Absence of evidence is not evidence of absence.
Semiotics is the study of symbols. What are symbols? The word comes from the Greek, symbolon, which translates as 'to throw together’, and means an emblem, mark or token which connects to a larger body of information. Many people learn the meaning of symbols by rote rather than through true understanding.
A mark, sign or word is just that, nothing more. However, like 'beauty' symbols 'lie in the eye of the beholder'. For instance U can be an accidental mark, but if it is a symbol, such as the letter of the alphabet, U, it carries a meaning. Just as the image can be a sign for a cup of coffee and, if outside a shop that sells hot drinks, it could mean coffee is available. For some, personal associations could mean a comfortable place to relax, make friends, and have an enjoyable experience. The connections to the mark are dependent on the person’s personal experience, and what meaning they place on the mark. Some might have prejudices or judgments about that symbol or might not want a drink at that time. What might be a clear meaning for one person might confuse another, and what might attract one person, might not attract another. What might have one meaning in one country, might mean something entirely different in another, and what might have meaning in one era, might have a different meaning in another. Symbols are personal according to our knowledge, our past associations, and the meaning that it has acquired.
