Final answer:
The difference between 'word' and 'noun' in semiotics pertains to the general and specific types of communicative units, with 'word' being the overarching category and 'noun' a specific segment within, defined by its function to name entities.
Step-by-step explanation:
From a semiotics perspective, the difference between verbum (word) and nomen (noun) is nuanced. In general semantics, a 'word' is an umbrella term for any unit of communication, while a 'noun' is a specific type of word that refers to a person, place, thing, or idea. Saussure's linguistics delineates between the abstract system of language (langue) and the use of language (parole). Although a noun is intrinsically a word, not all words function as nouns. Words may express various meanings and functions according to their placement and usage in language, a concept underscored by structuralism, which posits that the understanding of linguistic elements is contextual within the larger structure of language.
Word form varies from its function, as seen when a word typically designated as one part of speech operates in a different capacity within a sentence structure. For instance, 'eating' is a verb by form but may function nominally as a subject. Additionally, the cognitive relationship between verbs and nouns reflects this interaction and is important in areas of language impairment and recovery in aphasia, indicating the deeper cognitive structuring of language beyond mere semantics.