A Level Media Studies- Media Language Practice Questions and Answers

Structuralism A body of study or theory that discusses how societies, cultural practices and artefacts (such as media texts) can be analysed as signifying systems or languages (how different media texts are presented to a consumer) Semiotics the study of signs and symbols and their use or interpretation Connotation the implied or associative meaning of a word Denotation the literal meaning of a word Signifier physical existence of the sign Signified The meaning we associate with the signifier signification the representation or conveying of meaning Indexical Signs this signified is caused by or suggestive of the signifier (hints at or suggests what it is) iconic signs signs where the signifier resembles the signified (looks like what it is) symbolic signs the correlation to a word and and/ or a mental concept of the thing - there is no direct representation of the world (the meaning of what it was learnt or established) Syntagm collection of signs in linear sequence paradigm items that are similar and through substitution change the meaning(when different events in media texts are changed around to create a different effect) Ideology A consistent set of beliefs by groups/individuals Mise-en-scene whatever is placed inside the frame or on the screen Technical codes all to do with the way a text is technically constructed - camera angles, framing, typography, lighting etc. shot length how far away the object in the shot is