Signs and Systems' Tools for Cultural Studies in Book of Readings To Recap. The sign consists of the signifier and the signified. The signified is the abstract concept. Together the signifier and the signified make up 'the sign'. Signs do not have a single meaning, but many meanings.
Signs get their meanings from other signs.
The referent is what the sign refers to. The referent is located in the world. It is thus necessary to look for the differences and oppositions between signs. According to this theory words alone have no meaning. It is only when placed in juxtaposition with other words from the same paradigm that words take on meanings.