Road signs are symbols with meaning. Image by Lesley Lanir

Charles Sanders Peirce: Symbolic, Iconic, and Indexical Signs

Author: Lesley Lanir

Charles Sanders Peirce (1839–1914) formulated the innovative triadic model of the sign, emphasizing in his theory that the way we interpret a ‘sign’ is what allows it to be signified — what gives it its meaning.

Therefore, the main attributes of any sign need to be clear enough to relay their intended meaning.