''Elements of Semiology'' (french: Éléments de sémiologie) is a compendium-like text by French

semiotician Semiotics (also called semiotic studies) is the systematic study of sign processes (semiosis) and meaning making. Semiosis is any activity, conduct, or process that involves signs, where a sign is defined as anything that communicates something, ...

Roland Barthes Roland Gérard Barthes (; ; 12 November 1915 – 26 March 1980) was a French literary theorist, essayist, philosopher, critic, and semiotician. His work engaged in the analysis of a variety of sign systems, mainly derived from Western popula ...

, originally published under the title of "Éléments de Sémiologie" in the French review ''Communications'' (No. 4, 1964, pp. 91–135). The English translation by Annette Lavers and Colin Smith has been published independently as a short book. In the slightly expanded introduction to the book, Barthes suggests that although linguist Ferdinand de Saussure conceived of

linguistics Linguistics is the science, scientific study of human language. It is called a scientific study because it entails a comprehensive, systematic, objective, and precise analysis of all aspects of language, particularly its nature and structure ...

as a branch of semiology, semiology should rather be seen as a branch of linguistics.

External links

First half of the book ''Elements of Semiology'' at marxists.org
Books in semiotics 1964 non-fiction books Structuralism French literary criticism Books by Roland Barthes Books of literary criticism {{semiotics-stub book-stub

See also

External links