Philosophiae Doctor - PhD / Linguistic Landscape (LL) is a rapidly growing area of investigation that concerns itself with the attention to language, cultural objects and images displayed in public spaces. Prompted by caveats of the earlier traditional studies which included counting the visibility of languages, the fixity of signs, coupled with methodological issues that lacked data triangulation, new approaches emerged. In this present study, framed as A Social Semiotic Analysis of Mini-Bus Taxis as Mobilescapes in Cape Town, specific inquiry about the emergence of language use through an analysis of the evolution of messages that are inscribed on taxis that transport people within Cape Town and between Cape Town and other cities around South Africa is made to disentangle these caveats. / 2023

Applying semiotic analysis to advertisements and their context leads to the discovery of associations and symbols, potential increasing the trust the spectator has on the brand. In this thesis, I provide semiotic analysis of selected Louis Vuitton advertisements and their context, where I analyse the advertisement's visual images and narrative line, and infer associations and symbols. The analysis enhances average day factors, full of duties and stress, making them more appealing in the advertisement world.The primary focus for the analysis will be the Spirit of Travel2 advertisement. I will apply semiotic analysis to the elaborate, dream-like, and pleasantly-toned piece of art contained in this advertisement.The philosophical nature throughout the advertisement is connected to the promoted material goods, such as travel cases, and it binds a line of advertisements with an abstract motive defined through "The Journey" (the journey as a life itself). The content of the advertisement is not as it seems at first sight. The narrative level is quazi-philosophical, yet it is strategically presenting a question without an immediate, initial answer. The resulting cognitive dissonance then creates pressure on the spectator. The question is later answered in the advertisement, and a special trust between the...

Thesis (M.A. (English studies)) -- University of Limpopo, 2019 / Gender role expectations are mostly influenced and perpetuated by patriarchy whereby women are marginalised by their surroundings while men are granted the will to do as they wish. The institution of patriarchy thrives on oppressing women in many ways and silencing them is one of those various ways. This study was prompted by the need to explore the experiences that surround African women and that of women in the African diaspora with regard to muted voices of marginalised females. Their inability to express themselves in the name of respecting culture and conforming to the expected behaviour as per their gender is majorly explored. The current study is a literary analysis of Adichie’s Purple Hibiscus (2005) which is narrated by fourteen- year-old Kambili. In it, Adichie explores patriarchy through the family of a strict catholic man by the name of Eugene Achike who stifles his family due to his strict supposed laws of God. Also, The Colour Purple (1982) by Alice Walker is analysed. In this epistolary novel, Walker documents the story of two sisters, Nettie and Celie, who become estranged as a result of their muffled conditions. While the contexts for the novels are distinctly different in many ways, they share oppressive ideologies towards women, which is the colonial experience in Africa. The aims and objectives of this study were met by using the Feminism, African feminism, Womanism theories and the concept of intersectionality as references. The findings indicate that sisterhood relationships and economic independence are huge emancipators for marginalised women.

Denna studie genomfördes för att undersöka hur Volvo Trucks som globalt företag i Nordamerika riktar sin kommunikation gentemot mottagare i kampanjfilmer. Varav vi har tittat på två som är skapade med att främst rikta sig till den nordamerikanska publiken och den tredje till den globala. Vi gjorde detta för att undersöka vilka visuella arrangemang man använder sig av för att väcka uppmärksamhet och förtroende på en relativt ny marknad som Nordamerika är. För att göra detta har vi genomfört en kvalitativ intervju med en anställd på kommunikationsavdelningen i Nordamerika. För titta närmare på kampanjfilmerna har vi genomfört en multimodal analys för att undersöka vad vi ser i respektive scen. Våra resultat har visat att Volvo Trucks Nordamerika använder sig av symboler, karaktärer och miljöer i sina kampanjfilmer för att de nordamerikanska mottagarna ska uppleva igenkänning och gemenskap för att få förtroende för företaget. I kampanjfilmen som främst riktar sig till den globala publiken, använder sig däremot Volvo av andra känslor samt igenkänningsfaktorn som spänning och internationella karaktärer för att mottagarna ska uppmärksamma Volvo Trucks som varumärke. / This study was designed to investigate Volvo Trucks in North America's focus in how the company communicates to their target group in their campaigns. We also investigated which visual imagery they use to attract attention and retrieve trust on a relatively new market such as North America. A qualitative interview was performed with an employee at the communication center in North America. A more deeper analysis of the campaigns was made with a multi-modal analysis, which helped us investigate what we see in each scene in the campaigns. The result showed that Volvo Trucks in North America uses symbols, characters and environments in their campaigns in a way that makes north Americans recognition and therefore the company receives trust. While the campaign that is directed to the global public uses other emotions and recognitions like excitement and international character, so more people can feel attachment with the Volvo Truck brand.

