Which term describes the arrangement of signifiers in a sequence?

• A. Paradigm
• B. Syntagm
• C. Denotation
• D. Connotation

Answer: (B)

The arrangement of signifiers in a sequence is called a syntagm. In semiotics, a syntagm refers to how signs line up in a chain—like the order of words in a sentence, the sequence of camera shots in a scene, or the notes in a musical phrase. The meaning emerges from how those signs are arranged in that sequence, so changing the order or substituting signs within the chain can shift the overall effect. By contrast, a paradigm is about the set of signs that could fill a particular position in the sequence, offering possible substitutions, while denotation and connotation describe literal and associated meanings, respectively.