@alyxiaBewbs The word "fire" (representamen) refers to actual fire (object), and produces an understanding such as "something hot and burning" or "danger!" (interpretant)
@alyxiaBewbs Peirce said a sign is actually three parts:
> the representamen (roughly analogous to the signifier)
> the object (the thing being referred to)
> the interpretant (the meaning or understanding generated by the sign, very roughly analogous to the signified).
My friend said his roommate always comes home late and won't explain why, and I said, "Maybe he's having gay sex."
"He couldn't get gay sex even if he wanted," he replied.
"I think he could," I said. "Gay sex is notoriously the easiest type of sex to get."