This document provides definitions and explanations of key terms used in media language theory and representation. It discusses concepts like representation, hegemony, ideology, stereotypes, and the gaze. Different types of signs and how they are used in semiotics are outlined, including iconic, indexical, and symbolic signs. Additional terms defined include conventions, polysemy, metonymy, synecdoche, and binary opposites.
2. Theory Language Representation – Refers to the construction in nay medium (Especially the mass media) of aspects of ‘reality’ such as people, places, objects, events, cultural identities and distract concepts. Hegemony– Cultural – Hegemonic norm – Leading Ideas – “Given” – Things you don't think about – Norms & Values. Hyperbole – Exaggerating something – “Hyper” Ideology – Study of ideas – An ideology is a belief system that is constructed and presented by a media text. Examples – Capitalism, Marriage, Male superiority. Hegemonic Values- The police are always right, men are better drivers than women. Stereotypes – Stereo types in media text are “types "Rather than complex people – stereotypes are often defined by their role, such as “bad cop” or “nice old lady”
3. Selected & Constructed The Idea of the Gaze – The gaze can be characterised by who is doing the looking. Extra digetic Gaze – Where the person is depicted in the text & looks at the spectator such as an aside or an acknowledgement of the “fourth wall”. The cameras gaze – Which is the gaze of the camera, and is often equated to the directors gaze. Intra – digetic gaze – Bart & Lisa watching itchy & Scratchy. Intertextual references – A reference from another text e.g. Simpsons taking the Mick of “friends” Semiotics – study of science & symbols Zeitgeist– “spirit of the age”
4. Semiotics Semiotics – The study of signs. Three Types: Iconic – these signifiers always resemble what the signify – ‘A window of the World’ Indexical– these signifiers act as evidence: smoke means fire; sweat proof of effort. Symbolic– these are visual signs that arbitrarily linked to references.
5. Semiotic terms Binary opposites/oppositions: sets of opposite values said to reveal the structure of media texts. These define through their opposites and choose a lesser & greater position e.g. Man/woman, Weak/strong. Conventions: ‘un-written rules’ in the production of main-stream texts. Dominant codings in any media. Polysemic: literally ‘many sings’ an image which there are several possible meanings depending on ways it constituent signs are read. Metonymy: literally ‘substitute naming’ a figure of speech in which an associated detail or notion is used to invoke an idea or represent an object. Synecdoche: the idea that ‘part’ of a person, an object, a machine, ect, can be used to represent the ‘whole’ and work ad an emotive or suggestive short hand for the viewer, who invests the ‘part’ with symbolic associations.
