Media Studies A-Level
Dominant signifier
What Dominant signifier means in Media Studies A-Level, as defined for AQA.
Definition of Dominant signifier
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Read the wording for your board, then hide it and explain Dominant signifier in your own words. Rough notes are fine. This is a self-check, with no mark or grade.
Reference: AQA
The sign that carries the meaning the producer most wants an audience to take away and organises how the other signs are understood.
Topics that use Dominant signifier
- Semiotics (AQA A-Level)
Related terms
- Anchorage
- Applying semiotic terms to media products
- Audience interpretation
- Combination and sequence
- Context and cultural convention
- Cultural context
- Icon
- Iconic signs
Using Dominant signifier in the exam
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