Conventional Sign Systems

Pictograms: 

A pictorial symbol for a word or phrase. Pictographs were used as the earliest known form of writing, examples having been discovered in Egypt and Mesopotamia from before 3000 BC. A picogram is used to warn, guide, or protect, and should be immediately easy to decipher. They should be able to be understood by displaying a vital form of information in a way that it can't be misunderstood, making it internationally known and independent of culture. 

Semiotics : 

Is the study of signs and symbols and their use or interpretation.The meaning is dependant on the context, knowledge, society and culture of the audience. For example, from the image above, this hand gesture in America is a symbol of being "OK" however if you were to use this hand gesture in Brazil, this gesture is roughly equivalent to the middle finger in the US.

Syntactics : Formal, succinct, ambiguous form, brightness, colour, movement, material, scale and position. 


Pragmatics -

Indicative

The burning cigarette informs the receiver that they may smoke here, but that they do not have to smoke. It is therefore up to the receiver what they do with this information.

Imperative

When the burning cigarette has a dash through it, the intention is to influence the receiver’s behaviour. In this context, smoking is prohibited, even if the receiver wants to have a cigarette.

Suggestive

The combination of a cigarette and lungs sets off feelings within the receiver. It represents an appeal to stop smoking for reasons of health, regardless of time or place.