Which term describes the 'vocab' of words and images used to create meaning in semiotics?

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

Answer: (A)

In semiotics, the ideas you can draw on to build meaning are captured by the paradigm. It’s the collection of signs—words, images, symbols—that could fill a particular slot in a representation. Think of it as the sign vocabulary available in a given context: substitutions you could swap in to alter meaning without changing the underlying structure. The actual sequence or combination of signs you use in a message is the syntagm, while denotation and connotation concern the literal and associated meanings those signs carry. So the paradigm best describes the ‘vocab’ of what could be used to create meaning.