I understand semiotics to be the study of how signs and symbols are understood. I also believe it includes how language is developed to correspond to these symbols. In our culture of mass media and communication this can become very complicated as different cultures assign different meanings to the same symbol or sign. There are so many people from different parts of the world, different cultures, religions and so forth,that communicate with each other. At times i wonder how we do it without problems. I mean how do we just understand each other? I think it goes beyond just the language and somewhere in our subconscious we know what is being said or what the person is trying to do at times. Its like when your at times square and tourists ask for help they point to where they want to go or what they are trying to find and with simple hand signals you direct.
Everything we do, say, see, or hear can be a sign or symbol .The clothes we wear and our physical expression can be a method of communication. When it comes to emotional expression i think it is easier to understand meaning. I mean happy is happy, and it is connected to a smile. But at the other end i understand that some cultures do not allow for such expressions in public and so forth.
Semiotics seems to be a very complicated or vast field of study because it can be very specific to a relationship, a home or whatever the context is. Symbols, signs, language it can become a very specific thing between individuals. People do it all the time they develop little signs for each other for different things. I have seen on the discovery channel how they follow these large families with sextuplets or like sixteen children, and you notice how the children develop their own ways to communicate and the doctors notice it too. These kids even develop their own ways of pronouncing words with each other.