Semiotics

To be very basic, the study of semiotics is the study of signs, but it doesn't end there. A sign could be just it - a road sign, a pub sign or a sign to the closest toilet. But there's more. Semiotics can contain a variety of elements like signs, symbols, Iconic Signs, Denotation, Connotation, Myths and more (University of Vermont) Semiotics to be more specific is the learning of the way people understand each other, the way people create ways to understand each other and communicate between each other. But even then, there are things like culture that direct the meaning of the sign.

Sign

A sign could be anything to communicate and it come in any sort of form. It can be Spoken, Shown or even smelled. A toilet sign is a basic sign that communicates to us where we can get... a toilet. It was invented by Samuel M. Genensky.

Symbolic signs

These are the signs that are purely about relation between the signifier and signified. They can vary between different cultures. Here's a great advert by HSBC that simply explains it.

Denotation

Denotation is what does literally sign mean. For example, an apple is a fruit.

Connotation

Connotation gives some sort of meaning to a word. It could be giving an emotion to a sign and connotation usually differs culturally. For example an apple in United Kingdom could mean 'healthy' while in Africa it could be look as survival from hunger.

Sources:

University of Vermont, [online], available at: http://www.uvm.edu/~tstreete/semiotics_and_ads/terminology.html [accessed: 10/05/13]

Image Links: 

http://img2.etsystatic.com/004/0/6000195/il_fullxfull.365434374_tscn.jpg

https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFbY-PEaS4OUWP6bry-sxDOSH7vBdFnfjpUgCb578xeK-0SIzicqTECOAeE0dLPvnWxiveEcndrTJoVcmwol8qPShh-AS4Hhp-qDrGuVyLydO1C91a_pBKFjBydSjcgLieb9mdXaE-2tsc/s1600/apple2.jpg

http://www.crcl.net/images/page/89_boy_taffle_apple.jpg

Video Link:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rZ-qFNrrt0E