The sign, the representation becomes the construct of time, space, and the social construction of reality. Whose meanings become real, legitimate, and enforced through socialization and manipulation becomes a political issue. An issues we will address later in the course. A code is a system of signs deriving its meaning from the frame or context within which it operates. There are secret codes, codes of behavior, dress codes, pictorial codes, and codes of honor.
Codes are socially and historically defined.
A dress code is a system of clothing elements which have meanings which may change in various coding systems. The same may be said for gestures, sounds, etc. Codes frame signs into a system of connotation. A topic we will return to many times in this course. First as syntagmatic, and second as paradigmatic.