Maisha Khan Assignment 2

Language is a structured system of communication that can be described as having a word associated with an object or something that is being done. Language is different from communication in multiple different aspects. Language relies on verbal and non-verbal codes to transfer information whilst communication is an exchange of messages between two or more individuals. Language plays a predominant role in design. In design, visual forms of language are used to communicate in the form of colors, shapes, typefaces, icons, illustrations, and more. 

Symbols and iconography directly correlate to language in a multitude of aspects. Symbols and iconography relate to language in the sense that many visualizations during early forms of human cultures used symbols and iconography to communicate and articulate thoughts. One of the most important symbols throughout history are symbols that represent numbers. Referring to the Lupton-Miller reading, it states that many early representations of numbers show that the structure behind a culture’s verbal number sequence is directly correlated with their choice of symbols.

Signs are not something that combines just a name and a thing. Signs are a concept of something paired with a symbol that projects that concept in your brain whenever you think or write that symbol. According to the Saussure reading, these symbols are “ sound-images” which are not purely physical but leave a psychological imprint, leaving an impression on our senses. In the Saussure reading, signs are explained to have two key components: the signifier and the signified. Broken down, the signifier is basically the “sound-image” mentioned earlier, and the signified is the concept behind the sign. These three components are employed in general communication and graphic communication in the sense that we understand certain signs mean certain things and portray certain concepts only because the relationship between the two components (signifier and signified) in which make up a sign are agreed upon.

Both the Saussure reading and the Lupton-Miller reading are eye-opening especially when it comes to signs and the human psyche. These texts really provoke ideas for new design strategies; especially the Saussure reading. After reading both the texts, one can infer that we can manipulate signs or symbols to leave a certain kind of psychological imprint or impression on the viewer. Having the ability to do this is immensely beneficial to a designer as they can essentially lead their audience in whichever direction they want.