"... the greatest contribution to [semiotics] since the pioneering work of C. S. Peirce and Charles Morris. " (Journal of Aesthetics and Art Criticism). "... draws on philosophy, linguistics, sociology, anthropology and aesthetics and refers to a wide range of scholarship ... raises many fascinating questions. " (Language in Society). "... a major contribution to the field of semiotic studies. " (Robert Scholes, Journal of Aesthetics and Art Criticism). "... the most significant text on the subject published in the English language that I know of. " (Arthur Asa Berger, Journal of Communication). Eco's treatment demonstrates his mastery of the field of semiotics. It focuses on the twin problems of the doctrine of signs - communication and signification - and offers a highly original theory of sign production, including a carefully wrought typology of signs and modes of production.