Semiotics, also called semiotic studies and including semiology, is the study of signs and sign processes, and meaning-making. It is closely related to the field of linguistics, which, for its part, studies the structure and meaning of language more specifically. However, as different from linguistics, semiotics studies also non-linguistic sign systems.
What kind of signs do semiotic studies apply to?
A quick definition for ‘sign‘ is that it is ‘any kind of object, entity, or symbol used by humans to carry a meaning‘. This broad definition includes visual signs, words, sounds, and body language.