Signifier vs Signal - What's the difference?
signifier | signal |
(linguistics) The sound of spoken word or string of letters on a page that a person recognizes as a sign.
A sign made to give notice of some occurrence, command, or danger, or to indicate the start of a concerted action.
* Milton
An on-off light, semaphore, or other device used to give an indication to another person.
(of a radio, TV, telephone, internet, etc) An electrical or electromagnetic action, normally a voltage that is a function of time that conveys the information of the radio or TV program or of communication with another party.
A token; an indication; a foreshadowing; a sign.
* Shakespeare
* De Foe
Useful information, as opposed to noise.
(computing, Unix) A simple interprocess communication used to notify a process or thread of an occurrence.
To indicate.
Standing above others in rank, importance, or achievement.
* Milton
As nouns the difference between signifier and signal
is that signifier is the sound of spoken word or string of letters on a page that a person recognizes as a sign while signal is a sign made to give notice of some occurrence, command, or danger, or to indicate the start of a concerted action.As a verb signal is
to indicate.As an adjective signal is
standing above others in rank, importance, or achievement.signifier
English
(Intension)Noun
(en noun)signal
English
(wikipedia signal)Alternative forms
* signallNoun
(en noun)- All obeyed / The wonted signal and superior voice / Of this great potentate.
- My mobile phone can't get a signal in the railway station.
- The weary sun / Gives signal of a goodly day to-morrow.
- There was not the least signal of the calamity to be seen.
Antonyms
* (useful information) noiseDerived terms
* signal box * signalman * signalwoman * smoke signalSee also
* tocsinVerb
Adjective
(-)- a signal''' exploit; a '''signal''' service; a '''signal act of benevolence
- As signal now in low, dejected state / As erst in highest, behold him where he lies.