Short in his recent book Peirc e‟s Theory of Signs: Peirce‟s distinction
between iconic and indexical signs, the objects of propositions, and different ways of interpreting the distinction between the immediate and
dynamic objects of signs. Through his journal, he suggested that the models of a theory can be regarded as its immediate objects, and the real
systems represented by the models are the dynamic objects of the theory
10
. G.D. Dharma Keerthi Sri Ranjan, in her journal under title “Science of
Semiotic Usage in Advertisements and Con sumer‟s Perception” tried to
preserve the culture and help to read the cultural perception becoming natural. She explained that advertisement is capable of manipulating the
perception and the behavior of the consumers. Each advertisement is a cultural document and has a cultural shadow which carries to readers to
share and negotiate the cultural themes. These symbolic and the iconic conversation are ritualized enactments through the dimensions of cultural
esteem. However, in her journal, she did not draw the triadic semiosis concept of Peirce related to the advertisement, she described it
descriptively
11
. So, in the researc
her‟s thesis untitled “Semiotic Analysis of Greenpeace Campaign Posters in Climate Change Series” which makes it
different from the previous researches is the corpus used and the objective.
10
Risto Hilpinen, “Comments on T. L. Short’s Peirce’s Theory of Signs” on The
Objects and Interpretants of Signs, Coral Gables: 2007.
11
G.D. Dharma Keerthi Sri Ranjan, “Advertisements and Consumer’s
Perception ” on Science of Semiotic Usage, Sri Lanka: 2010.
The thesis also tries to describe the semiosis process occur at the Greenpeace campaign poster in Climate Change, then find out the
linguistic signs meaning icons and symbols that contained on the poster based on the triangle concept of Charles Sanders Peirce theory. The icons
and the symbols in each datum will be analyzed separately using the triangle semiosis of Peirce. Finally, the researcher gives the meaning of
the poster.
B. Theoretical Description
1. Definition of Semiotics
Semiotics is derived from Greece: semeion, which means sign. According Piliang, as quoted by Tinarbuko, exploration of semiotics as a
method to study the various branches of science is possible because there is a tendency to look at a variety of social discourse as a phenomenon of
language. In other words, language used as the model of social discourse.
12
Based on the view of semiotics, if the entire social practices can be regarded as the phenomenon of language, so everything can also be seen as a sign. It is
possible because of the breadth of understanding of the sign itself.
12
Sumbo Tinarbuko, Semiotika Komunikasi Visual, Yogyakarta: Penerbit Jalasutra, 2008, p. 11.
Semiotics as a model of social science, to understand the world as a system of relations which has a base unit with a sign. Therefore, semiotics
examines the essence of the existence of signs.
13
Tinarbuko states that semiotics has two famous figures, namely Ferdinand de Saussure 1857-1913 and Charles Sanders Peirce 1839-1914.
Both of them were developing science of semiotics separately and did not know each other. Saussure in Europe and Peirce in United States of America.
Saussure has a linguistics scientific background, while Peirce is philosophy. Saussure called the science which he developed as semiology
14
. Semiology according to Saussure, based on the assumption that as long
as the actions and behavior of humans bring the meaning or for functioning as a sign, there should be a distinction and conventions behind a system that
allows the meaning of it. There is a sign there is a system.
15
Semiotics is defined by Ferdinand de Saussure in the Course in General Linguistics
, as Science that learns about sign as a part of social life.
16
Semiotics as a model of social science to understand the world as a system of relations that has a basic unit called sign. Saussure proposed two
concepts in semiotics, signifier and signified. Thus, in every sign there are two elements of signifier” and “signified”. Signifier is the concept of
acousticsoundsentence. While the signified is the mental concept. The
13
Indiawan Seto Wahyu Wibowo, Semiotika Komunikasi, Aplikasi Praktis Bagi Penelitian dan Skripsi Komunikasi,
Jakarta: Penerbit Mitra Wacana Media, 2013, p.9.
14
Sumbo Tinarbuko, Loc.cit.
15
Indiawan Seto Wahyu Wibowo, Op.Cit., p. 12.
16
Yasraf Amir Piliang, Hipersemiotika, Tafsir Cultural Studies Atas Matinya Makna,
Yogyakarta: Jalasutra, 2003, p. 256.
Saussure‟s opinion affects some thoughts such as Derrida, Barthes and Baudrillard.
According to Peirce as the master of the philosophy, human reasoning is always done through sign. It means human beings only can think through
the sign. In his thought, logic is same with semiotics and semiotics can be applied to all types of sign. In a further development, the word Semiotics is
more popular than Semiology. Semiotics according to Pierce the another name of logic refers to formal doctrine of signs.
17
Pierce saw there are three important things in semiotics which can be explained through sign, object, and interpretant. He wrote that sign is
something that stands for someone or something which reflects a certain capacity or interest.
18
Aart Van Zoest as quoted by Sudjiman said, Semiotics is the study of sign and everything connected with it; how the functioning, its relationship
with other signs, and the recipient, and the recipient by those who use it. Semiotics can be applied in any field where the sign is used and includes both
a representation and interpretation, a denotantum and interpretant.
19
Semiotics is the study of sign. The signs convey information communicatively. It can replace something else which you can think or
imagine. This branch of science originally developed in the field of language,
17
Kris Budiman, Semiotika Visual, Yogyakarta: Penerbit Buku Baik, 2004, p. 3.
18
Arthur Asa Berger, Media Analysis Technique: Second Edition, Yogyakarta: Penerbitan Universitas Atma Jaya, 2000, p. 4.
19
Umberto Eco, “Sebuah Pengantar Menuju Logika Kebudayaan” in Panuti Sudjiman and Aart van Zoest, Serba-serbi Semiotika, Jakarta: PT. Gramedia Pustaka
Utama, 1992, p. 38.
