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significat

Significat is a term encountered in some linguistic and semiotic writings to designate the meaning component of a sign. It is not a standard term in contemporary English-language semiotics; more common would be signified or simply the meaning of a sign. In the major framework of Ferdinand de Saussure, a sign consists of two parts: the signifier, the form of the sign, and the signified, the concept or content associated with it. The word signifikat—derived from Latin significatus or Latinized equivalents—appears in older or non-English texts as an attempt to refer to the content of a sign, often as a synonym for signified, though usage is uneven and may vary by author.

In practice, many writers prefer to avoid signifikat and use signified (or signification) to denote the meaning

Examples: The sign "dog" comprises signifier—the sequence of sounds or letters—and signified—the concept of a domestic

See also: sign, signifier, signified, semiotics, semantics.

component.
The
signifier
and
signified
are
inseparable
in
the
concept
of
the
linguistic
sign:
the
signifier
is
the
audible
or
visible
form,
the
signified
is
the
mental
concept;
the
full
sign
is
the
signified
concept
expressed
through
the
signifier.
canine.
If
signifikat
is
used,
its
exact
sense
depends
on
the
author,
but
it
generally
aligns
with
the
signified
or
meaning.