Using jargon-free language and lively, up-to-date examples, Semiotics: The Basics demystifies this highly interdisciplinary subject. Along the way, the reader will find out:

* What is a sign?

* Which codes do we take for granted?

* What is a text?

* How can semiotics be used in textual analysis?

* Who were Saussure, Peirce, Barthes and Jakobson - and why are they important?

Features include a glossary of key terms and realistic suggestions for further reading.