Polysemy

Polysemy (from the Greek πολυσημεία = multiple meaning) is the capacity for every sign to have multiple meanings. This is a pivotal concept within social sciences, such as media studies and sociolinguistics, due to the ideological implications.

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According to Dick Hebdige (1979: 117) polysemy means, "each text is seen to generate a potentially infinite range of meanings," making, according to Middleton), "any homology, out of the most heterogeneous materials, possible. The idea of signifying practice ? texts not as communicating or expressing a pre-existing meaning but as 'positioning subjects' within a process of semiosis ? changes the whole basis of creating social meaning" (1990: 165).

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Greek: The noun Greek refers to:...

Sign: Sign can denote any of the following:...

Social sciences: The social sciences are a group of academic disciplines that study the human aspects of the world. They diverge from the arts and humanities in that the social sciences emphasize the use of the scientific method and rigorous standards of evidence in the study of humanity, including quantitative and ...