"From the simplest hand gesture to the most complex diagram or chart, the sign is the key to the communication of ideas. In this book, Thomas A. Sebeok examines, how the sign mediates between bodily experience and abstract thought. Semiosis is the instinctive capacity of all organisms to produce and understand signs, and semiotics, the study of signs, offers powerful analytical tools for application to the study of perception. In this regard, semiotics is of relevance to a wide spectrum of scholars and professionals, including social scientists, psychologists, artists, graphic designers, and students of literature.". "This second edition of Signs combines some of Sebeok's most important essays with a new general introduction, a glossary, and a revised and expanded bibliography and index. From an overview of the discipline to a more detailed exploration of sign categories, the author demonstrates the interconnection between verbal and nonverbal communication.". "Aimed primarily at undergraduate and graduate students, this book will also be of interest to anyone who is interested in exploring and analysing the complex sign systems we so often take for granted."--BOOK JACKET.