Semiotics is two close things at once. It is the study of signs: not only road signs, but anything that stands for something else — a word, a picture, a red light, a brand logo, a thumbs-up. It is also, more loosely, the way people send meaning through those signs and images.

Semiotics is two close things at onceSemiotics（符號學）同時是兩件很接近的事 It is the study of signs第一，它是研究符號的學問 not only road signs, but anything that stands for something else不只是路標，而是任何代表其他事物的東西 a word, a picture, a red light, a brand logo, a thumbs-up像是一個字、一張圖、一盞紅燈、一個品牌標誌、一個豎起大拇指的手勢 It is also, more loosely第二，比較鬆散地說 the way people send meaning through those signs and images它是人們透過這些符號和圖像傳遞意義的方式

A film poster, a church picture, the little cart on a shopping app: each one “says” something without spelling it out. You will meet the word in universities and among people who write about media, design, or advertising; it is not everyday kitchen talk.

A film poster, a church picture, the little cart on a shopping app一張電影海報、一幅教堂的畫、購物app上那個小小的購物車圖示 each one "says" something without spelling it out每一個都在『說』某件事，卻不用明講出來 You will meet the word in universities and among people who write about media, design, or advertising你會在大學裡，以及寫媒體、設計或廣告的人之間遇到這個詞 it is not everyday kitchen talk它不是日常閒聊會用的字

Though actually, the tidy idea “signs mean things” hides a mess. The same picture can mean different things to different people, and a lot of semiotics is about that gap, not about one correct reading.

Though actually, the tidy idea "signs mean things"不過其實『符號代表意義』這種整齊的想法 hides a mess底下藏著一團亂 The same picture can mean different things to different people同一張圖對不同的人可以有不同的意思 and a lot of semiotics is about that gap很多符號學談的就是那個落差 not about one correct reading而不是在找一個唯一正確的解讀

One more wrinkle: an English thinker, John Locke, gave the language this name, but the university subject students meet today grew much later. Teachers now mean a whole field about how meaning works, not only Locke’s old label.

One more wrinkle還有一個小複雜之處 an English thinker, John Locke, gave the language this name英國思想家John Locke（約翰洛克）給了這個詞這個名字 but the university subject students meet today grew much later但學生今天在大學裡遇到的這門學科，是後來才發展出來的 Teachers now mean a whole field about how meaning works老師現在指的是研究意義如何運作的一整個領域 not only Locke's old label不只是洛克當初取的那個舊名稱