Magister Artium - MA / With advances and information technology innovation, and the rise of revenue through advertisements, producers and content creators have become creative in the selection of cultural and semiotic materialities, and linguistic resources for the production of advertisements. Bearing in mind, the political landscape of South Africa and its history, producers have an abundance of cultural and semiotic artefacts in time and space to draw from, and to indulge their creative licence to come up with novel designs and concepts for their advertisements and brand identities. The thesis explored the use of local and transnational linguistic and other cultural objects as semiotic material in the design and construction of selected Chicken Licken advertisements. The specific objectives explored include; 1) local and global cultural elements in selected Chicken Licken advertisements; 2) the local and global identity affiliations in advertisement selection and production; and, 3) the translocalization and transnationalization of cultural flows as represented through semiotic materials.

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This study explores the political messages framed within the cover of Vogue magazines by reviewing the published issues that surround election season. By focusing on the intersection of politics and fashion through the visual representation provided by a prestigious, globally known fashion magazine, the research will observe the potential increase and growth of political involvement within influence of the fashion industry. This study will begin with the October, November, and December covers from the 2016 and 2020 presidential election. These will be accompanied by the January, February, and March covers of the following years. Guided by semiotic analysis and visual rhetoric theories, this study will focus on developing this upcoming avenue of research by exploring how fashion is utilizing its power to bring attention to current events within a political atmosphere. While typically seen as feminine, Vogue magazine has been able to tap into a variety of audiences including previously politically charged groups such as feminists. As such, this research will allow for new insight regarding the overarching effects of visual media as seen through magazines, as well as their potential impact with targeted audiences.

Bilden av Kleopatra har förändrats med tiden, från den fanatiska grekiska/romerska avbilderna av hennes död under renässansen till de moderna skildringarna av en stolt drottning som utmanade romerska kejsare. Hon var oftast avbildad under renässansen som underdånig de romerska förebilderna som Augustus och Caesar. En skildring som med stor risk existerade då det mest var italienare som målade drottningen under renässansen. Efter renässansen så spred sig bilden av Kleopatra och hennes bild fångade västvärldens fantasi till att skapa en mani för Egypten och dess drottning. Med det kom ny kunskap från orientalister och detta kom att påverka hur man såg på den egyptiska drottningen. Hon blev mäktigare, mer sensuell men också mer sexuell och farlig. Hon var någon man skulle beundra och erövra.  När vi stiger in i den moderna eran så börjar hennes bild att ifrågasättas av feminister. Filmer börjar skildra henne I ett nytt ljus och när ett nytt årtusende sätter in så har Cleopatra gått från en översexualiserad kvinna till en stolt drottning som utmanade män under hennes tid och inspirerar konstnärer även idag. Med hjälp av symboler och analyser av scenerna som visas så kommer tre lika tidsperioder att studeras för att kartlägga hur bilden av Kleopatra förändrades och varför. De teorier som spelar störst roll i uppsatsen är orientalism och feminism då de spelade en stor roll i hur denna orientaliska drottning kom att skildras.

In today’s media, menstruation tends to be portrayed in different ways. Periods are either portrayed as being natural or as a problem that must be solved. When these different portrayals are made, questions about the normalization around menstruation are being raised and there are doubts if the menstrual taboo is really gone. This thesis will analyze how menstruation is represented in two different commercials for menstrual products and further discuss if a menstrual taboo is still present in commercials today. Through a semiotic analysis the study shows that menstruation is being represented in different ways and that one company is more progressive than the other, however signs can be found in both commercials which indicate that a menstrual taboo is still present. The differences can on the other hand also demonstrate the positive change that has come out of questioning the menstrual taboo.

In today's social media we see an increase in the use of filters, filters that can distort one's appearance and surroundings, making one wonder what is real and authentic. This essay will analyze two different apps intended for social media that use the popular automated editing tools; Augmented Reality(AR)- and Artificial Intelligence (AI), to find how easily accessible they are and whether the results seem authentic. Through a semiotic approach, I begin the analysis by visually examining the AR and AI filter in the apps to see how they are represented and then what effect it has when applying it on a selected portrait. My findings will contribute to gaining more understanding within the subject of image manipulation and filter, as well as helping me and other graphic designers to increase awareness around consequences when using tools that alter reality.