文章采取皮尔斯(C.S.Peirce)的"符号三分法"对社交网络中的符号构成进行分析,发现社交媒体中普遍存在皮尔斯意义上的指示、像似与规约3种符号类型,并且各种在其中发挥着独特的作用:指示符号确立网络空间中的身份秩序,并且规训网络意义生产方式;像似符号使得人际交流得以直观再现,从而促进社交网络空间情感表达;规约符号则使得网络表意准确有效,有效地培育网络亚文化的生成。特别是,三种符号相辅相成,共同促进了社交媒体在结构、文化、意义等多个维度的良性运转。
This paper uses C.S.Peirce's Sign Trichotomy to analysis the sign constitute, discover that index, icon and symbol, the classic categories of signs according to C.S. Peirce exist in social media and play the important roles in the new media space. Firstly, Index helps the Internet users establish the identities in the virtual community and formulate the integration rules in this new world. Secondly, interpersonal communications is represented in the online social networks as a result of the existence of Icon, which also enhances the effectiveness of the emotional expression online. Lastly, the Symbol in the virtual networks largely ensures the accuracy of the meanings the members of sub-culture group want to convey. It should be also pointed out that it is the joint force of these three types of signs that guarantees the benign operations of the social media.