Sign
Have you ever wondered how people could understand how the sign work? Why they could understand the meaning of the symbol in front of the toilet. Within a second, people could understand the meaning behind the symbol. But, hot do people understand this in a glimpse. Well, there are some factors of to understand the symbol; cultural, experience, knowledge, and belief. So in order to understand more about sign and the types of it, let me define it in short and brief.
Now let me define, the meaning of the sign first. Sign is a way to transfer information toward the other; it might be using codes, signal, pictures, or words. Sign in semiotic knowledge will be divided into two; the signifier and signified. In short, signifier is the symbol of what we will signify. While signified is what we will be describe in words. Both of them have exact different, signifier is in symbolic, while signified is in word. In order to understand more about sign, we have to understand the meaning of signifier and signified first.
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First, the definition and the example of signifier. Signifier is the symbol of the word being used describes something. How you differ between male toilet and female toilet? If there is no written words to describe the room, then it will comes out with sign or symbol. Male toilet is in a Man shape symbol, while female toilet is in a man with skirt symbol or with long hair. Other than toilet, there is a specific symbol for many things, example in road sign. What does the picture of fork and spoon mean? It mean restaurant is nearby, while the bed picture mean there is hospital nearby. How do people could understand the sign and interpreted it as what it supposed to be? The sign have been used for long time, and it being told to generations the meaning and function of it. If you find something new probably people will be confuse at the first time, but after several days they will set their mind that this sign has this meaning. In example If government change the sign of restaurant from fork and spoon into plate, some people will be puzzled and think it is a ceramic store nearby. But soon after several days, they will interpret it as restaurant. People need time to understand the changes and they will set the new concept of what is the meaning behind those sign.
Next one is the definition of signified. It is a way to express signifier in words not in symbolic. Example is in signified the meaning of male and female toilet. Instead of using male and female symbol (as what I described in the previous paragraph) they use word to describe them. The way the express the meaning is by writing; Men’s toilet or Female toilet. It is very clear to differ between signifier and signified in sign. Now, after understanding the meaning of signified and signifier it will be much easier to describe how both of this could make sign. Sign is constructed in both signifier and signified, both of them will make a meaning of a symbol. Signifier gives the meaning in a symbolic and the signified give the meaning in word or explain the meaning of symbol. So they are fulfilling each other, in order to understand sign, you have to understand both first.
At the last, to understand sign you have to understand both signifier and signified. After you could understand both you will be easy to determine any kind of sign. Although you will need time to understand a new sign and probably it will be very weird at the first time when you find the new sign which is not familiar with you. So learn and adapt to those and in no time you will understand it. It is clear now to differ between signifier and signified. All of those are need in order to understand the meaning of sign.
Putu Deny Pratama Saputra 
