"Every single thing has meaning and gives a different message depending on where it is located and who sees it."
This excerpt from the reading struck me as interesting when I began to think deeper about the meaning Semiotics plays in our daily lives. As a communications major I am constantly asked to examine how certain things in communication translate to certain people. A particular example that came to mind has to do with my family. My father was born in Italy and came here when he was about 20 years old. Growing up on a farm in Italy, it was obviously a big adjustment for him but since he came here at a younger age it was easier for him then say my grandmother. She has been here for over 30 years now but she still refuses to give up her traditional Italian traditions. Although she can understand English, she can only speak a few words. If we were to spend an entire day together viewing the symbols, I wonder what different messages each of us would interpret? An ad for nutella would obviously have different meaning to her then it would for me because nutella is much more popular in Europe then in America. It may bring back memories of family gatherings for her, whereas I associate it with a favorite dessert of mine that is originally from France. This example is just one of the many I can think of that relates back to the excerpt above. Every individual has different experiences and memories that they associate with an image or message they see, and semiotics explores this even further.
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