Semiotics

Semiotics is the study of signs and texts, and understanding why different signs mean what they mean. Semiotics is used to understand signs, and then signs combine to form texts.

Examples of Signs

Iconic Signs

All of these street signs are examples of Iconic Signs. In these, the signifier resembles the signified. There is no alternate meanings to these signs.

Indexical Signs

Indexical signs have a close link with what they signify, but the link doesn't involve resemblance.
These tyre marks are indexical signs. In no way do they show a car, but they suggest the presence of a car, so without directly showing what they mean they still manage to show it