• They play a fundamental role in facilitating the
transmission of data, messages, or instructions
from a sender to a receiver.
• Signals can take various forms, including
electrical, electromagnetic, acoustic, or optical
waves, and they carry encoded information that
is essential for effective communication.
Uses of signals:
• Signals can be audio, video, sensor data,
images, and many other types of data.
• Signal processing techniques are used in a wide
range of applications,
including telecommunications, audio and video
processing, image processing, speech
recognition and control systems
Difference between a sign and a signal:
• The main difference between a sign and a
signal is that a sign (like a policeman’s badge)
contains meanings of an intrinsic nature; a
signal (like a scream for help) is merely a
device by which one is able to formulate
extrinsic meanings.
Symbols:
• The symbol has been defined as any device with which
an abstraction can be made.
• A Symbol has complex meaning; it has not only
"Literal" meaning, but also additional meaning (s)
beyond the literal.
• A symbol may have more than one meaning. In fact, the
most significant symbols do convey an indefinite range
of meanings. It is something visible that by association
or convention represents something else that is
invisible; "The Eagle is a symbol of the United States"
• The Shape shows the Eiffel Tower. Usually, though,
this symbol represents Paris or France, not the tower
itself.
• A symbol is a something that is accepted by certain
group of people or general population. It can be
interpreted differently by people from different
backgrounds.
• Symbols are easily identifiable and are used to direct
and organize, record, and communicate.
• People use symbols to provide concrete
representations of qualities, ideas, or concepts.
• Symbols are best understood as signs that have deeper
and more complex meaning.
• Symbols can help you attract attention from your
audience, inform and educate them, persuade them to
take action or make a decision, and delight them with
positive experiences.
• Differences Between a Sign and Symbol
Sign Symbol
A symbol represents something that are

A sign is a form of
accepted by certain subjective areas.
language that is
Example of a symbol could be a letter or
descriptive in nature.
letters standing for a chemical element or a
ex. Road signs ( DO
character in musical notation. Symbol for a
NOT ENTER)
religious cults or groups.
A sign could stand for

May only target certain group of people.
something and it may
May be interpreted differently by different
be mandatory to be
people.
followed.

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