A Semiotic View of National Identity

Defining and expressing Canadian identity has always been elusive. Our country is large, diverse, and shaped by many cultures, histories, and regions. Canadians often describe themselves in contrast to others, especially the United States. Can Canadian identity be easily recognized and understood?

One answer is to look at the symbols that surround us in our daily lives. A maple leaf on a flag, a beaver, a paper cup from Tim Hortons, a red serge uniform worn by the RCMP. These things all function as signs, which are foundational communicators of meaning. The meaning of these objects points beyond themselves to shared ideas about Canada.

Images: Lynne Rennie, Drawn to Canada

The study of semiotics examines how signs work. In semiotics, an object carries meaning both as a physical thing and as a symbol of something larger; meaning arises from both the object itself and what it represents. For example, a maple leaf is a botanical form, but in Canada, it is also a metaphor for the nation. The leaf symbolizes the natural beauty of our nation, resilience in a rugged landscape, and unity; one leaf as part of a larger tree. When placed on a flag or knapsack, the maple leaf signals to others information about origin and belonging, and (perhaps most importantly) that we're not American.

I first encountered semiotics as a student of Hanno Ehses at Nova Scotia College of Art and Design University in Halifax, Nova Scotia. Now retired, Hanno Ehses is a scholar of design rhetoric and semiotics, a published writer on visual communication, and Professor Emeritus of Design at the university. Ehses drew on the academic fields of rhetoric and semiotics to show how visual form communicates ideas in practical ways. In his classes, we learned to think critically about communication design as a system of signs. Any visual communication — posters, signage, logos, graphics, illustrations — could be analyzed in the same way as a scholar analyzes language.

Most signs work through metaphor, like the maple leaf. Other signs work through a device called metonymy, where a single object or detail stands for something larger. In Canadian culture, Hockey performs this role. A stick, a puck, or a rink can signal Canada as a place where winter shapes everyday life. The sport also becomes an analogy for national character, suggesting toughness and cooperation, plus a willingness to fight when cornered ("elbows up!").

Other signs rely on cultural habits. Consider bagged milk or the game Crokinole. These things are familiar to many Canadians, yet may be strange to outsiders. Their meaning to Canadians grows through repetition and traditions passed on from generation to generation. Signs gain power through familiarity as people encounter them, again and again, in daily life.

Symbols of identity also appear in people. Terry Fox is one example. His run across the country transformed an individual act into a national story about courage and solidarity. The image of Fox running on the highway has become a visual sign of Canadian determination and collective support. Symbols can also be experienced through the senses; sound and taste carry meaning as well. The call of the loon signals the lakes and forests of the Canadian north. Certain foods work the same way, like the taste of maple syrup or ketchup chips. These sensory signs contribute to a larger system through which Canadians recognize themselves.

Symbols of identity appear in language, too. Words and turns of phrase can signal belonging just as clearly as images or objects. Canadians recognize expressions such as “eh,” “canuck,” or “sorry” as part of our everyday speech. These words carry shared meaning and cultural reference. When spoken, they act as verbal signs that point to Canadian character, habits, humour, and social culture.

Semiotics offers a useful tool for examining and defining Canadian identity. Signs, symbols, objects, sounds, tastes, and phrases form a shared vocabulary, and by studying these signs, patterns begin to emerge. Some symbols persist, others change, and new ones appear as culture shifts. Through this process, Canadian identity can be explored and understood as a system of meaning that continues to develop over time. My Drawn to Canada series explores Canadian identity in this way, using drawings and short essays to examine the symbols that shape our understanding of our country.