Question

in semiotics, an icon is: a sign that has no logical connection to what it signifies; the viewer must learn the connection between the sign and its meaning. a sign that physically resembles what it signifies. a sign that can be understood because it is logically linked to, or affected by, what it stands for. a precise system for describing signs.

Explanation:

In semiotics, an icon is defined as a sign that has a physical resemblance to what it signifies. For example, a picture of a tree is an icon for a real - tree because of the visual similarity. The first option describes a symbol (a sign with an arbitrary connection, learned over time), the third option describes an index (a sign with a logical or causal link), and the fourth option is a misdescription (semiotics is the study, not just a system for describing signs).

Answer:

a sign that physically resembles what it signifies.