More than a thousand words? A semiotic analysis of images in online communication

Abstract: Semiotic analysis can be applied fruitfully to the study of images as an integrated part of text-based online communication. Semiotics can be used to highlight cultural aspects of the discourse. However, in-depth study of particular signs or groups of signs is needed to establish how choice of source and context affect the interpretation of images. This in turn necessitates the creation of established semiotic taxonomies of the images available online.