Sign systems are organized sets of signs and the rules or conventions governing their relationships and interpretation within a particular semiotic framework. They provide structures through which meaning is produced, communicated, and understood, with individual signs deriving their significance partly from their relations to other signs and to culturally established codes [1]. In structural semiotics, a sign system is analyzed through the relationships among its constituent elements rather than treating signs as isolated units. In Umberto Eco’s account, codes establish correlations between expression and content, enabling signs and messages to function within systems of signification and communication [1]. Sign systems may be linguistic or nonlinguistic, and their organization can involve conventional, relational, and context-dependent rules. The concept therefore encompasses the structured semiotic resources through which meaning becomes interpretable within social and cultural contexts [1].
Umberto Eco and Semiotics • Language and Linguistics • Arts and Humanities • Social Sciences