The book introduces the representation concept, which implies the emergence of meaning, which is further exchanged between the representatives of different cultures. This concept includes the use of language, signs, and pictures representing things (Hall, 1997). Hall described two types of representation in his work: mental image and a language one.
Mental representation implies that the things a person imagines are attached to the concept in their minds. Therefore, meanings entirely depend on the ideas which build communication between people who have similar mental maps. The meaning is interpreted by a set of codes that relate both to the native language and concepts. For example, people from different nations may have the same concept of God, but they have different meanings for it.
On the other hand, language plays an essential part in representation. It means that there should be a shared language to communicate things. Language, in its turn, consists of signs such as words, sounds, or meanings that tangibly explain concepts. Visual symbols are represented through different means and can be interpreted with the same conceptual maps. Some signs can be material, and some are not; the difference between them can be observed through the opposition with other signs (Hall, 1997). Therefore, visual symbols are arbitrary; that is, they are not the meaning, nor the concepts but merely the objects surrounding people. For instance, in the English language, we have the word “dog,” while it is spelled like “cane” in Italian. Therefore, these two words are merely codes in different cultures. In semiotics, meaning solely depends on a language and signs that need to be read. Meanwhile, the discursive approach focuses on discourse with knowledge and ideas, and they are the center of meaning.
Reference
Hall, S. (1997). Representation: cultural representation and signifying practices. SAGE.