Peripheralia: Semiotics in the Medical Consultation

Abstract

If you were in the hospital tearoom and were to casually drop the word, semiotics, into the conversation, you would probably be met with a series of blank looks. Even worse you might be asked to define semiotics. Semiotics is the study of human communication especially when we communicate using signs or symbols. It comes from the Greek, Semeion, meaning a sign. It is really something we do all day in every consultation so the next time that you are asked to fill in a form and it asks for your occupation, you might like to write: Semioticist.