Semiotics, the study of signs and signification, is often misunderstood as a singular, monolithic framework. However, a closer investigation reveals a constellation of complementary approaches—from structuralist linguistics and pragmatic philosophy to cultural, narrative, post-structural, and multimodal perspectives. This paper critically surveys the foundational and contemporary thinkers in semiotics including Saussure, Peirce, Barthes, Eco, Greimas, Derrida, and Kress & van Leeuwen. It then applies these theoretical insights to a case study analysis of Sherdukpen folktales, particularly Ha Sat Sat, Dong Sat Sat and Chong Pon, demonstrating how semiotic analysis reveals deeply embedded cultural logics, moral codes, and ideological functions. The paper argues for a holistic understanding of semiotics as a diverse, dynamic, and context-sensitive interpretive framework.