Reading the signs: Semiotics

Are there more than meet the eyes?
...
Why, yes, there are, in fact, when you see it, you'll shit bricks.

Well, not really. But on semiotics there are a whole lot of bricks-shitting terms that you have to know about.
For starters, let's look at how the term semiotics came about, these 2 educational video should've warp it up:

Semiotics: the study of signs

Advertising Semiotics

To wrap things up, the whole idea of semiotics are about "getting the hidden message", some of which are the norm, like we associate blue with depression, often, we have to take a while to "get the subtleties". 

Semiotics are study of the sign, which is made up of Signifier(physical form) and Signified(mental form), for example, when I say

THE

what are you reminded of? The Game perhaps? (In which case you just lost it #Trollface) In such case, the word "The" is a signifier, but you are instantly reminded of The Game, right? Thus, the mental state you have in you is the signified.


On the other hand, there are also Denotation(Literal), Connotation(Subtle) and Myth(World view of what you feels comfortable/natural) to coin under the term semiotic. 

'Denotation' tends to be described as the definitional, 'literal', 'obvious' or 'commonsense' meaning of a sign. In the case of linguistic signs, the denotative meaning is what the dictionary attempts to provide. (...) The term 'connotation' is used to refer to the socio-cultural and 'personal' associations (ideological, emotional etc.) of the sign. These are typically related to the interpreter's class, age, gender, ethnicity and so on. (...) Myths can be seen as extended metaphors. Like metaphors, myths help us to make sense of our experiences within a culture.

(Semiotics for Beginners)