The Encyclopedia of Semiotics is a comprehensive reference guide to concepts in semiotics, sign theory, and cultural studies. Three hundred entries by leading scholars in a variety of fields—from anthropology and literary theory to linguistics and philosophy—survey the study of signs and symbols in human culture. These articles cover key concepts, theories, theorists, schools of thought, and issues in communications, cognition, and cultural theory. From introductions to Barthes and Bakhtin to analyses of gossip and myth, this is a valuable reference for students, scholars, or anyone interested in language, symbols, and the transmission of information. Clear, well-written entries make the scholarship accessible to both experts and nonspecialists, and the text is complimented by twenty color illustrations.